With two weeks under your belt, have you established a reading pattern that works for you? Maybe you read at the same time each day, or maybe you read for longer periods over fewer days. What matters is that you are getting to know Jesus, no matter your reading style. We hope that you are staying energized and motivated on our journey. This is a big project, but the rewards are boundless!
Paul's letters make up quite a bit of the New Testament, and we are continuing through them this week with 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galations, and the beginning of Romans. Paul's letters follow a standard pattern of greeting and thanksgiving, the main body, and a closing, often with a final thought written personally by Paul. We know from the context of Paul's letters that he wrote many more letters than are included in the Bible. Keeping in mind that God, not men, compiled His Word, what do you think it is about these letters that they are part of the Bible? Could it be that while the concerns they addressed applied to those churches at that time, those same issues have existed for the church since its birth? How many sermons have you heard on Paul's letters? Have they applied no matter your age, your church, your location, the year, or the cultural climate?
Our recent reading of Acts will hopefully stay in your mind as you read through Paul's letters. Remember that Acts outlined the physical path of Paul's ministry, and it gave us a picture of what the culture was like in each city where Paul established a church. These bodies of believers did not exist in a vacuum; they worshiped while a much different culture was going on around them. Their constant temptation was to make concessions to the culture, and they allowed it to contaminate their worship. Is any of this familiar to your church experience?
In his letters to Corinth, Paul identified struggles with authority, morality, unity, freedom, relationships, worship, false teaching, loyalty to leaders, discipline, and more. Paul did not preach in a vacuum, either. He knew that dependence on flesh brought weakness to the church, and he continually reminded them that he shared the Gospel alone. Paul's letter to the Galatians covers many of the same issues, but in this letter, he stressed that they were missing the true nature of the Gospel, which is to depend on the Holy Spirit. Only in that dependence can one find the purpose of our freedom and liberty in Christ. By relying on their own flesh, these churches were eroding, and the ways of the world were taking over. Paul's instruction was intended to bring them back to reliance on the Spirit, and to allow Him to direct their lives and worship.
Romans was a letter that Paul wrote to a church he had not yet met. His letter was actually one of introduction, and a request for support. Though he had not met them, Paul was familiar with the Roman church practices, and he wished to instruct them by preaching the Gospel to them once he arrived. Though we will only begin Romans this week, recognize Paul's message of the Power of God as the only means to salvation. Paul stressed that Jesus came to bring salvation to the world, Jews and Gentiles alike. Only the Power of God could bring obedience and freedom from sin to His people.
Continue to think about our five book club questions:
1. What's something you noticed for the first time?
2. What questions did you have?
3. Was there anything that bothered you?
4. What did you learn about loving God?
5. What did you learn about loving others?
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