Order Group Letters To church in: Continent Date: A.D

1st Early Galatians Province of Galatia Asia Minor 48

2nd Early 1 Thessalonians City of Thessalonica Europe 51

3rd Early 2 Thessalonians City of Thessalonica Europe 51

4th Major I Corinthians City of Corinth Europe 54 / 55

5th Major 2 Corinthians City of Corinth Europe 55 / 56

6th Major Romans City of Rome Europe 55 / 56

7th Prison Ephesians City of Ephesus Asia Minor 61

8th Prison Colossians City of Colossae Asia Minor 61

9th Prison Philemon (Friend – Philemon) --- 61

10th Prison Philippians City of Philippi Europe 62

11th Pastoral 1 Timothy (Co-worker – Timothy) --- 62

12th Pastoral Titus (Co-worker – Titus) --- 63

13th Pastoral 2 Timothy (Co-worker – Timothy) --- 64

Recap : Paul’s Letters

Questions :1. How do we know Paul wrote this letter ?

2. When and where was it written ?

3. What are the 2 theories – north & south ?

4. Who were infiltrating the church ?

5. What was Paul’s purpose of writing ?

6. What is the structure & direction of this letter ?

When & Where ?

Which mission journey ?

2 Theories . . .

South

Theory

North

Theory

North Theory

South Theory

North Galatian Theory? ( = later)

Place = Paul is writing to believers in the smaller northern territory know traditionally as Galatia, not to the larger Roman province of Galatia, it become later

These churches & believers were not saved till Paul’s second missionary journey in Acts 16:6-8

Date = therefore date of writing is later, after the Jerusalem Council in AD 60.

View = for many years traditionally of the church

Problem = no evidence that Paul established churches there

South Galatian Theory? (= earlier)

Place = The whole Roman province of Galatia as it was set up under the Roman Empire

These churches & believers were saved by Paul’s first missionary journey when passing through Galatia & this latter written after his first journey just before he went to debate about salivation for Gentiles by faith at the Jerusalem Council

Date = therefore date of writing is earlier, in AD 48.

Date = therefore this is the first of Paul’s letter

View = newer view of theologians

Advantage = explains why Paul does not mention Jerusalem council & fits with the situation of addressing Judaizers, and conflict of whether Gentiles have to be circumcised & become Jews to be saved.

Situation

New Converts from Paul’s missionary work – mostly Gentiles

False teachers – Judaizers came

= Jews who say they are Christians, teaching & pressuring Gentile Christians to embrace Judaism, to become Jews, get circumcised & follow all laws of Moses in order to be saved

Attack on >>

1. Paul’s apostleship and legitimacy of his teaching (Paul’s reply = Gal.1:1-5 & Gal.1:10-2:21)

2. Paul’s message of salvation by grace – saying that you needed to become a Jew to be a Christian – to get circumcised & obey all the Mosaic laws & Jewish interpretations of them

Result

new Galatian believers were about to lose their faith in Christ

instead turn to following Judaism trying to obey the Laws to prove good enough for God

instead of being justified / declared righteous by faith alone in Christ

Does this mistake ever happen in churches today?

Purpose

1. Prove that He was a true Apostle of God

2. Persuade Galatian believers that salvation is by faith not by works of the Law

3. Directions to live life of Liberty based on faith –not in lawlessness

Approach / Style

Strong, Intense language

Because >> a personal urgent plea from Paul

to prevent them walking away from faith in the salvation by faith in Christ’s sacrifice to make them righteous.

Structure

1. Ch. 1:1-5 = Greetings

2. Ch. 1:6-9 = Situation Responding to

3. Ch. 1:10 – 2:21 = Defends His Apostolic calling & authority

4. Ch. 3:1 – 4:31 = Defend the message that we are justified (declared righteous in God’s eyes, saved from judgement & damnation) by faith in Christ. We cannot earn our salvation by doing works of the Law to become righteous enough before God almighty

5. Ch. 5:1 – 6:10 = Practical guidelines – how to live in the liberty of being saved by faith & not in lawlessness

Personal Questions

After being saved by faith – do we turn to strive by our own effort and guilt to prove ourselves and grow for God?

Do we apply faith to our growth in Christ? Do regularly pray for God’s work through us?

Since we are saved by Grace does this mean we do away with the rules of the Law? (Rom.6:1 + 6:15 + 7:7)

Does this teaching contradict James’ teaching in ch.2:14-26 ?

James 2: 14 - 26

A Faith without Works ?

Is James contradicting Paul ?

Works versus Faith ?

James 2:17 (ESV)

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is

dead.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

[ also: Rom.3:22-28; 4:2-3 Gal. 2:11-16]

Is James contradicting Paul ?Works versus Faith ?

Is salvation by faith not enough ?

Do we need to top up our faith with works to be saved ?

Looking through James 2

Message of James >>

True faith leads to action

Difference 1.

Paul - dealing with problem – legalistic Judaisers – need to do works of the law before being saved

James - dealing with problem – ‘intellectual faith’ – believed in Christ but saw no need for change in their actions.

Difference 2.

Paul - correcting error– you need works to get saved

James - correcting error – when you’re saved there is no need for works – ‘faith’ does not result in action

Difference 3.

Paul - uses the word ‘justify’ – that we are declared ‘righteous’ by Christ when we’re saved

James - uses the word ‘justify’ – our ‘righteousness’ is demonstrated

- it’s vindicated on the day of judgement

Difference 4.

Paul - argues against the works before salvation, - to get saved

James – argues for the works which follow salvation

Message of James >>

True faith leads to action

Confirmed by Paul ...

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

(Ephesians 4:1 ESV)I .. urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

[+ Rom.6:1-2 & Rom.6:15-16 + Rom. 3:31]

Confirmed by Jesus ...

John 14:23 (NIV)

Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.

Matthew 25:34-35 (NIV) ~ Parable of Sheep & Goats

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who

are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom

prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was

hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and

you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you

invited me in.

Challenge for us ...

Is my faith resulting in action ?

As I grow in faith – is it resulting in action?

To pray for ...

2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NIV)

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,

-> that our God may make you worthy of his calling,

-> and that by his power he may bring to fruition

your every desire for goodness

and your every deed prompted by faith.