Paul's Letters

Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the Gospel: every person is guilty, God declares believing sinners righteous through Christ's blood, the Spirit gives power for a new life, God keeps His promises to Israel, and the saved live as worshiping, serving people.

First Corinthians is Paul's answer to a gifted but divided and disorderly church: he calls it back to Christ crucified, sets its worship, discipline, and liberty in order, puts love above every gift, and anchors its hope in Christ's resurrection.

Second Corinthians is Paul's most personal letter: he explains the nature of Christian ministry, with its comfort in trouble, treasure in clay jars, and message of reconciliation, pleads for generous giving, and defends his apostleship against false teachers by boasting only in his weakness and Christ's strength.

Galatians is Paul's fiery defense of the Gospel of grace: a person is justified by faith in Christ alone and not by works of the Law, and the one who is free in Christ walks in the Spirit instead of using liberty for the flesh.

Ephesians shows what God has given every believer in Christ, saved by grace through faith and made one new people of Jews and Gentiles, and then calls the church to walk worthy in unity, love, holiness, and spiritual warfare.

Philippians is Paul's joyful letter from prison, showing that Christ is the believer's life, example, goal, and strength, and that joy, humility, and contentment come from knowing Him.

Colossians shows Jesus Christ as supreme over all creation and fully sufficient for the believer, and it warns the church against any teaching that adds something to Him.

First Thessalonians encourages a young, persecuted church to keep serving God while it waits for His Son from heaven, and it comforts them about believers who have died with the hope of the Rapture.

Second Thessalonians corrects a false report that the day of the Lord had already come, comforts a suffering church with the promise of Christ's coming, and calls the idle back to quiet work.

First Timothy is Paul's letter to a young pastor at Ephesus on how to guard sound doctrine and how people ought to behave in the house of God, the church of the living God.

Second Timothy is Paul's last letter, written from a Roman prison to charge Timothy to be strong, to guard the Gospel and pass it on, to preach the Word, and to be faithful to the end.

Titus is Paul's short letter to a pastor on the island of Crete, showing that sound doctrine must produce good works and that salvation comes by God's mercy and grace, not by our works.

Philemon is Paul's short, personal letter asking a Christian master to receive back his runaway servant Onesimus, who has become a believer, no longer as a servant but as a brother beloved.