The Importance of Paul's Letters
In this Sunday's sermon, Todd began a new series looking at the letters of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament. He explained that Paul wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament, so his writings have been hugely influential in shaping Christian belief and practice over the centuries.
Who Was Paul?
Paul started out as Saul, a very devout Jew who knew the Old Testament inside and out. He was a Pharisee and an expert in the Jewish law. When the Jesus movement began after Christ's death and resurrection, Saul saw it as heresy and persecuted early Christians. But then he had a dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus that completely transformed his life. He converted to following Christ and became one of the greatest Christian missionaries, taking the gospel to the Gentiles.
Key Themes in Paul's Letters
As we study Paul's letters in this series, Todd encouraged us to look for these key themes:
- The importance of correct doctrine about God, Jesus, sin, salvation, etc. Our faith is built on truths revealed in Scripture.
- Doctrine should transform how we live. Accurate teaching helps us become more Christ-like.
- Healthy churches are vital for spreading the gospel. Paul wanted the churches he wrote to to be spiritually healthy and vibrant.
- We can't be good enough to earn salvation. Paul learned this dramatically on the road to Damascus. God's grace saves us, not our own effort.
We're looking forward to studying Paul's writings more closely in this new sermon series. Paul has so much wisdom to share about living out the Christian faith. What an incredible example of God transforming someone's life entirely!
