The Basics About the Bible: Paul's Letters to Churches

A Letter of NT times followed this Basic Formula:

• Greeting, including self-identification - this is like "Signature First," or the Return Address
• Body of the Letter Paul's letters are generally broken down further:
• xxxxxxxspiritual teaching
• xxxxxxxpractical application
• Closing; here is where the secretary and any others sending greetings would identify themselves

The books/letters are arranged in order of length, thus we have the Thessalonian letters, the earliest, last.

 Romans - Paul wrote this to a church he had not yet visited, yet he knew the people there. The Roman empire was a world of mobile people! In this letter, Paul presents the sin state we live in, God's overview of history, the plan of salvation and what it means to us, and finally practical applications of his message.

 I & II Corinthians - Paul came to Corinth, the "sin capitol" of the empire, a megacity with 3 seaports, after some very difficult times. We see that in the problems they brought to him, problems that are very relevant to us today. We could, if we wished, get into a critical mess of how many letters did Paul write to them, and which ones are the two we have, but it would be more profitable to look at Paul's love and leadership of these difficult Christians, his heart for his people, his work, and his Lord. 

 I Corinthians: church problems

II Corinthians: rebuilding the relationship

The next four letters,  Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Paul's personal letter to Philemon are known as "Prison Epistles (letters)," because he wrote them while in prison in Rome.  Together they contain the heart of our faith:

Galatians - Emancipation Declaration, Declaration of Independence (from the Law)

Ephesians - the Church, Christ's Body

Philippians - the Christian, Empowered by Christ (4:13)

Colossians - Christ, the Head of the Body, the Church; Christ, the Fullness of God ( 2:9,10)

Philemon - the Christian in action in unbelieving society (17,18)

Galatians - Galatia is a province, not a single city, essentially what we know as central Turkey. Paul and Barnabas had covered the district on their first missionary journey, and later Paul and Silas on the second. The Judaizers had followed and convinced the people that yes, Jesus is important, but you also have to follow all the Jewish rites and rituals. This is the problem Paul addresses.

 Ephesians - Paul spent a long, loving, and fruitful ministry in Ephesus. Written roughly the same time as  Romans, Ephesians, like it, is a complete exposition of the Christian faith, although in a much less intellectual format.

 Philippians - Philippi is a city in northern Greece, the first European city visited by Paul, and a place of serious persecution. Although there was some wealth, most of the people were poor, yet this was a loving, giving church. This letter of encouragement shows they had almost everything right.

Colossians - Colossae is somewhat to the west of the Galatian area.
 Paul never made it there, but his Ephesian converts started the church.
 Here the problem was angel worship and spiritology, mixed with Christianity.  Again, Paul dealt with the problem theologically, pointing to Christ as above angels and every other spirit, and giving practical applications.

I and II Thessalonians - Like Philippi, Thessalonica is in northern Greece. The persecuters from Philippi followed Paul there, and he had very little time in this city, yet their questions showed an amazing depth of the teaching he had given, as well as great personal warmth between teacher and pupils.