Love Letters: The Apostle Paul’S Epistles and Ministry to the Early Church

By Helen M. Moss

What is a Love Letter? Merriam Webster's online dictionary defines love as an unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person's adoration of God. Love Letters; Paul's Epistles and Ministry to the Early Church is the epitome of this type of love. For Paul's letters to the early church illuminated his love for God manifested in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as his true affection for the Jews and Gentiles who were establishing the early Bodies of Christ-the church.

This book chronicles the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys through the Roman Empire teaching and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to both Jewish Christians and Gentiles. The epistles, letters, written to the early churches served several purposes. They contained heartfelt greetings, praise, thanksgiving, words of encouragement, and when necessary, chastisements. But more importantly, the Love Letters conveyed the unconditional love of Jesus Christ for the believer.

The epistles to the early churches also helped to form doctrine, church order, conduct and traditions plus accepted leadership qualities along with responsibilities. The tone of the letters was infused with Paul's genuine benevolent concern for and loyalty to the early Christians establishing churches in a hostile environment. Love Letters; Paul's Epistles and Ministry to the Early Church while serving as an examination of the early church and its formation, it also can be a template for the church today as it meets the challenges of the contemporary world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504928151

Helen M. Moss

Helen M. Moss is a freelance writer and visual artist living in Dayton, Ohio. She has published a series of essays on her daily challenges with multiple sclerosis in an anthology entitled Have a Little Faith, Trouble Don’t Last Always and had an essay in the May, 2012 issue of New Mobility Magazine. Mrs. Moss is a member of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church Visual Arts, Inc. Helen M. Moss has been happily married to Kenneth “Khalid” Moss, noted jazz musician and freelance writer since 1996.

Book preview

© 2015 Helen M. Moss. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/28/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2816-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2631-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2815-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015912746

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

All Scripture passages in the King James Version from BibleGateway, www.biblegateway.com which is operated by The Zondervan Corporation, L.L.C.

Ballard of Mary’s Son, Hughes, Langston, from The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, used with permission from Penguin/Random House Publishers

Cover Art, Moss, Helen M., b. 1956, The Apostle Paul’s Stained Glass Window #2, mixed media on canvas, 11w x 14h, used with permission from the artist

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Introduction

Pentecost And The Great Commission

Saul Of Tarsus, Paul In Damascus

The First Missionary Journey

The Second Missionary Journey

The Third Missionary Journey

The Apostle Paul’s Journey To Jerusalem

The Apostle Paul’s Journey To Rome

The Apostle Paul’s Love Letters

The Epistles In Cultural And Political Context

The Epistles To The Church In Thessalonica

The Epistles To The Church In Corinth

The Epistle To The Church In Galatia

The Epistle To The Church In Rome

The Epistle To The Church In Ephesus

The Epistle To The Church In Philippi

The Epistle To The Church In Colossae

The Epistle To Philemon

The Epistle To The Christian Hebrews

The Epistle To Titus

The Epistles To Timothy

Epilogue

Resources And References

Before the ship of your life reaches its last harbor, there will be long drawn-out storms, howling and jostling winds, and tempestuous seas that make the heart stand still. If you do not have a deep and patient faith in God, you will be powerless to face the delay, disappointment, and vicissitudes that inevitably come.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11: 6

This book is

dedicated to my husband, Kenneth Khalid Moss, who lovingly tolerated my late-night, early-morning bouts of creativity and bursts of writing necessity. He also patiently listened to my questions, vacillations about content and context as well as those periods of self-doubt. Thank You, Thank You! This book is also dedicated to the memories of our grandmothers, Helen Clara Broadus, Helen Elizabeth Moore, Beulah Moss and Nancy Louvenia Webster, Khalid and I both stand on their shoulders of creativity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you Mrs. Bessie Ficklin, one of my first Sunday School teachers, for initiating a natural curiosity about religious and Biblical interpretations. While I had been taught from a very young age, as most of us were, to bow my head in prayer, Mrs. Ficklin would chastise her class for praying to the devil with our bowed heads. Thankfully, that confusion at such an early age did not discourage my prayers but encouraged my willingness to learn more about what the Bible tells us to do. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Psalm 5:3

I would also want to acknowledge and sincerely thank my parents, Earle and Martha Mundell, for their support, encouragement and especially their love. My parents’ deep faith in and commitment to the risen Jesus Christ has always and continues to influence my spirituality and faith. I am who I am, because they are my parents.

I would be remiss if I did not thank W. Judy Wilson as well as my brother-in-law Dante James, for their patience and thorough review and proof reading of this manuscript in preparation for its final submission. I also want to thank Rev. Dr. Faye Taylor for graciously agreeing to share her thoughts on this book.

PROLOGUE

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. Acts 16: 5

Most Gracious and Heavenly Father, my prayer to you is sincere. I ask for Your guidance, Your direction and Your divine inspiration as I write this text about Your servant/Apostle Paul. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that all of the words I write will be spirit-filled, clear, succinct and authentic. Prayerfully and earnestly Lord, I ask that You impart upon me whatever You want me to have, whatever gifts and talents You have ordained me with to use for Your edification, for Your glory. I pray that all these words will help me and the reader gain a better understanding of, a stronger relationship with, as well as a deeper love for and faith in the saving grace of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

The epistles—Love Letters—while written centuries ago, continue to inform and challenge individuals and churches today. The issues that perplexed the Jewish Christians and Gentiles as they were establishing the early churches are some of the same queries that confound Christians and the organized church right now.

The Apostle Paul’s epistles—Love Letters—addressed five concerns that faced the early church which are germane and pertinent for contemporary congregations; Christ’s return, Christ in you, you in Christ and the doctrines and organization of the church as well as the character and responsibilities of church leaders. The letters eloquently spoke to those and many other circumstances that confronted the early church and continue to challenge contemporary churches today.

When we initially accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior there was a feeling of promise and euphoria. All was right in our world. There might be an expectation that everything and everyone, all relationships would be problem-free. However, that was the time our new found faith must be nurtured our new found faith, much like a gardener tends to newly planted seeds. The seeds—our faith—must be planted deeply in order to withstand any negative circumstances, damaging conditions, that would potentially be detrimental to one’s proper Christian growth and development. Jesus illustrated this situation in the Parable of the Sower recorded in Matthew 13:3-9. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Matthew 13: 8.

In using the Sower and seed as an analogy that described the planting of faith, Jesus was reminding us that unless our own personal faith is grounded and rooted deeply in fertile soil it will not develop, thrive and grow. The Apostle Paul reiterated that same message and sentiment in his epistles to the early churches, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; Ephesians 3:16-18

The Apostle Paul wrote the epistles—Love Letters—to serve as fertilizer to nourish the early church in its growth and development. The letters, if read earnestly with a genuine belief and faith in Jesus Christ, will provide spiritual nutrients for contemporary Christians as well. The letters admonished the church and professed believers not to be distracted by false doctrines—thorns—or engage in legalistic debates—shallow earth—that disavowed the assurance of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul wanted the faith of this new church to be planted in good ground to insure a sustainable belief in its love for Jesus Christ and His saving grace, His salvation.

Are we, as Christians today, susceptible to every new theological concept advanced by the latest, trendiest, spiritual or scholarly leader? Are we watching televangelists in lieu of worshiping and working with the fellowship of the faithful in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ? Paul’s letters can speak to us in the present-day as a warning against false prophets and individuals who can distract the modern-day church from its true purpose as ordained by God. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. II Corinthians 11: 13-14. What kind of soil, shallow or deep, is the church and its congregants planted in right now?

As I researched and wrote Love Letters; The Apostle Paul’s Epistles and Ministry to the Early Church I was challenged to consider my own personal beliefs and relationships. What do I understand and believe about Christ’s second coming? Is my faith grounded, rooted, and do I truly believe in Christ and His saving grace, my own salvation as the result of His death and resurrection? Am I living a life that demonstrates a sincere love for Jesus Christ when consideration is given to my behavior and interactions with others? While reading the epistles—Love Letters—I asked myself, What do I believe and accept as true, and what do these Scriptures mean to me in my quest and desire to live a Christian life?

It is my heartfelt hope that as you read and consider Love Letters; The Apostle Paul’s Epistles and Ministry to the Early Church you will be moved to ask and answer those same questions for yourself as well.

1.jpg2.jpg3.jpg

THE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS

INTRODUCTION

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts 2:41

The Old Testament of the Bible is the preparation for what is to come beginning with God’s creation of the universe as well as the first man and woman, the first seeds of humanity. The creation is followed by covenants and laws between the Creator and humanity intended to bring comfort, order and meaning to His world, His creation. The Old Testament also, specifically in the texts of the prophets, outlines the expectations and the future will of God for His people. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Isaiah 42: 6-9

The New Testament of the Holy Bible begins with an account of Jesus’ genealogy, birth, and life along with his ministry, death and resurrection. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2: 11. And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. Luke 18:33

Ballard of Mary’s Son

It was in the Spring/ The Passover had come/ There was fasting in the streets and joy/ But an awful thing/ Happened in the Spring—/ Men who knew not what they did/ Killed Mary’s boy/ He was Mary’s Son/ And the Son of God was He—/ Sent to bring the whole world joy./ There were some who could not hear,/ And some were filled with fear—/ So they built a Cross/ For Mary’s Boy./ To His Twelve Disciples/ He gave them of His bread./ He gave them to drink of His wine./ This is my body/ And this is my blood, He said./ My cross for you/ Will be a sign./ He went into the garden/ And he knelt there to pray./ He said, Oh, Lord, Thy will be done!/ The soldiers came/ And took my Lord away./ They made a Cross/ For Mary’s Son./ This is my body/ This is my blood!/ His body and His blood divine!/ He died on the Cross/ That my soul should not be lost./ His body and His blood/ Redeem mine.

Langston Hughes,

from The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes

The life and ministry of Christ was recorded in the Gospels of the New Testament and continued with the majority of the books recounting the Pentecost and appearance of the risen Jesus Christ, the missionary work and journeys, a chronology of the establishment and growth of the early church and more importantly the Apostle Paul’s epistles—Love Letters—to the early church.

It would be challenging to fully appreciate and understand the missionary journeys, ministry and subsequent epistles from the Apostle Paul to the early church without examining the purpose and chronology of the Acts of the Apostles as recorded by one of Jesus’ disciples, Luke. A continuation of Luke’s Gospel, the first chapters of Acts were the accounts of the ascension and fulfillment of Jesus’ promised return, the revelation of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and Peter’s analogous use of the keys to the kingdom to the Jews as well as the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius, a devout God-fearing centurion in the Italian Regiment. Those chapters of The Acts of the Apostles also chronicled the establishment of the early Christian church as well as Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, successive conversion and call to ministry.

The Acts of the Apostles chronicled the spread of the Gospel and established the Church, the Body of Christ. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8. The second division of Acts focused prominently on the ministry of the Apostle Paul, a new center was recognized in Antioch and the outreach principally directed to the Christian Jews and the Gentiles establishing the early church. They had been forgiven of their iniquities by the saving grace of the Son, Jesus Christ, who was raised up from death by the Father, God. To the Jews Paul preached about the death and resurrection of Christ and used the Old Testament passages of Isaiah 55: 3; Psalm 2: 7; Psalm 16: 8-11 as points of departure. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 13: 38-39.

As the Jews left the synagogue, many of them rejected Paul’s missives, while the Gentiles requested that the same message be taught to them as well. In the face of the envy and subsequent opposition from many in the Jewish community Paul, along with Barnabas, began their ministry to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. Acts 13: 47-49

After Pentecost, the resurrected Jesus commanded the disciples to remember The Great Commission, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28: 19-20. The majority of the remainder of the New Testament is comprised of the Apostle Paul’s epistles to the churches as they were being established—the Body of Christ.

The Roman Empire, at the time of Paul’s missionary journeys, was a vast expanse of land spanning from Brittan to Arabia. During the first two centuries, the early church was made up of a variety of communities with varied languages, cultures, histories and diverse interpretations of Judaic traditions. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul sought to meld all these differences into one cohesive church of believers in Jesus Christ. The Love Letters were written to serve as first and foremost an affirmation of the purpose of the Church, the Body of Christ.

The early churches needed periodic reminders of their intent and meaning as well as their importance in spreading the Gospel message of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Jewish Christians and Gentiles who were establishing those churches required consistent confirmation of the redemptive nature of the grace and salvation that was now, through Jesus Christ, superior to Mosaic Law. Paul’s epistles reinforced the meaning and purpose of the Church, the Body of Christ.

The Apostle Paul’s calling to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman Empire was a unique juxtaposition to his previous avocation. Before he was confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus Paul was passionate in his quest to eradicate the region of Christians and Christianity. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. Acts 1: 1-2. That passion was now applied to his missionary journeys and writings.

The epistles were harmonious in their basic foundational messages. The Church, the Body of Christ, And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: Ephesians 3: 9, was unique in God’s purpose for humanity. What was the real purpose of the church? How did the church serve humanity? What was the mystery of the church? Paul’s epistles to the early church answered those questions and many more. The letters gave direction, encouragement as well as thanksgiving to the churches. The letters also addressed doctrine, leadership, conduct, service and relationships within the church.

In his ministry, to both the Jewish Christians and Gentiles, the Apostle Paul used the epistles to emphasize the inclusiveness of Christianity. Because of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, salvation, grace and justification were available to all who believed. Regardless of ethnicity, station in life, male or female, everyone was included by their belief and faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3: 26-28.

While every one of the epistles addressed the specific spiritual needs and concerns of the respective churches, the messages had a universal focus for all churches. Because of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ salvation, grace and justification were available to all who believed. Everyone was included in the saving grace of Jesus Christ regardless of who they were, where they lived or where they were born. The Apostle Paul wrote the epistles—Love Letters—as an affirmation of this basic principle of Christianity.

PENTECOST AND THE GREAT COMMISSION

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Acts 2: 1

The Pentecost, as described in the Acts of the Apostles, was considered to be the genesis of the Christian Church. Before his ascension into heaven Jesus told the disciples about the Pentecost. He foretold of various cultures coming together, speaking different languages, all filled with the Holy Spirit, and as a result, able to understand each other. This miraculous phenomenon in the Upper Room occurred 50 days after the Jewish feast of Passover as it was foretold in the Old Testament book of Leviticus 23: 15-22. In the prophetic Scripture passages in the third book of the Pentateuch or Septuagint, leaven was present which represented evil in the church and loaves, as opposed to sheaths of separate growths laxly gathered together, became a metaphor that exemplified the unified body, as in the Church, the body of Christ.

As depicted in the New Testament Scripture passages, Jesus Christ’s Return was characterized in two distinct occurrences, (1.) The Return would be a singular incident, not a continuing process that would be both personal and worldly; (2.) The Return would have a three-fold relational focus; Christ’s Return as it related to the church, Christ’s Return relative to the nation of Israel and Christ’s Return as it related to the Gentile populaces. His return for the church was the expectation and hope that Christ would raise the dead and transform the living saints, Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. I Corinthians 15: 51-52. The return of Jesus Christ for the Israelites was to fulfill the prophecy of the restoration of the Davidic Covenant in peace and power, And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Luke 1: 31-33. For the Gentile nations Christ’s Return to earth was anticipated to abolish the current world power structure, the judgement as predicted in Matthew 25: 31-42, as well as the world-wide transformation of Gentiles, And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from