Epistles
{THE N.T. LETTERS}
[Click on the title below to open an article]
{THESSALONIANS}
- To The Assembly - {PDF Copy} - (The Thessalonians received the gospel in tribulation but remained faithful in anticipation of the arrival of Jesus)
- Crown of Boasting - {PDF Copy} - (If the Thessalonians continue to emulate the apostolic example, they will receive the crown of glory at the arrival of Jesus)
- Blameless in Holiness - {PDF Copy} - (Paul prays for the Thessalonians to be found holy and blameless on the day when Jesus arrives in glory)
- The Dead in Christ - {PDF Copy} - (Paul reassures the Thessalonians regarding the participation of dead saints in the arrival of Jesus from heaven)
- Sorrow Not - {PDF Copy} - (Foundational to the hope of the church is the bodily resurrection of believers that will take place when Jesus arrives from heaven)
- Times, Signs and Seasons - {PDF Copy} - (Paul does not detail the times and seasons since the Thessalonians understand that the Lord will come like a thief in the night – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)
- Sons of Light - {PDF Copy} - (The Day of the Lord will mean salvation to the “sons of light” who remain ever vigilant and prepared for it)
- Sanctified Wholly - {PDF Copy} - (Considering the future arrival of Jesus, Paul summoned believers to become sanctified completely by that day)
- The Just Judgment of God - {PDF Copy} - (The arrival of Jesus will mean vindication and rest for the righteous, but everlasting loss for the wicked - 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)
- False Alarms - {PDF Copy} - (Disinformation about the day of the Lord caused alarm in the congregation at Thessalonica – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2)
- The Day of the Lord - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus will arrive and gather his people on the day of the Lord, and in the New Testament, this event becomes the Day of Christ)
- Two Missing Events - {PDF Copy} - (Two events must occur before the Day of the Lord comes, the Apostasy and the unveiling of the Man of Lawlessness)
- The Coming Apostasy - {PDF Copy} - (Paul warned the Thessalonians of a future apostasy and linked it to the unveiling of the Man of Lawlessness, the Son of Destruction)
- The Son of Destruction - {PDF Copy} - (Many saints will apostatize when the Lawless One, the Son of Destruction, seats himself in the sanctuary of God)
- Seated in the Sanctuary - {PDF Copy} - (The Man of Lawlessness will be unveiled when he seats himself in the House of God - 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
- The Sanctuary of God - {PDF Copy} - (In his letters, the Apostle Paul consistently applied Temple language to the church of Jesus Christ)
- Until Revealed - {PDF Copy} - (The mystery of lawlessness is at work preparing the way for the unveiling of the Lawlessness One – 2 Thessalonians 2:5-7)
- The Mystery of Lawlessness - {PDF Copy} - (The Mystery of Lawlessness is preparing the way for the unveiling of the Lawless One who will cause many believers to apostatize)
- Lying Signs and Wonders - {PDF Copy} - (The Lawless One will use lying signs and wonders to deceive saints into abandoning the faith)
- The Lawless One Destroyed - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus will destroy the works of the Lawless One and paralyze him at his glorious arrival on the Day of the Lord)
- Stand Fast - {PDF Copy} - (Believers prepare for the Apostasy and the coming Man of Lawlessness by standing firm in the apostolic tradition)
- His Arrival - {PDF Copy} - (The arrival of Jesus will mean the resurrection of the dead, the commencement of the New Creation, and the final judgment)
{GALATIANS}
- Conflict in Galatia - {PDF Copy} - (The key issue in Galatia was whether Gentiles must be circumcised and keep some, at least, of the deeds required by the Torah)
- Rescued from this Evil Age - {PDF Copy} - (Paul anchors all that God has done in the past death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus of Nazareth, inaugurating the messianic age – Galatians 1:1-5)
- Even An Angel - {PDF Copy} - (Paul warned the Galatians not to heed any Gospel that deviated from the one preached by him - even if it came from an angel)
- The Spirit of Life - {PDF Copy} - (It is the Spirit of God that imparts life, especially the everlasting life in Jesus of which the gift of the Spirit is the foretaste and guarantee)
- Having Begun in the Spirit - {PDF Copy} - (The receipt of the Spirit while in an uncircumcised state is irrefutable proof that Gentiles are accepted by God AS GENTILES)
- Heirs in Jesus - {PDF Copy} - (Returning to the custodianship of the Law would mean rebuilding the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles)
- This Evil Age - {PDF Copy} - (The death of Jesus inaugurated the messianic age with consequent changes in the status of the Law and God’s people)
- Rudiments of the Old Era - {PDF Copy} - (The Messianic Age dawned in Jesus, and calendrical rituals and other Levitical regulations belong to the old order)
{ROMANS}
- The Gospel of God - {PDF Copy} - (Paul introduces his message to the churches of Rome and begins his exposition of the Gospel by identifying Christ’s qualifications as Messiah)
- Paul's Gospel -{PDF Copy} - (In Romans, Paul presents his gospel from humanity's plight due to sin to the resurrection of the dead and the New Creation)
- Both Jews and Greeks - {PDF Copy} - (The equality of Jew and Gentile before God is a pivotal theme in Romans. Members of either group stand or fall before Him on the same basis)
- The Message of the Gospel - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is summoning his disciples to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God in every inhabited corner of the Earth – Romans 3:22-30)
- Righteousness and Wrath - {PDF Copy} - (According to Paul, a day of wrath is coming when the wicked will pay the ultimate price for their disobedience to God – Romans 2:5)
- The Faithfulness of God - {PDF Copy} - (The righteousness of God refers to His faithfulness to His promises, and this is demonstrated in the salvation He has provided in Jesus)
- Wrath Revealed - {PDF Copy} - (Those who possess the truth in unrighteousness must face death, and afterward, the wrath of God on the ominous final day)
- Plight to Solution - {PDF Copy} - (In Romans, Paul argues from plight to solution as he presents his gospel to the churches of Rome, a message for both Jews and Greeks)
- The Works of the Law - {PDF Copy} - (In Paul’s letters, references to justification by “works” have a specific category of works in view – the works of the law)
- Disciples and the State - {PDF Copy} - (Paul instructs believers living in the Roman Empire not to resist the government since its existence and authority are arranged by God)
- The Spirit and Resurrection - (The Gift of the Spirit is the foretaste and guarantee of the bodily resurrection and of the coming New Creation) - {PDF Copy}
- Inheritance of Abraham - {PDF Copy} - (In Jesus, the original limited promise of territory to Abraham is transformed to encompass the entire creation)
- The Faith of Abraham - {PDF Copy} - (The faith of uncircumcised Abraham provides an example for Jewish and Gentile believers who live from the faith of Jesus – Romans 4:11-17)
- Coheirs with Jesus - {PDF Copy} - (The covenant with Abraham is fulfilled in Jesus, his seed and heir, including the promise of land – Romans 8:1-23)
- The Redemption of Our Body - {PDF Copy} - (Paul links the bodily resurrection of believers to the New Creation, and both events are part of the promised redemption – Romans 8:1-23)
- Food and Calendars - {PDF Copy} - (Paul argues for tolerance in the church on food regulations and the observation of holy days – The shadows now find their fulfillment in Jesus)
{CORINTH}
- The Ends of the Ages - {PDF Copy} - (In several ways, Paul coordinates the commencement of the last days with the Death and Resurrection of Jesus) The Day of Christ - {PDF Copy} - (The return of Jesus will be the “Day of the Lord” when the dead are raised, the wicked are judged, and death will cease)
- Ekklésia - The Assembly of God - {PDF Copy} - (The Christian use of the term church or ekklésia is derived from the assembly of Yahweh gathered for worship as described in the Hebrew Bible)
- Final Events - {PDF Copy} -(In explaining the future resurrection, Paul lists key events that will precede or coincide with the arrival of Jesus at the end of the age)
- Preaching Another Jesus - {PDF Copy} - (Is Jesus still the slain Lamb, or has he become the roaring Lion of Judah hellbent on exacting payback from his enemies and those of the church?)
- The Spiritual Man - {PDF Copy} - (The spiritually-minded man understands that the Gospel of Christ Crucified is God’s true power and wisdom - 1 Corinthians 2:14)
{PRISON LETTERS}
- Perfection in Resurrection - {PDF Copy} - (Paul expresses his goal of going on to perfection, a process that will culminate in our physical resurrection when Jesus arrives)
- Warfare in the Spirit - {PDF Copy} - (Disciples wage spiritual warfare through right conduct, acts of love, and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ)
- The Suffering Servant - {PDF Copy} - (Disciples are summoned to adopt the same mind that Jesus had when he poured out his life unto death for the sake of others)
- One People - {PDF Copy} - (By his death, Jesus formed one covenant community - One New Man - based on faith in him, not ethnicity or nationality – Ephesians 2:11-22)
- The Mind of Christ - {PDF Copy} - (The submission of Jesus to an unjust death becomes the paradigm for the love and service to others that disciples are summoned to manifest)
{PASTORALS}
- He Abolished Death - {PDF Copy} - (Paul reminded Timothy of Christ’s resurrection since false teachers were denying the future resurrection of believers)
{JOHN}
- In the Assembly - {PDF Copy} - (John labels false teachers active in his congregations as antichrists. Their deceptive teachings confirm that the Last Days have commenced)
- The Spirit of Antichrist - {PDF Copy} - (The Antichrist Spirit works to destroy the church from within, especially through deception propagated by deceivers and false teachers – 1 John 2:18-22)
{HEBREWS}
- God Has Spoken! - {PDF Copy} - (God is speaking His definitive word in His Son. All previous words spoken by the prophets were preparatory, promissory, and partial)
- Upon These Last Days - {PDF Copy} - (The era of the Aaronic priesthood terminated with the arrival of the word of God spoken in His Son, the priest after the order of Melchizedek)
- His Supremacy - {PDF Copy} - (Through a series of comparisons, the letter to the Hebrews demonstrates the superiority of the Son over his predecessors)
- His Distinguished Name - {PDF Copy} - (Having achieved the purification of sins, Jesus inherited a more distinguished name than the angels – Son)
- Do Not Drift Away - {PDF Copy} - (A dire warning of the consequences of failing to heed the superior word spoken in the Son)
- Hold Fast to the Word - {PDF Copy} - (Followers of Jesus must cling continually to the word spoken in the Son lest they drift away from the salvation they have received from God)
- His Priestly Qualifications - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus qualified to become our high priest by participating fully in human suffering, weakness, and death)
- The Faithful High Priest - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is well-equipped to be our faithful and sympathetic high priest, having participated fully in humanity’s plight)
- Once For All - {PDF Copy} - (The promise a New Covenant finds its fulfillment in the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus and the superior priesthood he now holds)
- The Son Surpasses Moses - {PDF Copy} - (The word of the Son is superior even to the word of Moses, the servant and Great Lawgiver in the house of Yahweh)
- Harden Not Your Hearts - {PDF Copy} - (Disciples of Jesus who fail to hold fast to their confession due to unbelief will not inherit the coming rest of God)
- Enter His Rest - {PDF Copy} - (Disciples who fail to hold fast their confession due to unbelief and disobedience will not inherit the coming rest of God)
- His Exaltation - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is the Son whom God exalted after his suffering and death to be our merciful and faithful High Priest)
- Priest Forever - {PDF Copy} - (The priesthood of Jesus is superior because it rests on his endless resurrection life, the priest after the order of Melchizedek)
- A Change of Law - {PDF Copy} - (The new priesthood after the order of Melchizedek inaugurated by Jesus also means a change in the Law - Hebrews 7:12)
- His Incomparable Covenant - {PDF Copy} - (In his death, Jesus inaugurated the promised and vastly superior new covenant, rendering the old one obsolete)
- The Purification of Sins - {PDF Copy} - (Having achieved the purification of sins, Jesus sat down at the right hand of God where he now intercedes for his people as their faithful High Priest)
- From Shadow to Substance - {PDF Copy} - (The types and shadows of the old covenant find their substance in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and his new covenant – Hebrews 8:1-5)
- Hold Fast Our Confession - {PDF Copy} - (Disciples must cling tightly to their confession and approach Jesus with boldness-of-speech, especially in times of great need – Hebrews 4:12-16)
- The Tent Pitched by God - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus intercedes without ceasing for his people in the true heavenly Tabernacle, one not made with human hands but pitched by God)