The Power of Words

This week the newsletter may look slightly different, or you may be receiving it for the first time. We have switched to a new database used by North Coast Church. It includes all the same weekly information, and our website remains the same. However, we are excited to be using this new streamlined system.

As you probably realize a lot of work goes into this newsletter each week mostly with the writing of this blog. I recently read a guy’s blog who wrote:

Why blog? Starting a blog has allowed me to…

• Live on a tropical island
• Build multiple six-figure businesses.
• Be able to work whenever and wherever I please for over a decade. I even got to take months off and travel around the world.
• Get opportunities to speak at prestigious events
• The pleasure to be able to help thousands of people create businesses that have allowed them to live happier and more fulfilled lives.

Well, that’s interesting. I have yet to find my tropical island and as for six figures … uh hmmm.  I do like the last point, not the business part, but the happier and more fulfilled lives. If we can offer anything towards that, then any work we put into it is well worth it.

I’ve always loved the power of words. Words have energy and power with the ability to uplift, to heal, to hold back, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble. From ancient hieroglyphics to modern literature, writing has allowed us to capture and preserve knowledge, share stories, and inspire generations. Writing is a remarkable tool that allows us to express our innermost thoughts, convey messages, and communicate with others.

Proverbs 15:4 tells us, “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” These are some heavy verses, and they don’t even scratch the surface.

Some of the most powerful words in the Bible are written by Paul. He writes letters as a mechanism for further instructing others in his understanding of the Christian message. It’s Paul who starts the writing of the New Testament by writing letters to fledgling congregations in the cities of the Greek East.

The apostle Paul wrote letters to churches for a variety of reasons, including:

• Correcting errors: Paul wrote to address problems and errors in theology and lifestyle that had arisen in the early church. For example, in his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul corrected the belief that Jesus would immediately return to destroy their persecutors.
• Encouraging and nurturing: Paul wrote to encourage and nurture the churches.
• Helping churches understand the whole counsel of God: Paul’s letters helped churches apply theology to their lives in practical ways.
• Addressing issues Christians faced: Paul wrote to address issues that Christians faced, such as opposition from other religious groups and from Rome.
• Justifying his actions: Paul wrote letters to justify or explain his actions when he was being criticized.
• Raising money: Paul wrote parts of some letters to raise money.
• Restoring the church: Paul wrote to restore the Corinthian church to its foundation in Jesus Christ.
• Building relationships: Paul wrote to persuade Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome to build a peaceful relationship between their house churches.
• Responding to other Christians: Paul sometimes responded to letters that other Christians had sent to him.

Here is a great 5-Minute read to understand Paul’s letters:

1. Galatians

Written around AD 49 or in AD 55, this was possibly one of the earliest letters of Paul to have survived into the 21st century. Paul started off with a short greeting to the churches of Galatia and wasted no time in addressing the issue of legalism. Certain teachings reached the people of Galatia. These teachings required them to follow Jewish customs even though Paul had previously taught that they had been redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ and not by following the law. Paul countered these teachings with an assertion that Christ had set them free from the yoke of the Jewish law and they need not take up the burden of following Jewish customs to be redeemed. He also encouraged them to be cautious against false teachers and to let the Holy Spirit guide their lives.

2. 1 Thessalonians

This letter was written by Paul to the church in the Greek city of Thessalonica shortly after its foundation. He opened it with a short greeting to the members of the church and some words of appreciation for their unwavering faith and their good example. He encouraged them to continue living a life that pleased God, continue to love each other, live a quiet life, work hard, and encourage each other.

3. 2 Thessalonians

Paul’s second letter showed the depth of his admiration for the faith of the members of the church in Thessalonica and their love for each other. He was aware of the hardships they suffered and in the letter, he encouraged them to trust in God to deliver them from persecution. He also admonished them to test those who claimed that they knew the exact moment of the Lord’s second coming. Paul assured them that Christ would return, but no one really knew when and where it would be.

4. 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians was one of Paul’s longest letters, and he used it to address a variety of subjects, which ranged from church matters (conflict, pride, worship, prophecies and the resurrection of Christ) to personal issues (disputes, sin, marriages, spiritual gifts, love).

5. 2 Corinthians

In the first few chapters of this letter, Paul reminded the Corinthians that God is the source of all comfort and encouraged them to rely on Him. Two chapters were dedicated to the Macedonian churches’ generosity and a personal call for the Corinthians to match their generosity. The last chapters defended his authority as an apostle of Christ and cautioned the Corinthians against false prophets.

6. Romans

Paul’s epistle to the Romans is considered to be his longest and most organized. He was in Corinth when he wrote the letter and was making plans to sail to Rome. Paul poured the full force of his intellect and his rabbinical education in his explanation of God’s relationship to man. The letter to the Romans was a back to basics kind of epistle wherein Paul explained that all have sinned and everyone deserved to be punished for violating God’s laws.

7. Ephesians

The letter to the church in Ephesus was written during one of the lowest points in Paul’s life as it was penned during his imprisonment in Rome. However, it was unique as its intended audience was not only the members of the church in Ephesus but also to churches in other areas in Asia Minor.

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was divided into two parts: the first three chapters addressed doctrinal issues while the rest dealt with the practical matters. He opened the epistle with God’s plan to redeem his creation through Jesus Christ and that those who believed in Jesus were made alive in him. From the fourth chapter onward, Paul taught the believers how to live as ‘children of light’ which were practical recommendations on how people should behave toward their spouses, children, employers, and fellow Christians.

8. Philippians

The short epistle to the church in the Greek city of Philippi was written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. Despite his circumstances, the letter brimmed with joy, contentment, and encouragement. It began with Paul’s thanksgiving and prayer, and the next few verses glowed with his confidence in Christ despite the uncertainty of his situation and his future. The second chapter contained a commendation of Timothy and Epaphroditus. While the third chapter echoed his earlier teachings against legalism. He ended his letter to the church in Philippi with words of encouragement and an appreciation of the Philippians’ financial gifts to him when he was in need.

9. Colossians

The letters to the Colossians and to the Ephesians were divided into their doctrinal parts and their practical parts. Just like in the letter to the Ephesians, he opened the letter to the Colossians with thanksgiving and prayer. He then cut immediately to the heart of the matter and addressed the gradual mix of pagan teachings and philosophies with Christian beliefs. He ended the epistle with reminders on how to live properly and how to deal with other people.

10. Philemon

Written and dispatched at the same time as the epistles of Colossians and Ephesians, Philemon was one of Paul’s personal letters which included those he sent to Titus and Timothy.

11. Titus

Paul’s last letters were mostly personal but no less brilliant than their predecessors. Titus, the recipient of this letter, was one of Paul’s assistants whom he trusted to lead a church in the island of Crete. The letter contained his instructions to Titus on how to properly lead a church and reminded him to promote the right teachings.

12. 1 Timothy

Timothy was a leader in the church in Ephesus, and Paul’s letter to his young protégé was written before the apostle’s final imprisonment in Rome. Paul knew the pressures the young church leader went through, so the letter was full of instructions on church matters, such as Timothy’s responsibilities to the converts, church leaders, and worship.

13. 2 Timothy

Paul’s second letter to Timothy contained a sense of urgency. It was obvious from the start that the apostle was suffering in prison. It was penned before his execution in Rome around 66 or 67 AD, which made this letter more poignant. He knew that his end was near, and the letter contained additional teachings to the man he treated as his own son and an urgent request for Timothy to come as quickly as he could. Although Luke was with him, it was at this time in his life that Paul felt the acute sense of being alone.

1. Philemon: Plea for a Runaway Slave (A.D. 61-62) Paul asks mercy for Onesimus, a runaway slave, who had become a Christian.
2. Colossians: Christ as the Head of the Church (A.D. 61-62) Paul highlights the divine person and creative and redemptive work of Christ.
3. Ephesians: The Church as the Body of Christ (A.D. 61-62) Paul covers the spiritual privileges and responsibilities of the church. Unlike most of Paul’s letters, Ephesians seems not to have been written in response to a particular circumstance or controversy.
4. Philippians: A Friendly Note of Thanks (A.D. 62) This letter includes thanks for financial assistance, along with personal news and appeals. The church at Philippi appears to be Paul’s favorite, and the Letter to the Philippians is thus the most personal of any letters.
5. 1 Timothy (A.D. 63-64) Topic: The organization and administration of churches by Timothy. The letter proceeds from a greeting to a warning against false teachers. Paul then recalls his own experience of commission to apostleship and charges Timothy to cling tenaciously to Christian faith.
6. Titus (A.D. 63-64) Topic: The organization and administration of the churches in Crete by Titus. As in 1 Timothy, he warns against false teachers and issues instructions to various classes of Christians on proper conduct. The doctrinal basis for these instructions is God’s grace.
7. 2 Timothy (A.D. 65) The commission of Timothy to carry on Paul’s work. A final charge to preach the word of God, a statement of readiness to die, and personal news and requests conclude Paul’s farewell letter.

Obviously, we are not comparing these weekly writings with Pauls, as that would be ridiculous and a bit embarrassing, but we do strive to be thought-provoking. We hope and pray on a weekly basis that this ministry continues to be uplifting and provide clear guidance on your walk with God. See you next week!

For God and you,

Deb Bostwick
Blogger