What I Learned from the Epistles of Paul, August-November 2023

Paul wrote at least nine epistles to church members in specific regions, such as Corinth, Ephesus, and Philippi. He wrote personal letters to two of his fellow-ministers: Timothy and Titus. He wrote to a wealthy church member named Philemon with a specific request. And (assuming he wrote Hebrews), he also wrote a detailed explanation of how Jewish law and practices strengthen our understanding of the role of Jesus Christ.

All of these epistles have specific purposes and audiences. However, as I’ve studied them over the last few months, they have spoken to me personally. I’ve learned principles from these epistles which have helped me to improve my relationship with God, my relationships with other people, and my relationship with myself.

Relationship with God: Understanding Grace

Paul really wants us to know that we can’t earn salvation and that we don’t deserve credit for the blessings we receive from God. “Where is boasting?” he asks. “It is excluded” (Romans 3:27).

He emphasizes this point by opening and closing his epistles with the phrase, “Grace be unto you.” With this phrase, he not only conveys his affection for his readers, but he also reminds them that their greatest happiness will come from receiving the gifts that only God can give.

God blesses us because He loves us, and we don’t have to earn that love. In fact, when we drift from Him, He finds ways to reach out and invite us to come back to Him. The historical patterns of apostasy and restoration also appear in our individual lives as God gently nudges us back toward the path of discipleship.

When you encounter adversity, trust God. He has promised to resurrect you from the dead! Surely, you can believe that He will deliver you from the smaller obstacles you face today.

What is the role of obedience then? Many of the gifts God offers us don’t come into our lives until we choose to receive them. God gives us instructions which teach us how to receive those blessings. We don’t earn them, but we may qualify for them by following the instructions God has given.

Some of those instructions, like the Law of Moses, are contextual and temporary in nature. They are “schoolmasters” for us, leading us toward the Savior. We need to be careful not to confuse the means with the end. If we continue to follow the guidance we receive from God, we will gradually, almost imperceptibly, become more and more like Him.

Another happy characteristic of grace is that it overflows. God’s grace toward us is not only “sufficient” but “abounding”—more than enough. This gives us the privilege of sharing that grace with other people.

Relationships with Others: Seeking Charity and Unity

The Atonement of Jesus Christ not only removes barriers between us and God, it also helps us to become unified with each other, breaking down the partitions that separate us. Just as God’s grace abounds toward us, He wants us to increase and abound in love toward one another.

This is not an abstract, theoretical love. God wants our hearts to be “knit together.” We therefore need to engage fully with family members, friends, and fellow church members. We need to exercise faith collaboratively with others. And we need to continually expand our circle of friends, being careful not to inadvertently exclude people, and being open to a diversity of contributions from people with different gifts and backgrounds.

Contention is the enemy of unity, so we must not amplify contentiousness sparked by other people. Most of the things we argue about aren’t that important anyway, so it’s best to simply avoid “doubtful disputations” and “vain jangling.”

God can help us not only avoid errors but also appreciate goodness. The gift of discernment enables us to identify fallacies, but it also helps us recognize truth and appreciate other people’s strengths.

The law of chastity plays a significant role in our most important relationships. Being chaste in word, thought, and action is a sign of respect for others and an affirmation of our loyalty to the people we love most.

When we have the gift of charity, we don’t dwell on other people’s faults. We recognize that we are all “earthen vessels,” imperfect instruments in God’s hands, and we learn to appreciate the message, while being forgiving of the messenger. We give people a break. We make requests humbly and respectfully, “beseeching” instead of attempting to “enjoin” them.

Charity means recognizing valuable things and treating them with the respect they deserve. As we come to appreciate the infinite value of all of God’s children, we will learn to see them as He sees them and to treat them as He would treat them.

And we must remember that our relationships are not limited to the people we see. Loved ones who have passed on to the next life are aware of us and minister to us in many ways.

Relationship with Self: Becoming Settled

Paul told the Philippians that we can choose to rejoice, even in difficult circumstances. He counseled Timothy to overcome his fears and share the light of the gospel. And he encouraged the Ephesians and the Colossians to be rooted and grounded. Clearly, managing our emotions is critical to our discipleship.

Christlike attributes can help us achieve greater stability. Gratitude can alleviate despair. Hope can overcome anxiety. Patience can empower us to endure.

Paul’s repeated metaphor of a long-distance race has been helpful to me as I’ve tried to pace myself and maintain my momentum.

I also received multiple reminders from Paul to use my time wisely: Redeem it from being wasted, focus on what I need to do now, prioritize heavenly goals, pause to pray when needed, try not to become overly anxious about anything, and avoid spending time on useless activities.

Finally, I appreciated Paul’s reminder not to judge ourselves harshly. “I judge not mine own self,” he wrote to church members in Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:3). Not that we shouldn’t challenge ourselves or hold ourselves accountable, but beating ourselves up may not be the most effective way to encourage the growth we seek. Just as other people need grace and forgiveness from us, we may need grace and forgiveness from ourselves more than we realize.