The Pauline Epistles

All his life, the apostle Paul had been either busy traveling and preaching the gospel of Christ, or he would be imprisoned for his faith and testimony. Wherever he went, he not only ministered to the people and built churches, he also left behind a collection of epistles containing doctrines, exhortations and instructions for Christian living.

Of these thirteen letters, nine were written to churches and four to individuals. Some were penned on the move while some were scripted in chains. There were other epistles which did not survive, as can be gathered from those which did due to wider circulation and conservation. The New Testament canon thus identified the following as belonging to this apostle to the Gentiles:

1. Romans

2. 1 and 2 Corinthians

3. Galatians

4. Ephesians

5. Philippians

6. Colossians

7. 1 and 2 Thessalonians

8. 1 and 2 Timothy

9. Titus

10. Philemon

The Pauline epistles formed a third of the NT and exert a great influence on the believers' understanding of major doctrines concerning God, man, sin, salvation, Christ, church, and the end times. There is no doubt that Paul had good knowledge of the Septuagint and understood the Greek culture of his days. Careful study of his works will certainly be beneficial so far as spiritual growth is concerned, but not without exercising due caution in handling the difficult and controversial texts found therein (2 Peter 3:15-16).