Purpose of ACTS & Epistles

ACTS

To present a history, to provide a guide for the future church, to show the triumph of Christianity

Epistle to the Romans

To prepare the way for Paul's upcoming visit to Rome and to explain the relationship between Jew and Gentile in God's plan of salvation.

1 Corinthians

To respond to reports of immorality in the Corinthian church, to provide counsel on several subjects as requested by the church, and to correct false teachings related to the resurrection.

2 Corinthians

To respond to false teachers who had been speaking against Paul at Corinth.

Epistle to the Galatians

Respond to Jew Christians, who required Gentile converts to Christianity to be circumcized and who argued that Paul was not an authentic apostle.

Epistle to the Ephesians

Help readers understand God's eternal purpose and high goals for the church.

Epistle to the Philippians

To thank the Philippians for the gift they had sent him upon learning of his situation, to update them on his circumstances, to encourage them in persecution, to warn them about Judaizers and antinomians among them.

Epistle to the Colossians

To refute the Colossian heresy, which seems to have been ascetic, ritualized, focused on secret knowledge, and reliant on human wisdom. It was probably an early form of Gnosticism.

1 Thessalonians

Paul had left Thessalonica after only a brief stay, so he wrote to support new converts from paganism, giving them instruction and assurance.

2 Thessalonians

Similar to 1 Thessalonians, Paul writes to encourage new believers and correct a misunderstanding about the second coming.

1 Timothy

To instruct Timothy on the pastoral care of the church at Ephesus and to refute false teachings.

2 Timothy

To ask Timothy to visit him in prison, to encourage Timothy to guard the gospel during persecution, and to write to the Ephesian church through Timothy.

Epistle to Titus

To provide Titus with authorization, support in dealing with opposition, instructions in faith and conduct, and warnings about false teachers.

Epistle to Philemon

Philemon's slave Onesimus had run away (a crime punishable by death), but then was converted by Paul and became willing to return to his master. Paul writes to ask Philemon to accept Onesimus as a Christian brother.

Epistle to the Hebrews

To convince Jewish converts who were tempted to return to Judaism (or Judaize the gospel) of the supremacy of Christ over the old covenant.

Epistle of James

Possibly to encourage former members of the Jerusalem church who had scattered after Stephen's death

1 Peter

To encourage believers to continue in the Christian life

2 Peter

To encourage Christian growth, to combat false teaching (early Gnosticism), and to encourage watchfulness in light of Christ's immanent return

1 John

To combat libertine Gnosticism

2 John

To warn against supporting traveling false teachers

3 John

To thank Gaius for receiving John's messengers and to admonish those who did not

Jude

To warn against apostates and false teachers (early Gnostics)