The ‘epistles’ are letters that teach how to be right with God. It is similar to our natural training; we were taught how to live in this world. In the same manner, we must learn how to live to be right with God in our spiritual life.

Updated: Friday, January 5, 2024

Letters That Teach How To Be Right With God

STM Bible Snack

2 Timothy 3:16-17 [read 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (16-17)]: God has breathed life into all Scripture [God gave the writers what to say]. It’s useful for:
A. teaching (doctrine, i.e., Spiritual guidance on how to act, talk, and think).
B. challenging (reproof, i.e., showing people what is wrong in their lives).
C. correcting (correction, i.e., for correcting our faults and mistakes).
D. and training people to do what’s right (for instruction in righteousness), (RAD); KJV: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Letters that teach

Did you know each of the letters written to the churches contains guidelines to correct their ways? From Romans to Jude, each of them gives guidelines for Christians. I say this to help those who believe that all we have to do is “join and go to church” and be nice to people.
Philippians 3:9 [read Philippians 3:1-11 (9)]: I want to belong to him. In Christ, I am right with God, but my being right does not come from following the law. It comes from God through faith. God uses my faith in Christ to make me right with him. (ERV); KJV: And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

OK, maybe that’s not what you believe, but so many seem to think God does not demand that we change our ways. Please do not take this the wrong way; I am not saying the letters ONLY give corrective guidance. Of course, they include words to encourage, inspire, praise, and more.

About the scriptures

Paul gave us four keys that tell us what the word of God is for. Let’s review the four points:

profitable {useful} for doctrine {teaching what is true}.
reproof/training {conviction of sin; showing mistakes and what is wrong in our lives}.
correction {discipline in obedience; help you improve and change your ways}.
for instruction {training} in righteousness {holy living; right living}.

Please take time to digest this inspired Bible snack. Have I made you aware of something that you had not considered?

By faith not works

Romans 4:5 [read Romans 4:5-8 (5)]: But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him. Then he accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him. He is the one who makes even evil people right. (ERV); KJV: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Wrap-up: How To Be Right With God

It does not matter what we think about the need to change or not change; it is clear that letters of correction were distributed among the churches. Do not be like those whom Paul warned Timothy about in 2 Timothy 4:4—those who “turn their ears away from the truth and shall turn aside to myths.”

Romans 10:4 [read Romans 10:1-13 (4)]: Christ ended the law, so that everyone who believes in him may be right with God. (ICB); KJV: For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

A call to action for the faithful

2 Peter 3:14-16 [read 2 Peter 3:14-18 (14-16)]: My friends, while you are waiting, you should make certain the Lord finds you pure, spotless, and living at peace. (CEV); KJV: Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless; 15 Don’t forget that the Lord is patient because he wants people to be saved. This is also what our dear friend Paul said when he wrote you with the wisdom God had given him. (CEV); KJV: 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

Paul’s letters

16 Paul talks about these same things in all his letters, but part of what he says is hard to understand. Some ignorant and unsteady people even destroy themselves by twisting what he said. They do the same thing with other Scriptures too. (CEV)

KJV: 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

The epistles

The ‘epistles’ are letters that teach us how to be right with God. Not how to get rich or prosper monetarily. It’s about spiritual living that pleases God! Do not be like those whom Paul warned Timothy about in 2 Timothy 4:4—those who “turn their ears away from the truth and shall turn aside to myths.”
Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible snack. I urge you to make full use of it. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺