The Epistles
 

I would like to know what you believe the Epistles of Paul were/are?

#1-Letters written to already saved people...to help maintain growth in the Lord...........OR

#2-Letters written to tell people on HOW to be saved?

I believe #1 and the plan of salvation is found only in Acts..

Re: The Epistles
 

I would choose #1 primarily, but it's my opinion a person could find how to be saved in the Gospels and the Epistles as well.

Re: The Epistles
 

#1.

Romans 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

I Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth,

II Cor 1:1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth...

Galatians 1:2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:...


Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Colossians 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I Thess. 1Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians...

II Thessalonians Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

You get the idea. Salvation is found in Acts and solidified in the Epistles.

Re: The Epistles
 

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: The Epistles
 

Paul preached the same gospel as the other apostles for salvation.Just worded a little different.

You must be baptized.

Blood was shed at death.Rom.6:: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death (blood): that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death (blood), we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection

You must repent.

2 Cor.7:[10] For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

2Cor.12
[21] And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

You must be filled with the Spirit.

Rom.8
[1] There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
[4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[5] For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
[6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
[9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
[10] And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
[11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
[13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
[14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
[15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
[16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Re: The Epistles
 

Romans 10:9 is used by many to justify as the plan of salvation..they cannot see that this was written by Paul and hE WAS ALEADY SPEAKING to saved people!

Re: The Epistles
 

Primarily, yes, but that doesn't mean that all the teaching done there on salvation doesn't provide enough information for anyone to know what they need to do to be born again.

It's incomprehensible to think that with all the teaching done in the Gospels by Jesus Himself and His disciples and then by the Apostles in the letters written to the Church that a person couldn't find their way to God.

Re: The Epistles
 

Yes all the letters was written to the saved for teaching.Please not what he said,you shall be saved,saved when ?

[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Re: The Epistles
 

So I am guessing in your church..if a person would repent of their sins and wanted water baptism and they were baptized in Jesus name..but there was no tongues spoken after prayer..you would be satisfied as that person goes home a saint of God!?

Romans 10 is Paul speaking to saints..He is not telling them HOW TO BE saved..they already HAD salvation..they are saints! already saved born again people..acts 2:38 completion

Re: The Epistles
 

The epsitles hint around to what saves them..but no example of how and what people did as far sa steps..like we find in Acts...In Acts we can find that people

Believed
repented
Baptized in Jesus Name
Recieved the Holy Ghost/tongues

These examples and or "steps"cannot be found in any epistle..Epistles are letters written to people who ALREADY came through the door of salvation and have obeyed Acts 2:38...