Introduction to the Letters - New Testament

We come now to the third and final stage of our journey through the letters (or epistles) of the New Testament.  In these letters (from Romans to Revelation), God Himself tells us the full significance of what He has done in Jesus Christ.  They do not add to the Bible story, but they bring out the full glory and wonder of it. 

The book of Romans gives us a marvelous summary of God's plan of salvation.  It contains the most ordered explanation of the gospel to be found anywhere in the Bible, and it is for this reason that we have chosen to take our time in reflecting on its great themes.

In the letters, we will also discover the highs and lows of the Christian life.  If you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, you have peace with God, the power to live a new life, and the joy of knowing that Christ is able to keep you in every circumstance of life.  The life of God is in you, and you are destined for eternity in the presence of Jesus.  These are the mountains.

But the Christian life also has its deep valleys.  You feel your own weakness.  You find yourself engaged in an unending conflict with sin.  You will experience trials, discouragement, and setbacks, and one day you will die.  

A great theme of the Letters is life in the Spirit, because God has given His Holy Spirit to every believer.  God's Spirit is with us and in us as we walk through the mountains and the valleys.  These experiences run throughout the entire course of the Christian life.  The enigma of the Christian life is that we have power and yet experience weakness.  We have joy and yet experience sorrow.  We have peace and yet find ourselves in conflict.

This final stage offers an inside look at the experience of the Christian life.  These studies will give you the opportunity to test your expectations, measure your experience, and renew your focus on the final destination - ultimate glory.

Pastor Larry   

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1 - The Old Testament

2 - The Gospels

3 - The New Testament