Day Eighty-Four -- Lots of good advice (mostly)

1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon

Today we finish up the last of the thirteen letters in the New Testament that bear Paul's name.  Many scholars have argued that vast differences in style and vocabulary cast doubts that he actually authored them all.  That topic is of little interest here; what we are looking for is what they say that made them important to the early church, and to us as well.

The two letters to the Thessalonians cover some theological and practical issues within the community.  The weightiest of the theological issues has to do with the Day of the Lord, the anticipation of Jesus' return.  What do we do in the meantime?  How are we to live and conduct ourselves?  Well, Paul says don't just sit on your hands doing nothing for only God knows when that Day will come.  Keep working; stay busy; and clean up your act a bit while you're at it.  The four letters that complete the Pauline corpus (that's fancy seminary talk) are the ones addressed to individuals (Timothy, Titus and Philemon), commonly referred to as the "Pastoral Epistles." Paul's interest here is guidance to Timothy and Titus as they organize and lead local churches, and a personal appeal to Philemon to graciously accept back a runaway slave who has become a Christian.

As we read through all of these letters there will be some things to which we can say "Amen" and others to which we might say "No way".  While Paul saw Jesus Christ as a game-changer in terms of the way to salvation, a number of his words of advise are firmly rooted in the cultural values and societal roles of the 1st Century.  Some do not fit so neatly into our own day, presenting us with a challenge of how to deal with them.  One thing to remember: Just as Paul might have been constrained by the world of his day, in what ways does our faith reflect the norms of the 21st Century?  What is it that we are so certain about that we might have on blinders that won't allow us to see even more deeply into the heart of God?  Definitely something to think and pray about.