Galatians 1:1-5
“1Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)2And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
3Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
5To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Most of the Apostle Paul's letters that are recorded in God's Word were written to specific churches. As Paul would hear news from the churches he had helped found or had confirmed the founding of in his journeys often times the news was of how the Lord's churches were falling from the truth and were being lead astray by some false doctrine or false teacher. With the authority given him by his sending church in Antioch and by the authority given him by the Lord as an Apostle, Paul wrote letters to these churches teaching them and correcting them in the error of their ways and commending them for their stand for the truth.
These letters were addressing the issues of the day in individual churches. These letters were not sent out to all the saved but were sent for the churches. Paul makes that clear in his writings. Are these letters for us today? Sure they are. For the Lord's churches today these letters are examples and lessons for us to follow and to learn from. Most everything a church needs to know about how to operate, discipline, the ordinances, teaching, etc. are contained in these letters from Paul.
Nowhere does Paul address his letters to the saved in general. At the beginning of each letter, he addresses the letter to the church or churches in a certain town or area or country. In Colossians 4:16 Paul tells the church in Colosse that when they are done reading the letter they are to pass it to the church of the Laodiceans and the church in Colosse is to read the letter he wrote to the Laodicean church. So the churches were to pass these letters around to the other churches. These letters were included in the final draft of the Bible for the purpose of teaching the Lord's churches. This teaching we are hearing today that Paul's epistles are for all of God's people is a false doctrine. Everything Paul addresses in his letters, everything God gave him to write, was written to edify and strengthen the churches. They were never intended for anyone else. These teachings and corrections Paul wrote of could only be implemented in the Lord's churches.
Can those who are not part of the Bride of Christ gain from these letters? Certainly they can. For one, it should be an encouragement to them to search out and find one of the Lord's congregations and seek to join themselves to that congregation. God's Word can also show them what not to seek in church membership.
As you read through the Word of God, please, remember to read it in it's context. Notice and remember to whom it is written. The Word of God is from the Bride-Groom to His Bride. The teachings and corrections written by Paul and others were/are for the Lord's Bride. Remember Ephesians 5:25-27. The Bride-Groom is preparing His Bride for Himself by His Word.
Praise ye the Lord!!!
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