The work of God grew significantly during Paul's third missionary journey to Galatia, Phrygia and Ephesus. At the same time, however, opposition grew as Paul preached against false gods.
The church had grown and was widely scattered, making it necessary to communicate with the priesthood authorities by letter.According to The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, "The major problem of the authorities of the church in that time . . . was keeping the church pure and uncontaminated from the false philosophies and immoral practices of the day, and communicating this direction in the most rapid manner.
"It is against this backdrop that Paul, no doubt under the direction of the presidency of the church, was empowered to set in order many of the branches of the church which he had founded."
Just as many sought to pervert or divert others from the truth in Paul's time, many today pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ by engaging in inappropriate intellectualism and selective obedience, said Bishop Glenn L. Pace, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, in an April 1989 general conference address.
Criticism from within the Church itself is more lethal than that coming from non-members and former members, he said.
"One activity which often leads a member to be critical is engaging in inappropriate intellectualism. . . [whichT sometimes leads one to testify that he knows the gospel is true but believes the Brethren are just a little out of touch. Out of touch of what? Don't confuse a decision to abstain from participating in a trend with a lack of awareness about its existence.
"There are some of our members who practice selective obedience. A prophet is not one who displays a smorgasbord of truth from which we are free to pick and choose. However, some members become critical and suggest the prophet should change the menu. A prophet doesn't take a poll to see which way the wind of public opinion is blowing. He reveals the will of the Lord to us.
"We need to . . . `put on the whole armour of God' (Eph. 6:11), and get to work building up the kingdom. Each of us might ask ourselves, `Am I a positive contributor to building up the kingdom in our day of this dispensation of the fullness of times?' "
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Apostle's letters give instruction, encouragement
Fourteen of the 27 books in the New Testament were written by Paul. Those books come from letters he wrote to many branches of the Church, clarifying doctrine and policy, providing encouragement and giving instruction.
According to the LDS Bible Dictionary, the arrangement of the letters is not chronological, geographical or alphabetical, but by length in descending order from the longest, Romans, to the shortest, Philemon. One exception to the rule, however, is Hebrews, which was placed last because some have questioned whether or not it was written by Paul.
Perhaps the best way to understand the letters is to read them in chronological order. Paul wrote in the following order: 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon, Hebrews, Titus, and 1 and 2 Timothy.
"Why Paul wrote any letter must be learned from reading that letter, related ones, and in many cases the book of Acts," wrote Richard Lloyd Anderson in Understanding Paul. "The general reason for all of Paul's letters was his desire to keep his converts strong in the faith and to guide them in perfecting their lives. He wrote always as an apostle, a term of special authority, since its Greek meaning is `one sent.' "
Most of Paul's letters emphasized Christ, but Galatians, Hebrews and Romans were written with an intensity and sustained teaching about the Lord that sets them apart from the rest, Anderson added.
"Paul's life is characterized by an extraodinary zeal for the Lord," according to the LDS Bible Dictionary. "His greatest contribution is what he tells us about Jesus."
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Avoid trappings of world and 'walk in the Spirit'
When Paul compared the works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5, he provided a concrete list to the Galatians, and even for people today, of what invites the Spirit into their lives and what turns the Spirit away.
He counseled: " . . . Walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." (Gal. 5:16-17).
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19-21).
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23).
While the consequence of doing the works of the flesh and not inheriting the kingdom of God is tragic for Heavenly Father's children, there are many who are involved in the "works of the flesh" today.
To avoid those trappings, it's necessary to develop spirituality, Elder Howard W. Hunter, then of the Council of the Twelve, said in an April 1979 general conference address. "Developing spirituality and attuning ourselves to the highest influences of godliness is not an easy matter. It takes time and frequently involves a struggle. It will not happen by chance, but is accomplished only through deliberate effort and by calling upon God and keeping His commandments."
In the book, Understanding Paul, Richard Lloyd Anderson wrote, "People are taught by Bible reading and spiritual impressions that Paul's list of serious sins are indeed to be avoided. Paul, of course, spoke of unrepentant transgressions for the true gospel holds out hope, not despair. Nevertheless, it also requires individual responsibility from those who covenant with the Lord in the waters of baptism. Their lives must rise above the serious sins on Paul's list. That is why Latter-day Saints worthiness interviews deal with the sins Paul mentions. (Understanding Paul, p. 167).