Babes in Christ to Maturity in Christ
To become fully matured in Christ can be defined in many ways and the Church pulpit has long been designated as the primary source of Spiritual knowledge that explains or declares how the believer can expand their experience with Christ or better position themselves to receive greater Spiritual knowledge or how one should conduct their lives to mirror the attributes of God. In such declarations and admonitions lay the secrets of maturity in Christ.
However, as noble as these attempts are to bring the believer to maturity, the Pauline letters, themselves, are the mirror that the believer readily sees as himself garnering and imputing the revelations of the mysteries and secrets of Christ through the Holy Spirit, personally.
To begin to understand the believer's growth to maturity please note that it was the Holy Spirit that determined this path of Truth layered upon Truth, step by step maturity designed for the new believer. A little Biblical history shows that the four gospels from ages past were not always in the order we see today: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. However, since the very first publishing, the Pauline letters; Romans, I Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians have always been in this order although Paul did not write them in this sequence. Far from it.
The following are the order in which Paul wrote his letters. This list is accredited to Michael Penfold of Webtruth.org. However, in your own search please note that while the dates and order written may differ slightly from Mr. Penfold’s following list, they are never in the order as published in the Bible.
Letter When written Written from
1 Thessalonians 52AD Corinth
2 Thessalonians 52-53AD Corinth
1 Corinthians 57AD Ephesus
2 Corinthians 57AD Macedonia
Galatians 57AD Corinth
Romans 58AD Corinth
Philemon 61-62AD In Prison
Colossians 61-62AD In Prison
Ephesians 61-62AD In Prison
Philippians 63AD In Prison
1Timothy 67AD Macedonia
Titus 67AD Ephesus
2 Timothy 68AD In Prison – Paul knows his execution is near: 2Tim 4:6-7.
Slight digression: You will encounter on occasion those that insist that many books of the Bible were discarded by the Catholic Church or that many books were not included that seemingly should have been included. However, the early Fathers, at the time when the Bible was put together (circa 170 AD), determined that the only books, gospels, or letters that could be included in the New Testament were those that were 1st-hand witnessed accounts written before 100AD. For it was impossible for any writing could be a 1st-hand account after that time. In addition, when assembled it was the first codex structured book. Up until that time only scrolls were used. One last note: Since the Catholic Church was not established until 300AD under Constantine, it could not have had any hand in the writing or the assembly of the Bible.
This contribution is credited to Truth Matters a very well researched book written by Andreas J. Köstenberger (Author), Darrell L. Bock (Author), Joshua D. Chatraw (Author)
Going back to our discussion; You’ll note that the sequence as listed above of when Paul wrote his letters (Epistles) are far from the sequence we see in the Bible. Know unequivocally, since the Bible was put together, the Pauline sequence in our current Bible has always been the sequence from the earliest Bibles. Contrast this with the various order of the Gospels, also, from the earliest Bibles. This does not impugn or disrespect the four Holy Gospels in any way. However, the sequence of Paul's letters as determined by the Holy Spirit is truly evident here. The four Gospels that describe Christ’s Kingship, Servantship, Son of Man, and Son of God are God’s assured and Holy attributes in One and come in any order of His earthly ministry and offer of salvation of the Gospel of the Kingdom to Israel Matt 4:23 (with two exceptions Matt 10:5-6).
However, for the sequence for the believer of the journey they take in this Age of Grace through the gospel of the Grace of God Acts 20:24 from revealed secret to secret and course correction to course correction to the pinnacle of their realization of the immense Blessings, Position, and awareness of what Jesus Christ bestowed on them from the moment they believed is the heart-stopping-inch-off-the-ground-moment of full maturity in Christ Jesus. To know the immensity of the wealth and the eternal life all people can have if they could just believe it. For God died for all mankind, past, present and future while they were dead in their Adamic-imputed sinful nature and before they were even born. This realization and more is what manifests conversation stopping Truth. It sees the Living God's Word manifesting itself in every believer and its devastating manifestations working in those that trample the Truth.
Acts 16 is one of my favorites as Paul discusses the Gospel of the Grace of God in Philippi and God opens Lydia’s heart so she can attend to the sayings of Paul. For we preach but God opens the heart. Does one stop preaching simply because they do not know if one’s heart has been opened? NO! For no one can believe if they have not heard.
My favorite Bible teacher, Les Feldick, explained how Paul’s letters are in the sequence they are to portray the revelations in their proper order. However, as a result, they are not only depictions of early societal occurrences and circumstances. They are sequences of congregations starting their journeys from being Babes in Christ to becoming fully and properly informed mature believers in Christ through Paul's Lord-Revealed dispensation of the Grace of God in what is called the Church Age. Rom 16:25.
Therefore, for the final breakdown. The new believer in their own mind understands the rudimentary basic tenants of Faith through the Gospel 1Cor 15:1-4. However, as they study through the Pauline letters they absorb more and realize more of how and why today’s believer is so confident in their word and actions. For they, through the Holy Spirit, the only True Teacher, makes the revelations and the words of the Apostle Paul their own all while learning how and why the Church Age Church and Body of Christ has been temporarily separated from the Gospel of the Kingdom as Christ calls out a people of his own. (Acts 15:15-18) The Body of Christ (1Cor 12:12)
The following are Paul’s letters in the Biblical sequence:
The order as determined by the Holy Spirit.
Romans Doctrine
Level 1
1 Corinthians Correction
2 Corinthians Reproof
Level 2
Galatians Correction
Ephesians Reproof
Level 3
Philippians Correction
Colossians Reproof
Instructions in Righteousness and the end of the Church Age
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
Note regarding the two Gentile exceptions and the woman at the well during Jesus' earthly ministry.
The two exceptions to the Jew-only Gospel of the Kingdom were the Canaanite woman and the Roman Centurian.
However, to clarify Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well: Samaritans were half-bread Jews representing the northern kingdom. Making the northern and southern kingdoms one in the "Kingdom of God" through the Gospel of the Kingdom was fulfilled prophesy: Eze 37:16-19. It is not any indication that Jesus was now going to Gentiles which is a favorite tale in the Christian Religion. Mixing Paul's revelations and the Gospel of the Grace of God with the Gospel of the Kingdom greatly damages Scripture and wounds Jesus' proclaimed mission to the Gentiles through the Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul. In doing so it deprives the believer of his Godley right to experience the revelations meant for him and his own awareness of his esteemed and permanent position in the Body of Christ. (See on this site: The Great Scripture Divide)
To become fully matured in Christ can be defined in many ways and the Church pulpit has long been designated as the primary source of Spiritual knowledge that explains or declares how the believer can expand their experience with Christ or better position themselves to receive greater Spiritual knowledge or how one should conduct their lives to mirror the attributes of God. In such declarations and admonitions lay the secrets of maturity in Christ.
However, as noble as these attempts are to bring the believer to maturity, the Pauline letters, themselves, are the mirror that the believer readily sees as himself garnering and imputing the revelations of the mysteries and secrets of Christ through the Holy Spirit, personally.
To begin to understand the believer's growth to maturity please note that it was the Holy Spirit that determined this path of Truth layered upon Truth, step by step maturity designed for the new believer. A little Biblical history shows that the four gospels from ages past were not always in the order we see today: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. However, since the very first publishing, the Pauline letters; Romans, I Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians have always been in this order although Paul did not write them in this sequence. Far from it.
The following are the order in which Paul wrote his letters. This list is accredited to Michael Penfold of Webtruth.org. However, in your own search please note that while the dates and order written may differ slightly from Mr. Penfold’s following list, they are never in the order as published in the Bible.
Letter When written Written from
1 Thessalonians 52AD Corinth
2 Thessalonians 52-53AD Corinth
1 Corinthians 57AD Ephesus
2 Corinthians 57AD Macedonia
Galatians 57AD Corinth
Romans 58AD Corinth
Philemon 61-62AD In Prison
Colossians 61-62AD In Prison
Ephesians 61-62AD In Prison
Philippians 63AD In Prison
1Timothy 67AD Macedonia
Titus 67AD Ephesus
2 Timothy 68AD In Prison – Paul knows his execution is near: 2Tim 4:6-7.
Slight digression: You will encounter on occasion those that insist that many books of the Bible were discarded by the Catholic Church or that many books were not included that seemingly should have been included. However, the early Fathers, at the time when the Bible was put together (circa 170 AD), determined that the only books, gospels, or letters that could be included in the New Testament were those that were 1st-hand witnessed accounts written before 100AD. For it was impossible for any writing could be a 1st-hand account after that time. In addition, when assembled it was the first codex structured book. Up until that time only scrolls were used. One last note: Since the Catholic Church was not established until 300AD under Constantine, it could not have had any hand in the writing or the assembly of the Bible.
This contribution is credited to Truth Matters a very well researched book written by Andreas J. Köstenberger (Author), Darrell L. Bock (Author), Joshua D. Chatraw (Author)
Going back to our discussion; You’ll note that the sequence as listed above of when Paul wrote his letters (Epistles) are far from the sequence we see in the Bible. Know unequivocally, since the Bible was put together, the Pauline sequence in our current Bible has always been the sequence from the earliest Bibles. Contrast this with the various order of the Gospels, also, from the earliest Bibles. This does not impugn or disrespect the four Holy Gospels in any way. However, the sequence of Paul's letters as determined by the Holy Spirit is truly evident here. The four Gospels that describe Christ’s Kingship, Servantship, Son of Man, and Son of God are God’s assured and Holy attributes in One and come in any order of His earthly ministry and offer of salvation of the Gospel of the Kingdom to Israel Matt 4:23 (with two exceptions Matt 10:5-6).
However, for the sequence for the believer of the journey they take in this Age of Grace through the gospel of the Grace of God Acts 20:24 from revealed secret to secret and course correction to course correction to the pinnacle of their realization of the immense Blessings, Position, and awareness of what Jesus Christ bestowed on them from the moment they believed is the heart-stopping-inch-off-the-ground-moment of full maturity in Christ Jesus. To know the immensity of the wealth and the eternal life all people can have if they could just believe it. For God died for all mankind, past, present and future while they were dead in their Adamic-imputed sinful nature and before they were even born. This realization and more is what manifests conversation stopping Truth. It sees the Living God's Word manifesting itself in every believer and its devastating manifestations working in those that trample the Truth.
Acts 16 is one of my favorites as Paul discusses the Gospel of the Grace of God in Philippi and God opens Lydia’s heart so she can attend to the sayings of Paul. For we preach but God opens the heart. Does one stop preaching simply because they do not know if one’s heart has been opened? NO! For no one can believe if they have not heard.
My favorite Bible teacher, Les Feldick, explained how Paul’s letters are in the sequence they are to portray the revelations in their proper order. However, as a result, they are not only depictions of early societal occurrences and circumstances. They are sequences of congregations starting their journeys from being Babes in Christ to becoming fully and properly informed mature believers in Christ through Paul's Lord-Revealed dispensation of the Grace of God in what is called the Church Age. Rom 16:25.
Therefore, for the final breakdown. The new believer in their own mind understands the rudimentary basic tenants of Faith through the Gospel 1Cor 15:1-4. However, as they study through the Pauline letters they absorb more and realize more of how and why today’s believer is so confident in their word and actions. For they, through the Holy Spirit, the only True Teacher, makes the revelations and the words of the Apostle Paul their own all while learning how and why the Church Age Church and Body of Christ has been temporarily separated from the Gospel of the Kingdom as Christ calls out a people of his own. (Acts 15:15-18) The Body of Christ (1Cor 12:12)
The following are Paul’s letters in the Biblical sequence:
The order as determined by the Holy Spirit.
Romans Doctrine
Level 1
1 Corinthians Correction
2 Corinthians Reproof
Level 2
Galatians Correction
Ephesians Reproof
Level 3
Philippians Correction
Colossians Reproof
Instructions in Righteousness and the end of the Church Age
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
Note regarding the two Gentile exceptions and the woman at the well during Jesus' earthly ministry.
The two exceptions to the Jew-only Gospel of the Kingdom were the Canaanite woman and the Roman Centurian.
However, to clarify Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well: Samaritans were half-bread Jews representing the northern kingdom. Making the northern and southern kingdoms one in the "Kingdom of God" through the Gospel of the Kingdom was fulfilled prophesy: Eze 37:16-19. It is not any indication that Jesus was now going to Gentiles which is a favorite tale in the Christian Religion. Mixing Paul's revelations and the Gospel of the Grace of God with the Gospel of the Kingdom greatly damages Scripture and wounds Jesus' proclaimed mission to the Gentiles through the Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul. In doing so it deprives the believer of his Godley right to experience the revelations meant for him and his own awareness of his esteemed and permanent position in the Body of Christ. (See on this site: The Great Scripture Divide)