Sometimes we have a rose-colored view of the first century church.

Sometimes we wish, oh if only our church could be like the church at Philippi

or the church at Corinth, so pure in its devotion, so powerful in its prayer life and everything.

But when we look at the situation in the churches, we see really a growing infant church that is still profoundly immature in its grasp and in its understanding of the things of God.

The New Testament Epistles, the letters written to various churches, are filled with theological

depth, clear teaching, and bold proclamations of the Gospel.

Because the early church experienced controversy and those of the

God gospel because the early church experienced controversy and those controversies are addressed they are a great help to us as we can face many of the same challenges today

Happy new year and welcome to this Monday edition of

renewing her mind. Before we get to today's message I do want to thank you for your

generosity in 2023 and especially last month.

Your support is being used to bring the truth of God's word to the nations.

So again, thank you.

This week, we are starting the year, not in Genesis,

but in the New Testament.

And R.C. Sproll will be guiding us through a survey

of the New Testament Epistles.

Well, here's Dr. Sproll on First and Second Corinthians.

We've seen the multifaceted dimension of the character, the personality, and the work of the

Apostle Paul, who was the apostle to the Gentiles and the pastor extraordinaire.

But when we think of him as a theologian, I said he's the greatest systematic theologian of all time,

we have to also understand that in addition to being a systematic theologian

...