I've been reading Paul's writings in the order my NIV purports them to have been written, but have since learned the one book that others disagree with for that timeline is Galatians. The ESV commentary places the writing of Galatians about 10 years earlier - and before 1 & 2 Thessalonians.... The reality is, the lists are made based on the best information available, and there is room for legitimate disagreement. The exact sequence of the writing of Galatians is not a key faith issue.
Galatians does deal with key faith issues, however. The very first one is the issue of the content of the gospel - the Good News of Jesus Christ. It is compelling to me that the early church was already grappling with that issue. Actually, it is a little bit shocking!
There is only one Truth, only one gospel. The promised Mashiach (Messiah) came to earth as a baby named Yeshua. In Greek He was Iesous Christos. In English He is called Jesus Christ, or Jesus the Messiah.
The simple truth of the gospel is that Jesus came - fully God and fully human - to be the sacrifice for humanity's sins - all of them, from the first sin Adam and Eve committed forward.
He lived. He died. He rose again. He will come again in glory to rule and reign.
The gospel - - which means 'good news' - - is that Jesus is the One who was the long-awaited Messiah, the perfect lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
to be continued....
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