Introduction
Epistles refer to the apostolic letters written to different churches during the time of the emergence of the early churches. These letters were mainly written with an aim of offering guidance to the churches, and to help them persevere in the face of the persecution they faced (Niswonger, 1993). These letters have been incorporated in the New Testament section of the Bible. A total of twenty-one epistles are present in the new testaments, though divided into two categories: the epistles written by Apostle Paul to specific churches, which amount to fourteen, and the seven general epistles addressed to the general Christian population. Three of the general epistles were written by john, peter wrote two, whereas Jude and James take pride in writing one each.
The problems facing churches in the general epistles
The epistle of Saint James was written at a time when Christianity was facing persecution. His arguments were majorly based on the abuses inflected on the popularity of Christianity as this affected the faith of many, causing serious misconceptions of belief. James criticized the hypocritical practices of those who regarded themselves as Christians. These included believers who were scheming traders and exploitive landlords who took joy in exhorting the poor and patient Christians. He further opposed false interpretations used to distort the word of God and the worldliness that was rampant in churches (Moffat, 2004). James was a preacher who spoke in the forcible language of a prophet. He used figures of speech to address the issues of prejudice, faith, judging others, prayer and patience that the Christians underwent. He encourages them by emphasizing the importance of action and faith in Christianity.
Saint peter’s first epistle was addressed to the Christians in Asia Minor to give them hope, perseverance, and courage in the face of persecution. The state authorities of that time considered Christianity as a treasonable and immoral movement. Christians a faced opposition, government oppression and even persecution as the society often rallied against them (Moffat, 2004). Peter wrote this letter to them, and it served as a source to replenish the faith of those Christians who had started to have second thoughts on Christianity. The epistle of peter offers encouragement to Christians by reminding them of the news of Jesus death, resurrection and his promised return which gives them hope. Christians were encouraged to accept and endure their suffering as a test of their faith, and to expect a reward on the day that Jesus is set to return.
The second epistle of Peter was addressed to a wide circle of the early Christians. It was aimed at opposing the work of false teachers and discrediting the immorality that arose due to such falsehood (Moffat, 2004). The author of this epistle was especially concerned with those who claimed that Jesus will not return. He convinced Christians not to accept such teaching as the delay in Jesus’ return is fostered by God’s mercy thus, He, God, delays the return of Jesus to give everyone enough time to repent and turn away from sin.
In his first epistle, John warns Christians against following false teaching, and he encourages them to live in fellowship with God (Niswonger, 1993). The false teachers taught that to be saved meant to be freed from concerns of the world and that salvation was not a matter of love for others or morality. They further claimed that evil is a product of contact with the physical world, and since Jesus was in the world and did not engage in sin, he was not actually human but a spirit. This epistle opposes such teaching by assuring Christians that Jesus was a human being and reminds them of his emphasis that all who love God and believe in Him must also love one another.
The second epistle of Saint John was written to the dear lady and her children that are interpreted to mean the local church and its members. It is a brief warning against false teachers and their teachings and a reminder to Christians to practice the art of loving one another. John’s third epistle was written to a church leader by the name Gaius (Andreas & Kellum & Quales, 2009). Gaius is praised for his help towards other Christians while Diotrephes is condemned for his false teaching.
Jude’s epistle is somehow similar to the second epistle of peter. It was written to warn against the false teachers who claim to be believers but mislead the people. It also reminds Christians to be merciful towards those who persecute and mock them and encourages them to remain steadfast in prayer (Moffat, 2004).
Conclusion
There are a number of things wrong in the early churches still witnessed in the modern churches. It is clear that the challenges we undergo as Christians are not the sole source of evil, but how we live our lives; living by misunderstanding scriptures is another root of evil. Christianity has undergone so much, however, in the midst of all that, churches and Christianity has survived.
References:
Andreas J, K & Kellum, S. L & Quales, C. (2009). The Cradle, the Cross and the Crown: An
Introduction To The New Testament. Tennessee: B&H publishing group. Web. 27
October 2012.
Moffat, J. (2004). The General Epistles: James, Peter and Judas. Grand Rapids, MI: Christian
Classics Ethereal Library. Web. 27 October, 2012.
Niswonger, R. L. (1993). New Testament History. Zondervan Publishing Company, ISBN 0-310
31201-9.
