Compare and contrast the theological emphases of any of the following sets of texts: (i) 1 and 2 Thessalonians, (ii) 1 Corinthians and Colossians, and (iii) 1 Corinthians and Ephesians.

Question

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The Answer is For 1 and 2 Thessalonians, see previous response (essay 3). The letter to the Colossians espouses a theology that appears to contradict Paul's teachings in other letters. In the Corinthian correspondence, Paul argued vehemently that although Christians had died with Christ through baptism, they had not yet been raised with him. Colossians, on the other hand, makes the opposite argument: believers have both died with Christ and been raised with him. Similarly, Ephesians suggests that the believer has already been raised with Christ. The author of Ephesians, moreover, uses the term "works" differently from Paul. For Paul, "works" refers to adherence to the Jewish Law, actions that cannot save. The author of Ephesians, though, understands "works" to mean those actions that demonstrate one's faith (like the book of James).

Compare and Contrast the Theological Emphases of Any of the Following