The one key idea of this chapter is that we should spread the good news through our words and actions to help bring about the kingdom of God on earth no matter where we came from or what happens to us during our lifetime. Paul modeled this by sharing four of his central beliefs about Jesus and the Church which he gained through his many experiences, including his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. The writers of the other epistles in the New Testament also modeled this concept by spreading the word of God through the letters which they wrote by helping to guide, encourage, and inspire their listeners, many of whom were undergoing suffering and were questioning their faith like the Corinthians. Although all the letters were written to express different messages to different people in different places by different authors, each express the faith and share it with other Christians. Another example of people who spread the good news would be some of the women of the early Church, such as Priscilla who helped begin a Christian community in Corinth and Lydia who was the first European convert and lead her entire household to be converted. Although these women had come from lower origins than many in their society, they helped play an important role in spreading the good news. All of the authors of the epistles and many women in the early Church spread the good news through their actions and words and helped to bring about the kingdom of God here on earth.

2) Two major ideas I want to remember.

One idea from this chapter that I want to remember is why an author of a letter would give credit to someone else for writing it. The reason for why someone would do this is that they wish to thank their teacher for teaching them what they know. They are also taking what they learned and putting it to practice by writing a letter. Someone might also credit someone else for their letter in order to gain credibility so their work would not be simply cast aside simply because it was written by an amateur. In addition to this, seeing the name of a prominent person on a letter may cause some to read it who would not have read it if the author was an unheard of writer. It is important to be aware that not all the authors of the letters are who they claim to be. Knowing this may explain some considerable differences between letters that supposedly have the same author.

Another idea I want to remember is that Paul wrote most of the letters in the New Testament. Paul, who has written seven undisputed letters and has been associated with thirteen of the letters, has written by far the most epistles in the New Testament. Paul also introduced four new teaching that are part of Christianity today in the letters that he had written. These four teachings are grace, justification, the paradox of the cross, and the body of Christ. All four of these teachings were completely original ways of thinking at the time and have become a critical part to the fundamental teachings of Christianity. The amount of letters written by Paul is also another reason why he is sometimes considered one of the apostles. Paul is just another example of how God can call upon someone unexpected and have them do extraordinary deeds including writing much of the New Testament.

3) An image that captures this chapter.

4) One significant question I have from this chapter

"Why are the letters included in the Bible if they were meant for the early Christians?"

The letters are included in the Bible for many reasons and are meant to help us grow in our faith. The letters, first of all, give us an idea of what life was like for the early Christians. By understanding the amount of suffering the early Christians endured, we can gain the courage to stand up for our beliefs today. The letters often served as an instruction manual for the early Christians, and although it may be written for Christians two thousand years ago, it still provides a guide for us today. The letters also teach many important beliefs and symbolism that are still of relevance today, such as the idea that the Church is one body and the idea that the cross was a symbol of life and victory, not defeat and death. The letters are an important part of the New Testament because they express many religious truths and provide us with a model of how we should act as Christians.

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