A careful analysis of Paul's letters shows that in every church there were two main groups of converts: those who were baptized and those being instructed for baptism. Such analysis also makes it possible to determine which parts of each letter were directed towards which group. Baptism was the rite by which converts were forgiven their past sins and became members of a renewed community of God, from which any who continued to sin were expelled. The Morality of Paul's Converts argues that Paul was always more concerned with how converts behaved than with what they believed about Christ. Paul remained a Jew even after he accepted Jesus as the Messiah. Paul eventually developed beliefs about Jesus as the Son of God in order to win Gentile converts to faithfulness, but this careful analysis of his writings reveals that his primary concern was always the morality of converts. His message always remained focused on faithfulness toward God and moral probity.

A careful analysis of Paul's letters shows that in every church there were two main groups of converts: those who were baptized and those being instructed for baptism. Such analysis also makes it possible to determine which parts of each letter were directed towards which group. Baptism was the rite by which converts were forgiven their past sins and became members of a renewed community of God, from which any who continued to sin were expelled. The Morality of Paul's Converts argues that Paul was always more concerned with how converts behaved than with what they believed about Christ. Paul remained a Jew even after he accepted Jesus as the Messiah. Paul eventually developed beliefs about Jesus as the Son of God in order to win Gentile converts to faithfulness, but this careful analysis of his writings reveals that his primary concern was always the morality of converts. His message always remained focused on faithfulness toward God and moral probity.

This book is written for a wide range of interested readers, including students, pastors, church workers and others interested in learning about Paul as a person and his work. The author deals with Paul and the book of Acts, the circumstances that led Paul to write each letter, and his responses to those circumstances. A unique aspect of the work is Paul's emphasis on the morality of the believers to whom he was writing--his "ways in Christ" as he taught "them everywhere in every church." Brief discussions of Paul's language help to enlighten meanings of his thought often overlooked. His thought is presented in light of his own times, not those of the Reformation or our own. Material from the Old Testament, Qumran, and pagan sources makes readers more aware of that fact. Paul was not writing for Christians in the modern sense of the term, because it was not in use among followers of Jesus when he wrote.

Freed's highly accessible introduction, directed at students and interested non-specialists as well as scholars, explains and examines these well-known stories from a critical perspective. "Critical" is taken in the sense of judging among alternative answers to problems that arise from such study and arguing for the preferred solution. The aim of this book is to draw the reader to the gospel accounts for the purpose of evoking critical thought rather than to persuade of a particular interpretation. In pursuit of this goal, the author shows how many diverse factors, including earlier traditions, literary styles, and the theological convictions of each gospel writer, have contributed to the composition of the narratives.

In this book, the author deals with Paul and the book of Acts, the circumstances that led Paul to write each letter, and his responses to those circumstances. A unique aspect of the work is Paul's emphasis on the morality of the believers to whom he was writing--his "ways in Christ" as he taught "them everywhere in every church." Brief discussions of Paul's language help to enlighten meanings of his thought often overlooked. His thought is presented in light of his own times, not those of the Reformation or our own. Material from the Old Testament, Qumran, and pagan sources makes readers more aware of that fact. Paul was not writing for Christians in the modern sense of the term. Rather, he was writing primarily to converts, especially Gentiles, who came into his churches only recently from either Judaism or paganism. Paul's emphases on faithfulness toward God, the faithfulness of Jesus, and his moral teachings are primary themes.