The Second Wave ~ Epistles and Prophets

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The Second Wave of readings is meant to deepen understanding.  This is accomplished by delving into longer works that more fully elaborate crucial events. These works are more “vertical” in orientation because they slow down and dive deeper. In Paul's Letter to the Romans he references Old Testament works more than sixty times.  Savor these slowly, in any order, but read all of them before going on to The Third Wave.

• ​Romans: Reviews salvation history and how it prepared the world for Jesus 
• 1 Corinthians: Explains the body and blood of Christ 
• 2 Corinthians: Paul defends himself
• Galatians: Christians need not follow all the ancient Laws of Moses 
• Ephesians: "One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all" 
• Philippians: "I can do all things in Him who strengthens me" 
• Colossians: "All things were created through Him and for Him"
• 1 Thessalonians: "The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."
• 2 Thessalonians: Beware of false teachers 
• 1 Timothy: Instructions to a friend on how to lead  
• 2 Timothy: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith" 
• Titus:  Instruction on how to teach 
• Philemon: Please welcome your runaway slave as a brother 
• Hebrews: How the Old Testament foreshadowed Jesus
• James: "Faith apart from works is dead." Tame the tongue for it blesses and curses 
• 1 Peter: "Be prepared to make a defense for the hope within you" 
• 2 Peter: Beware of false teachers, one day is as a thousand years to the Lord 
• 1 John: God is Love, He has promised us life everlasting  
• 2 John: Speaks against Docetism, the false teaching that Jesus was not really a man in the flesh 
• 3 John: "No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the Truth"  
• Jude: Judgment against false teachers
• Deuteronomy: Moses’ farewell address after wandering with the Israelites for 40 years  
• Isaiah: A Messiah, born of a Virgin, will come to save the people  as a Suffering Servant
• Jeremiah: Someday, God will institute a New Covenant
• Ezekiel: Visions of heavenly worship while in exile in Babylon
• Daniel: "The Son of Man" will be given everlasting dominion over all (OCP)

                                                               OCP - All traditions with some variance