River Valley Church New Testament Soap Sprint Sample

The book of Galatians was written sometime around 40 to 50 A.D. as a letter from Paul to the network of churches in the region of Galatia, or modern-day Turkey. In this region, the teachers of Jewish tradition and law began teaching a different gospel that diverged from Jesus' teachings. Paul sharply reprimands them and reminds the Galatian believers to once again put their faith solely in Christ and yield to the inward work of the Holy Spirit. Doing so will provide godly fruit in their lives. 

Ephesians was written in the early 60s A.D. as Paul was nearing the end of his life. As a major shepherd of this church, Paul spent significant time in Ephesus pastoring and countering spiritual opposition there. The city of Ephesus was known for its pagan idolatry, yet it was one of the centers of the growing Christian church during this time. This spiritual opposition only affirmed the necessity of Paul’s encouragement for disciples to deeply know their identity as fully loved members of God's family. Paul also guides the believers regarding how to use their spiritual authority as sons and daughters of a sovereign Father to remain proactive in taking the message of Christ forward in the face of these challenges.