What format did Paul use in his epistles?
Paul’s epistles follow a format of first doctrine, then reproof, then correction, and finally instruction in righteousness. He wrote as the Holy Spirit inspired him, sending letters by courier to various churches, without necessarily knowing they would become the Canon of Scripture.
Les explains that Paul did not likely know his writings would become the Canon of Scripture. Paul simply wrote as the Holy Spirit inspired him, fired the letter off to the various churches by courier—such as Romans sent to Rome from Corinth with Phoebe—and others went with friends like Titus and Timothy. Whether Paul knew it or not, he put his letters out under this format: first doctrine, then reproof, then correction, and then instruction in righteousness. Les then transitions to a timeline of Paul’s epistles, beginning with letters written during his early missionary travels, starting around 40 A.D. after his three years of instruction with the Lord at Mount Sinai, including Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Galatians.