In the second book of the "Spelunking Scripture" series,
Spelunking Scripture: The Letters of Paul-Exploring Important Passages of the Bible
, author Bruce C. Salmon digs into the thirteen letters of the New Testament attributed to Paul. Although some scholars believe some of the letters may have been written, or edited, by Paul's followers, all of the letters begin by identifying Paul as the author. Most of the letters were addressed to specific churches (or groups of churches), although a few were addressed to specific individuals. Probably, most of the letters were intended to be read aloud to assembled congregations, and most were written to address particular needs within the churches. As such, Paul's counsel about certain situations was not meant to be applied universally to all the churches. The passages from Paul's letters identified for this study have a universal application, and Salmon focuses on the way in which Paul's letters convey the truth about God's intentions for our lives.