Originally posted by MythicalSkippy
I'd be happy to.
Paul was a man chosen by God to help create His church after the ressurection of Jesus. Read Acts for the story. Paul developed a deep, close relationship with God. As I read Paul's letters, I see a man for whom God is as real as the ground under his feet, as real as the stones creating the prisons in which Paul spent time. Ple ly get to the bottom of it, really understand it, it is harder to shake our faith in it.
Have you not read 2 Timothy 3:16? ALL scripture is given by inspiration of GOD (not men), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. According to the Bible, it was written by men such as Paul who were inspired by God. Of coarse this was written by Paul so I'm not sure you will receive it as truth. You say that the letters were written to various churches specifically and therefore were in no way meant for others to read them. I guess you will also have to blotch out portions of Revelation where John speaks specifically to various churches. Unfortunatly, there is a warning in Revelation about a penalty of eternal damnation for adding or subtracting from scripture, so I think this may be somewhat of a problem. I think you will find that despite the fact the Bible was written by various men in another time, and in other cultures, and sometimes speaking to other people, it still holds the same truths that we need to hear today. In short, the Bible is timeless.
Reading how Paul was converted in the Bible, it is painfully obvious to me that God chose him specifically for a great task. He chose a man who was highly articulate and intelligent and who knew Judaic law like the back of his hand. If we did not have him and his letters, the majority of the New Testament would be amiss.