“Letters to young churches”. They were addressed, that is to say, to newly-founded churches whose members were quite recent and inexperienced converts to Christianity. Most of those churches had been founded by Paul himself; their members had been converted to Christianity through his powerful presentation of the gospel. When he writes to them, he is like a father addressing his children. He cannot conceal the strength and warmth of his affection for them, he commends everything that is praiseworthy