As he endeavored to lead souls to the foot of the cross, Paul did not venture to rebuke, directly, those who were licentious, or to show how heinous was their sin in the sight of a holy God. Rather he set before them the true object of life and tried to impress upon their minds the lessons of the divine Teacher, which, if received, would lift them from worldliness and sin to purity and righteousness. He dwelt especially upon practical godliness and the holiness to which those must attain who shall be accounted worthy of a place in God's kingdom. He longed to see the light of the gospel of Christ piercing the darkness of their minds, that they might see how offensive in the sight of God were their immoral practices. Therefore the burden of his teaching among them was Christ and Him crucified. He 273 sought to show them that their most earnest study and their greatest joy must be the wonderful truth of salvation through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mens Paulus bestræbte sig for at lede sjæle hen til korsets fod, vovede han ikke direkte at dadle dem, der levede i udskejelser, eller at vise dem, hvor afskyelig deres synd var i den hellige Guds øjne. Han foreholdt dem snarere livets sande mål og prøvede at indprente dem den guddommelige lærers visdom, som, hvis de tog imod den, ville hæve dem over verdslighed og synd til renhed og retfærdighed. Han dvælede især ved gudsfrygt, som viste sig i handling, og det hellige sind, som måtte opnås af dem, der ville regnes for værdige til en plads i Guds rige. Han længtes efter at se lyset fra Kristi evangelium bryde gennem mørket i deres sind, for at de kunne komme til at se, hvor syndigt deres umoralske liv var i Guds øjne. Derfor lagde han i sin forkyndelse størst vægt på Kristus, og det som korsfæstet! Han søgte at vise dem, at deres alvorligste granskning og største glæde burde være den vidunderlige sandhed om frelse gennem omvendelse til Gud og tro på vor Herre Jesus Kristus.