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| We like to learn subjects in a logical fashion, with the first and most important things first. For example, how would it be to learn about new software if the first instruction was on "Abbreviation" in the spelling function because "Abbreviation" was the first word in the index to the documentation? Say, that seems like how I do muddle through learning new software. |
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| The Bible did not unfold as a gigantic yellow pages for life where you let your fingers do the walking to find help. |
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Nicodemus knew all the points of law in the Old Testament, he was a leader among the most religious Jews. But Jesus did not talk with Nicodemus about the categories of law, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." |
| The
ten Bible Study Outline topics are one way to list the major topics in a
logical fashion. The flow of the ten topics can be viewed as
follows:
1-3. The Godhead. God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (the Godhead) are the first in the Bible's descriptions of the world and all other things in the outline depend and exist under, by, and through the Godhead. |
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| 4. Angels are listed second because they are spirit beings and while they are created, their spirit quality makes it more logical to place them after the Godhead. They are often said to be in heaven in God's presence. They are messengers of God to people. Of course we should not think of angels as standing between us and God. |
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| 5. Satan, although an angel (a fallen one), and a spirit being, is a separate topic because of his actions and character are different from the other angelic beings. Satan is also called the prince of the world. Because of his role in the fall of Adam and Eve, Satan is closely associated with the present condition of fallen mankind, which is the following topic. |
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| 6. Mankind
in its fallen state is a topic you would study after knowing about the
five previous topics. Those previous topics give the context
of people in the world today.
And knowing about the three previous topics and this topic on Mankind, is what you would want to know before you can understand the following topic on Salvation. The three most important principles of Bible Study are: context, context, and context. |
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| 7.
Salvation is the good news Jesus
brought to fallen mankind. This topic describes being born again and
all parts of the transformed life as a child of God. This topic is most
closely related to the individual and all topics about the believer
including prayer, relationships with others, dealing with sin, and being a
witness to others. This topic might be called Transformed
Living as a Child of God. But because all that is from being born
again, the topic is called "Salvation."
And from the saved individual, the next topic is the group of all individuals who are saved and born-again. This body of believers is the "called-out ones" or the Church. |
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| 8.
Church - the body of believers in
Jesus Christ is the next step in the logical progression of
the Bible. For example, the book of Acts, about the spread of the
Church with the power of the Holy Spirit, follows the four Gospel books.
People as individuals or in groups seem to be related so that it seems more in keeping with logic and the historical record of the Bible for the topic outline to be: 5. Salvation, 6. Church, 7. Bible, rather than: 5. Bible, 6. Salvation, 7. Church. Of course, others will want to place the Bible first for obvious and sound reasons. If you want to rearrange the order, please do. But if you do, I will never to talk with you. [I am just kidding.] |
 
  
  The
settings are different, but it's one group and one path. |
| 9.
The Bible is the topic giving a
written record of all previous topics from a current perspective. It
also was completed after the institution of the church. For these
reasons, it seemed most reasonable to place the study of the Bible itself
after the other major doctrines.
Of course, the other topics are all drawn from the Bible and one must study and understand the Bible to understand the other doctrines such as God or mankind. Of course, the Bible also looks forward to the End Times, the final topic in the Bible Study Outline. |
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| 10.
Last Things seems best placed
last. The Book of Revelation is the last book in the Bible and has
much information about the end times.
If you think the doctrine of Last Things should be placed earlier in the list of Bible doctrines, you would probably do so on the basis of the importance of prophesy throughout history and the importance given it by Jesus. But in defense of its placement last, the Bible shows mankind between the two accounts of the tree of life. In Genesis, the tree of life stands at the beginning of this age. In Revelation the tree of life stands to mark its completion. The logical arrangement for purposes of Bible study is: Tree of Life -- Mankind -- Tree of Life
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