1. The first chapter,The Structure Of The Bible, introduces the layout of the Bible providing a guide to the content. This will demonstrate how the books are arranged aiding readers in establishing the context of each of the writings and individual passages. This is a critical point and will be dealt with in more depth as the study develops.
2. Lord Of All The Earth, demonstrates how God has dealt with all people and nations. Our somewhat limited view of the Bible, and it's most popular stories, does not do justice to the fact that God has been active in the affairs of all of mankind from the beginning.
3.The Historical Narrative defines the nature of the stories that appear in the scriptures. Is the Bible an attempt on the part of the writers to give their own mythological account of the world, or is there something else that we overlook?
9. The Messiah Appears demonstrates how the Biblical narrative revolves around Christ and His mission to redeem mankind.
10. Christ's commands and the kingdom He established are described in The Apostolic Era which summarizes the work of the early church.
Section 2: The Nature Of Representational Forms
11. The Nature Of Representational Forms discusses the nature of symbols, or types, referred to here as representations, and the reason for a change in terminology. This chapter is a key to understanding the need to preserve the context of passages and how meaning is assigned by God by the utilization of specific forms throughout the scriptures.
12. The Little Things examines seemingly trivial elements of the scriptures. God chose simple things to convey His message and these sometimes defy human reasoning. We tend to look for the big things and can easily miss subtle events or apparently meaningless gestures without realizing their significance. This chapter will show that when God is involved anything can take on a greater meaning.
13. Man’s separation from God highlights differences between the Lord and human nature. The Father of Lights evaluates God's essential character as manifested in the scriptures.
14. The benevolence and care God has for all creation is further clarified in Like Father Like Son as we examine Christ as the instrument by which God resolves the spiritual distance between Himself and man. The nature of both God and Christ will be compared and presented in a manner which will show the consistency between them and their further provision for reconciliation.
15. The Deadly Barrier presents an argument for God's righteousness as we examine the origin, nature and consequences of sin that changed the world.
16. Some focus exclusively on Christ and many in contemporary society have lost sight of the relationship between the Father and Son. To rectify this we will examine the nature of Christ's sacrifice by asking the question; Whose Sacrifice Is It? The relationship between Christ and God will be explored so we can see the unity that binds the scriptures together as a whole. The unity between Christ and God is fundamental to our later study of doctrine and will help clarify the nature of the transitions in the Bible.
17. Christ is the focal point of the scriptures and as such must be understood within the context of the entire message. To accomplish this we will examine the means by which the past, present and future are linked together through Christ. The Trail of Blood will examine the way in which the faithful of all time are brought together in God's spiritual household and are partakers of His grace and mercy.
18. One of the more significant transitions in the Bible is that of the waning of the Law and the beginning of the New Testament. In Remembrance of Me discusses this transition and the changes that result from it. It will be shown that the New Testament is not simply an extension or revision of the Law of Moses, but constitutes a dramatic change that embodies the fulfillment of God’s scheme of redemption. While the New Testament is different from the Law, there is a linkage to the past in the way in which God introduces these commands.
19. The idea that the Bible is static, or represents human invention, will be challenged by looking at changes made by God. First Things That Passed presents the view that the Biblical narrative and human history have been dynamic as a result of God's interventions spiritually and physically. This section will draw on the previous discussions and returns to more general considerations.
20. The final study in this section, It's Elementary, supplies a bridge between the representational and doctrinal sections. In this chapter we will study physical elements God has utilized to represent aspects of salvation, purification and judgment. Within these representations is a sense of completeness in God's forgiveness of sins and His final verdict against the earth.
Section 3: The Doctrine Of The Bible
21. The Doctrine Of The Bible draws on the previous sections as a framework in which the message of the Bible is discussed with emphasis on understanding the unique nature of what is taught. The chapter ends with a summary of the following chapters listed below.
22. This section begins with an examination of The Word of Faith. It is God's word, or instructions, that identifies the faithful and the unrighteous in His sight. To have faith one must know what the word of God is and render obedience to that word. We will define faith on the basis of scriptural definitions and examples.
23. God's word defines expectations, conditions for acceptance of the individual, and actions which must be followed in order to maintain a right relationship with God. Within this a principle is demonstrated. The chapter entitled, It's All Or Nothing, discusses the degree to which God expects those that turn to Him to adhere to His word. Examples will be given which show that the commands of God are not subject to human regulation and as such are to be accepted as a whole.
24. The reasons for serving God are discussed in For The Love Of God. God has been merciful and loving in His care for creation, particularly mankind, through the many blessings He has given to all people. We will discuss the need to serve God through love, obedience, respect and reverence for the Lord through His word.
25. The Bible is a book of change and the most important change is the act of turning one's mind toward God. In The Heart Of The Matter we will examine what is meant by the "heart" and the impact that the scriptures have on the internal nature of those wishing to serve and please the Lord.
26. Individuals who grow to love the Lord are called upon to bring their lives into submission or obedience to God. The characteristics which one strives to incorporate into their lives are discussed in the chapter entitled Quite A Character.
27. How one changes has been the source of considerable controversy over the years. In the chapter The Spirit Of The Age we will discuss the function of the Holy Spirit in the first century, the roles the Spirit played in the lives of Christians and what this means for us today.
28. Following the discussion of the Spirit, we will examine the provision for all of mankind through salvation in Christ. But For The Grace Of God seeks to define what is meant by grace in scriptural terms and how this applies to the world and those who are Christians.
29. There are those today who believe and teach that Christ's kingdom has not been established. Based on this doctrine, some contend that the last days have not come. In the chapter The Last Days we will look at what the scriptures teach about the kingdom of Christ and the eventual fate of the world.
30. To close the study we will look at The Gospel Plan Of Salvation. How one becomes a member of the Lord's body and the ramifications this has on life afterward will be discussed. As with the previous sections scriptural references will be given to illustrate and reinforce each point made.
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