“Introduction,” New Testament Class Member Study Guide (1997), 1
“Introduction,” New Testament Class Member Study Guide, 1
Introduction
Jesus said, “Learn of me” (Matthew 11:29). Learning of the Savior and his truths is an essential part of living his gospel. Your efforts to search the scriptures daily will help you draw nearer to him, for “these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31).
This study guide is divided into numbered sections that correspond with the lessons in the New Testament Gospel Doctrine course. Each section provides the week’s reading assignment and questions to enhance your study. You may use the questions to improve personal application of the scriptures, to prompt gospel-centered discussions among family members, and to prepare to make meaningful contributions to class discussions.
This study guide is a valuable resource for families. Each section contains a suggestion for an activity or discussion to add interest and variety to gospel learning in the home.
Also included in each section is a scripture chain—a list of scripture passages that relate to the reading assignment. You may want to write these lists in the back of your scriptures. You may also want to develop your own scripture chains by selecting passages from the lists in the Topical Guide and the information in the Bible Dictionary.
To highlight a scripture chain in your scriptures, mark in your scriptures the first passage in the list. Beside that passage write the reference for the second passage in the list. Turn to the second passage, mark it, and write the reference for the third passage. Continue until you have marked the last passage in the list, and complete the chain by writing next to that passage the reference for the first passage. You will be able to use these scripture chains to quickly find scripture passages on a given gospel principle.
An additional section at the end of the study guide contains statements by latter-day prophets on the blessings of scripture study.
You share with your Gospel Doctrine teacher the responsibility to help the class be successful. The Lord has said that teachers need to “preach … by the Spirit of truth” and that those who receive “the word of truth” should “receive it by the Spirit of truth” (D&C 50:17, 19). Come to class prepared to contribute insights, ask questions, share experiences, bear testimony, and listen attentively to the teacher and the other class members. When you have studied the reading assignment and pondered the questions in this study guide, you will be better prepared to experience the fulfillment of the Lord’s words when he said, “He that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together” (D&C 50:22).