Picturing Theology, Revised Edition

72 | Picturing Theology, Revised Edition

The focus of this step is identifying the central message, commands, and principles in a portion of Scripture which teach God’s purposes for all people. A. List in sentence form what you believe are the general principles in the passage which apply to all people, at all times, in all cultures. B. Check these statements against other parts of Scripture for clarity and accuracy. Key Tools: Concordance, Topical Bible Ask yourself: • Are the principles I listed supported by other passages in the Bible? • Which of these principles might be difficult or impossible to explain when compared with other passages of Scripture? • Must any of these principles be ruled out in light of other passages of Scripture? • What new information about God and his will does this passage add to my overall knowledge of Scripture and doctrine? C. Adjust or modify your statements of God’s principles in light of the discoveries you made above. • Rewrite your key principles to reflect the insight gained from other portions of Scripture. D. Read commentaries to discover some of the key principles and doctrines that others in the Church have drawn from this passage. • Compare and contrast the information from the commentaries with your own reading. Be willing to abandon, change, or defend your views as necessary as you come across new information. E. Again adjust or modify your statements of God’s principles in light of the discoveries you made above.

Step Two: Finding General Principles