103 Course Outline

Lesson 1: Identify Key Points, Grasp the Theme, and Connect with Context
Lesson 2: Focus on How to Act on God's Word
Lesson 3: Seek the Guidance of the Holy Spirit
Lesson 4: Form a System
Lesson 5: Know That God's Will is the Church
Lesson 6: Continuously Ascend, Strive Diligently, and Never Stop
Lesson 7: Avoid Common Pitfalls in Reading the Bible
Lesson 8: Case Study 01
Lesson 9: Case Study 02
Lesson 10: Case Study 03
Lesson 11: Case Study 04

Course Introduction

Identify Key Points, Grasp the Theme, and Connect with Context.

This is the fundamental approach to learning any course or reading any book. Grasp these three elements, and even when faced with difficult passages (such as Samson in the Book of Judges), you can find a direction for understanding. Connecting with context is crucial. If you grasp the key points and theme but fail to connect with context, your understanding will be incorrect. The speaker emphasized that identifying key points and grasping the theme are not based on imagination but are the most important aspects of learning.

Focus on How to Act on God's Word.

This is a unique aspect of reading the Bible within the Chinese Mingding Doctrine. Reading the Bible is not just about knowing information but about knowing what to do. The Bible is God's writing to us, telling us how you should act. This means that when reading, one should consider how to apply the scripture to practical life, how to put God's Word into practice. For example, Genesis chapter one does not just tell us that God created the heavens and the earth, but more importantly, makes us reflect on how we, as the image of God, should act, just as God acted during creation—for example, each according to its kind.

Seek the Guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Relying solely on personal wisdom is not enough to fully understand the Bible. Seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit is crucial because the Holy Spirit can give revelation, helping people to be enlightened and understand. Seeking guidance requires faith and perseverance, requiring knocking, and also exerting effort, not knocking lightly but calling out forcefully. God is a God of revelation and will grant enlightenment according to the believer's faith.

Form a System.

By reading each chapter, each book, and even the entire Bible using the above methods (identifying key points, grasping the theme, and connecting with context) and integrating the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a system that runs through the entire Bible will eventually be formed. Once a system is formed, it becomes easier to identify interpretations that do not align with the system and discern errors. For example, the speaker believes that the statement in the Book of James about faith working together with works does not hold up within the system of God's revelation through the Bible because the Bible emphasizes that faith is the foundation. The ability to form a system allows one to become powerful in understanding and discernment.

Know That God's Will is the Church.

Once a system is formed and one ascends upward, one will eventually realize that God's core will is to build the Church. The Church is God's army, the body of God, and God's promises and power are all in the Church. Understanding that God's will is the Church provides guiding principles for understanding and action, helping to judge what aligns with God's will and what corrupts the Church.

Continuously Ascend, and Never Stop.

The Church is built on the holy mountain, like the tip of a pyramid, requiring continuous effort and upward climbing. This is a continuous process of striving for spiritual height and knowledge of God's truth. The higher the spiritual height, the farther one can see, and the stronger the power to fight against the devil. The speaker encourages believers not to remain at the bottom of the pyramid as turtles, but to be on the tip of the pyramid.

Avoid Common Pitfalls in Reading the Bible.

The course will also explain common pitfalls in reading the Bible, such as reading for others to hear (using scripture to demand that others act rather than oneself), taking scripture out of context, and acting as a critic. These errors prevent people from truly benefiting from and being transformed by the Word of God.