This outline suggestion for learning our Bibles consists of three parts:
Coloring our Bibles,
Chain referencing our Bibles, and
Memorizing our Bibles by Chapters
Mr. Armstrong suggested a similar procedure in our freshman Bible class in 1952 for thorough Bible acquaintance and usage. I have found this to be invaluable in my ministry over the past 11 years.
Coloring our Bibles includes both marking subject's colors and titling paragraphs by topic writing. I mean by this, coloring every passage on healing - brown, and every passage on prayer - green, for example. Titling paragraphs would be like writing WINE across the page in blue pencil for verses on this subject. The reason for not having a color for every subject is that you would need too many different colors to do so, and short words are just as easily written out with letters like TITHE, DANCE, ETC.
MY TOPIC COLORS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. PRAYER - GREEN 2. SABBATH - RED 3. SATAN, DEMONS - YELLOW 4. PREDESTINATION - ORANGE 5. HEALING - BROWN
6. ISRAEL - PURPLE 7. HOLY DAYS - BLUE 8. DIVORCE - VIOLET 9. SCIENCE, CREATION - BLACK 10. UNCLEAN BEATS - LIGHT BLUE
The verses dealing with these subjects should be outlined in these colors, and not colored solidly.
TITLES written across the page in the letters of the words are:
1. WINE
As Gen. 19:32-38; Matthew 9:14-17; Proverb 31:6; 23:20-21, 29-35; Hosea 4:11; Amos 9:14; Micah 2:11; Zech. 9:17, 10:7; Eph. 5:18; I Tim. 3:3, 5:23
2. H . S.
Holy Spirit, as Acts. 1:8; John. 6:63; John. 14:26; John. 16:13-14; Acts 2:38, 5:32; Rom. 8:2; Psalm 51:11-12; I Samuel 10:6, 10.
3. O. T.
Old Testament - quoted or used in the New Testament. Luke. 20:17, 37, 42; Luke. 4:17-21, 23, 25, 26.
4. I. S.
Immortal Soul, as I Timothy 6:16; II Timothy 1:10; I Corinthian 15:53; Roman 2:7; II Timothy 2:18; I John. 1:2, 2:25; Jude 21; Eccl. 3:19, 8:8
5. SUN
Sun Worship, Baal, Ashtoreth, as Acts. 7:42; Micah 6:16; Amos 5:26; Hosea. 2:8, 13, 16-17; 9:10; 11:2; 13:1
6. $
Verses on finances and money. As Mark 12:41-44; Matthew. 6:19-21, 25; III John 2; Acts 20:35; Proverb 28:13; II Corinthian 9; Eph. 4:14-19; I Timothy 5:4, 8; 6:7-10.
Church Government, as Acts 7:35; I Thes. 4:1-2; Galatian 2:12; II Corinthian 10:1-2, 8:18; 13:5-10; Eph. 4:11-14; I Corinthian 4; I Corinthian 5:1-5; I Corinthian 12:18-31; 16:1; II Thessalonians 3:6-16.
9. SEX
As I Corinthian 6:9; Proverb 5:15-20; I Thessalonians 4:3-7; Genesis 19:32-38; II Samuel 11; II Samuel 13.
10. TITHES
As I Corinthian 9:1-10; II Timothy 2:6; Hebrew 7:1-10; Genesis 14:20; Deuteronomy 12 & 14; Matthew 23:23.
11. WORK
God's Work as, I Corinthians 15:58; Hosea. 5:9; 7:12; Habb. 1:5; Ps. 69:9; Psalms 48:8.
12. FAST
Fasting, as Joel 1:14; 2:12, 15; II Samuel 12; Ps. 69:10; Acts 23:12; Isaiah 58:1-12; Matthew 4:2, 9:14-16.
13. UNIONS
Labor Unions, as Amos 4:1; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22; James 5:4; Proverb 27:18.
14. Kids
Discipline children, as Ecc. 8:11; Proverb 30:17; Proverb 22:6; Proverb 149:3; Genesis 18:19; Proverb 19:13-18; 20:30, 13:24.
15. DANCE
Dancing, as I Samuel 18:6, 21:11; II Samuel 6:14-16; Psalm 150:4, 149:3; Matthew 11:17; Ecclesiast 3:4; Exodus 15:20.
I Peter 3:1-6; Proverb 31; Proverb 12:4; Ephesian 5:22-24; I Samuel 1; Ruth 1:16-17.
21. BAPT.
Baptism, as Acts 2:38; Hebrews 6:2; John 3:5; Matthew 3:11; Matthew 28:19.
22. HAND
Laying on of hands, as Acts 6:6; Hebrews 6:2; II Timothy 1:6; I Timothy 5:22; I Timothy 4:14.
23. BIRTHDAY
As Mark 6; Matthew 14; Gen. 40:20.
24. XMAS
As Jeremiah 10:1-5; Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2; Luke 1:2.
25. JEWELRY
Ezekiel 16; Isaiah 3.
26. 100
Period after Millennium; White Throne Judgment - Matthew 11:20-24; Psalms 49:14; Isaiah 65:20.
27. TARES
Parable of Wheat and tares, as Matthew 13:24-32, 36-43; Other parables likewise — PENNY, SOWER, TALENTS, POUNDS.
The second system of chain referencing would be done by listing the subject in a blank page in the back of your Bible, as DANCE. Then beside this put the 1st scripture, EX. 15:20. Then when you turn to Ex. 15:20 put the next scripture in the margin, as Ex. 32:19. Continue this right on through all of the verses on that one subject.
MARK YOUR BIBLES
BY COLOR:
RED
-
SABBATH
BLUE
-
HOLYDAYS
GREEN
-
PRAYER
YELLOW
-
SATAN, DEMONS
ORANGE
-
PREDESTINATION, CALLED,ELECT.
PURPLE
-
ISRAEL
BLACK
-
CREATION
BROWN
-
HEALING
WORDS ACROSS VERSES:
NO TRINITY
-
NOT 3
CHRISTMAS
-
XMAS
REPENTANCE
-
R
HOLY SPIRIT
-
H. S.
HELL
-
HELL
FAST
-
FAST
HEAVEN
-
HEAVEN
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR
-
C.O.
FINANCIAL VERSES
-
$
IMMORTAL SOUL
-
I. S.
WINE
-
WINE
DANCE
-
DANCE
UNCLEAN ANIMALS
-
U. A.
TITHE
-
TITHE
ADVENT
-
ADV.
RESURRECTION
-
RES.
GOVERNMENT
-
GOVN.
MILLENNIUM
-
1000
SEX
-
SEX
GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT
-
100
BAPTISM
-
BAPT.
FAITH
-
FAITH
LAYING ON OF HANDS
-
HANDS
BIRTHDAY
-
BIRTHDAY
CHURCH
-
CHURCH
SEALS, TRUMPETS, PLAGUES
-
I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII.
144,000
-
144,000
DEFINITION VERSE
-
DEF.
BY COLOR:
KINGDOM
-
BLUE HEXAGON
FEAR
-
RED HEXAGON
OBEY, LAW, COMMANDMENTS
-
YELLOW CIRCLE
MOSES
-
PURPLE TRIANGLE OR MOSES
TOPIC: PARABLES: MIRACLES:
LOAVES WATER - WALKING ON WATER SIGN PETER FISH KIDS - BLESSING CHILDREN 100 SHEEP 70 X 7 2 DEBTS PALMS 2 SONS BEAT SERVANTS SUPPER PARABLES TRIBUTE 7 BROTHERS WATER VIRGINS TALENTS SHEEP - GOATS OUR WORK SOWER STORM MOTHER SAMARITAN MARY - MARTHA PRODIGAL
TOPIC PENCIL IN PARAGRAPH OWN CHAIN REFERENCE
MARKING PROPHECY:
TOPIC CIRCLING:
ISRAEL EGYPT ASSYRIA BABYLON IN THAT DAY - DAY OF THE LORD