[UAC#1] The Order and Spiritual Importance of our Curriculum

This series of posts starts here.

[UAC#1] The Order and Spiritual Importance of our Curriculum

Introduction

The 9-church epistles of Paul, as presented sequentially in our Bibles today, from Romans to Thessalonians, make up a spiritual curriculum that teaches a believer to grow up in spirit from a babe in Christ to a mature son. It takes one from the milk of the Word towards the meat, from the carnal to the spiritual, from the principles of the grace doctrine to the obedience of righteousness. 

If you were not aware of this very important detail, you can find more information about this curriculum in the following link: https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2023/10/as-grace-believers-what-is-our-primary_14.html.

This spiritual curriculum is designed to transform a new believer into a functioning and profitable member of the body of Christ, but as with any curriculum, it will only do its work of informing and transforming if the believer actually studies it correctly, in the right order, opening their heart to the knowledge it reveals, and believing its instruction.

I’d like to briefly focus on two key words in the above intro, namely, “Order” and “Spiritual”. 

Order:

Writing in general terms, studying a curriculum in the correct order is crucial for a thorough understanding of the subject matter and for building a strong foundation of knowledge. Learning it in the wrong order can be detrimental because advanced topics often rely on the principles and concepts covered in earlier lessons. For example, in mathematics, attempting to study calculus without first mastering algebra and pre-calculus would be highly challenging and likely to result in confusion and frustration. If topics are learned out of order, one may struggle to grasp fundamental concepts, leading to gaps in knowledge, an incomplete understanding, and ultimately, incorrect application.

So, in mind of the truth above, how much more importance does this place on studying God’s Word, and in particular, Paul’s epistles, in the correct order, considering that they are clearly progressive in knowledge and application. 

Spiritual:

Unlike any curriculum that pertains to the wisdom of men and the things of this physical, visible world, an added dimension concerning Paul’s curriculum is that it is spiritual. Romans is the very first and foundational epistle in our curriculum, and it takes only eleven verses to be informed of the spiritual context. 

Rom.1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

After Paul deals with the justification of a believer, Romans 6 to 8 become a lot more spiritual. Sanctification, the second part of the fuller salvation experience, deals with the death and deliverance of a believer from sin and the law. These truths, which consist of the fundamental spiritual values of our doctrine, are imperative to understand, since it becomes the cornerstones of many progressive attributes that are built up upon the foundation as we continue into deeper, more ‘meatier’ truths further up the curriculum. Consider the following verses that introduce a believer to the spiritual edification they are required to know at this beginning point in the curriculum:

Rom.7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Rom.8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. … [5] For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. … [13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. [14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Thus, if one skips Romans and jumps into Ephesians or Colossians, for example, they will lose much of the context of those epistles, which deal with concepts that utterly rely on spiritual knowledge and understanding. 

In actual fact, in the very next epistle, 1 Corinthians, Paul already speaks of a wisdom that God has revealed by His Spirit and that one can only know those things by His Spirit which reveals them. To the natural man, the wisdom of God is foolishness, and he cannot know it as it is spiritually discerned. Having come through Romans, that deals with salvation in detail, it is thus expected that the reader is now established in salvation and seeks to learn more of the spiritual nature and knowledge of God. 

How many believers, and even Bible teachers, have been ignorant of this curriculum and have ended up in a skewed or false doctrine because they have learned and practiced a premature understanding of concepts, or because they have been negligent concerning how to rightly divide the Word, or they have been unable to discern and judge in knowledge of spiritual truths.

Paul enforced this wholly on Timothy as a student under his doctrine. Paul commanded Timothy to adhere to the following,

2Tim.2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

As students of the Word of God, it now becomes a command to us too as we endeavour to learn to understand and apply our curriculum. I trust that you will continue with me on this journey as we dive into learning as much as we can about our grace doctrine in the context of a curriculum.

God bless.