With SO many sound systematic theologies being over emphasized & good Biblical theologies being over most peoples heads thereby together running amuck all over Christendom (if such a thing exists) and so many people insisting that one is more Biblically grounded over the other (like neo-Calvinists being more Calvinist than Calvin or neo-Pentacostals having more manifestations of the Holy Spirit than the Apostles & early disciples of Acts 2), this page is an effort to unpack a Biblically sound, Holy Spirit dependent "systematic theology" that reflects what it means to "be devoted to the Apostles Teaching."
These epistles (letters) from the first century reflect a diverse thought pattern from among the 1st century apostles. As such, taking newer believers through these New Testament letters in the first few weeks of their discipleship unpacks the spirit (intent) of the "apostles teaching" through which the Gospels, Acts, and the Old Testament can and should be interpreted. The use of these five letters are not to be confused as any greater priority over the other books of the Bible. However, as mentioned above, focusing on these five initially, and repeatedly returning to them in some depth at least annually, may guard newer believers from the winds of overemphasized popular systematic theologies or culturally reactionary Biblical theologies.
Getting a basic grasp of the thinking of John, James, Peter, and Paul will guard believers who have the potential to be driven & tossed by the wind of teaching that comes from sloppy, untrained, or malicious interpretation of the narrative sections of Scripture. In this vein, consider pressing deep into these five books & inviting others into a similar inductive study herein...
1 John
Do you know you have eternal life & can you identify eternal life in the lives of other people who claim to be "saved" or claim to be "born again" or claim to be headed to "heaven" etc?
Ephesians
Do you know what the church is? Do you know how to live out what it means to BE the church?
James
Is your faith practical and active or theoretical and passive?
1 Peter
Do you know your identity?
What does our identity in Christ look like when lived out?
Philippians
The joy of the Lord in suffering based on who you are to take His word cross-culturally through applied humility.