New Testament Doctrines and Principles
Found in the Seminary Curriculum
Lesson / dOCTRINEs / PRINCIPLEs1 / Introduction and Overview of the New Testament / As we come unto Jesus Christ with our burdens, He will give us rest. (Matt. 11:28)
(T) As we come unto Jesus Christ, we will have a greater desire to invite others to come unto Him. (John 1:45-46)
2 / Plan of Salvation / *Jesus Christ was chosen in the premortal life to be the Redeemer of mankind. (Moses 4:1-3)
*Under the direction of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ created the earth. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins. (Matt. 1:21)
Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected. (1 Cor. 15:20-22)
*Jesus Christ will judge all mankind. (John 5:22)
If we exercise faith in Jesus Christ and live according to His gospel, then we can receive eternal life. (John 3:16-17)
3 / Role of the Learner / The Holy Ghost teaches truth. (John 14:26; 16:13)
(S) The Holy Ghost carries truth unto our hearts. (2 Nephi 33:1)
*If we seek to learn by faith, then we invite the Holy Ghost into our hearts to teach and testify of truth. (D&C 88:118; Elder Bednar)
4 / Studying the Scriptures / As we study the scriptures daily, we receive the “living water” we need. (Elder Bednar, “A Reservoir of Living Water”)
Our need for the scriptures is greater today than in any previous time. (Elder Christofferson, “The Blessing of Scripture,” p. 35)
As we study the scriptures, we can receive wisdom, correction, and instruction that will lead us to salvation. (2 Tim. 3:15-17)
5 / Context of the New Testament / Jesus Christ was sent to bring salvation to all people. (Luke 2:25-33)
(S)As we come unto Jesus Christ, we will have a greater desire to invite others to come unto Him.
6 / Matthew 1–2 / *Jesus Christ is the divine Son of Heavenly Father and Mary. (Matt. 1:18-25; DNTC 1:82)
If we sincerely and diligently seek the Savior, we will be guided to Him. (Matt. 2:1-13)
We can worship the Lord by offering meaningful gifts to Him. (Matt. 2:1-13)
If we are sensitive to the Spirit, we can receive revelation and guidance. (Matt. 2:15-23)
7 / Matthew 3 / We demonstrate true repentance to the Lord as we change our desires and actions to follow His teachings. (Matt. 3:8 fn b)
Baptism by immersion by one holding authority is essential for salvation. (Matt. 3:13-17)
*The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct and separate beings. (Matt. 3:16-17)
8 / Matthew 4 / *When we recall and apply truths taught in the scriptures, we can resist the devil’s temptations. (Matt. 4:3-11)
Jesus Christ brings light into the lives of those who are in darkness. (Matt. 4:12-15)
If we immediately respond to the Savior’s invitations to follow Him, He can make more out of our lives than we can on our own. (Matt. 4:18-22)
9 / Matthew 5 part 1 / As we develop Christlike attributes, we will find increased happiness. (Matt. 5:1-12)
Becoming contaminated by the sins of the world can prevent us from being a blessing to others. (Matt. 5:13)
*Our righteous example can encourage others to draw nearer to Heavenly Father. (Matt. 5:14-16)
10 / Matthew 5 part 2 / (T) If we desire to come unto Jesus Christ, we must first do our part to be reconciled with our fellowmen. (Matt. 5:23-24)
(T) If we choose to entertain lustful thoughts or desires, it is like committing adultery in our hearts. (Matt. 5:27-28)
(T) If we choose not to remove sin from our lives, it will destroy us spiritually. (Matt. 5:29-30)
*As we follow the Savior’s teachings and commandments, we can become perfect like our Father in Heaven. (Matt. 5)
11 / Matthew 6 / *If we perform acts of devotion to please Heavenly Father rather than to seek the attention of others, then He will reward us openly. (Matt. 6:3-4)
We cannot serve both God and mammon. (Matt. 6:24)
If we seek first to build up the kingdom of God, then He will bless us with what He knows we need. (Matt. 6:31-34)
12 / Matthew 7 / *If we judge others righteously, God will extend the same mercy and fairness to us. (Matt. 7:2)
If we focus on removing our own sins and weaknesses, then we will be less likely to judge others unrighteously. (Matt. 7:4-5)
As we ask, seek, and knock in our search for truth, Heavenly Father will answer and bless us with personal revelation. (Matt. 7:7; JST Matt. 7:12)
We can discern false prophets by their fruits. (Matt. 7:16-20)
If we hear and act on the Lord’s teachings, then He will strengthen us to endure our trials. If we hear the Lord’s teachings but do not follow them, then we will not have the support we need when trials come. (Matt. 7:24-27)
13 / Matthew 8–10 / Jesus can heal us of our infirmities and sicknesses. (Matt. 8:16-17)
*Jesus Christ calls Apostles and confers His authority upon them. (Matt. 10:1-4)
*The Lord calls Apostles to preach His gospel and do His works. (Matt. 10:5-8)
When we are in the service of the Lord, He will inspire us with what to say when needed. (Matt. 10:16-20)
If we seek to save our lives, then… If we lose our lives for the sake of Jesus Christ, then…(Matt. 10:37-38)
14 / Matthew 11–12 / As we seek to learn of Jesus Christ and as we testify of Him, our own testimony of Him can be strengthened. (Matt. 11:4-5)
If we come unto Jesus Christ, He will ease our burdens and give us rest. (Matt. 11:28-30)
*If we desire to be part of God’s kingdom, we must be fully committed to Jesus Christ. (Matt. 12:30)
We can repel evil influences after removing them from our lives by replacing them with righteousness. (Matt. 12:43-45)
15 / Matthew 13:1–23 / *If we harden our hearts, then we will not understand the word of God, be converted to the Savior, and be healed by Him. (Matt. 13:14-15)
*Unless we strive to deepen our testimonies, we may lack the strength necessary to endure tribulations, persecutions, and temptations. (Matt. 13:20-21; Luke 8:13)
*The cares of the world can distract us, remove our focus from the Lord, and choke our faith and testimony of the word of God. (Matt. 13:22)
As we receive the word of God, understand it, and endure tribulations, persecutions, and temptations, we will become converted to the Savior. (Matt. 13:23)
16 / Matthew 13:24–58 / *The Lord will gather the righteous during the last days and destroy the wicked at His Coming. (Matt. 13:36-43; Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 13:39–44)
The restored Church of Jesus Christ will grow from a small beginning to fill the whole earth. (Matthew 13:31–32; Matthew 13:33; Matthew 13:44; Matthew 13:45–46; Matthew 13:47–50)
Because the blessings of the gospel are of eternal value, they are worth any sacrifice. (Matt. 13:44-47)
17 / Matthew 14 / By showing compassion for others even when we experience sadness, we follow the example of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 14:14)
Even though God might not always spare us from struggles, He knows what we are experiencing and will, in His own time, come to our aid. (Matt. 14:22-25; Mark 6:47-48)
*If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ and maintain our faith in Him, we will not be overcome by our fears and doubts. (Matt. 14:28-30)
If we seek God’s help when our faith wanes, He can lift us from our fears and doubts. (Matt. 14:30-32)
18 / Matthew 15 / If we desire to draw near to God, we must place His commandments above any traditions and customs we may have. (Matt. 15:7-9)
*If we choose to entertain evil or inappropriate thoughts and desires, then those thoughts and desires will defile us. (Matt. 15:19-20)
As we exercise faith in Jesus Christ, we can receive according to our righteous desires. (Matt. 15:21-28)
19 / Matthew 16 / We do not receive spiritual truth by seeking for signs. (Matt. 16:2-4)
*We gain a testimony of Jesus Christ through revelation from the Holy Ghost. (Matt. 16:15-19)
Jesus Christ’s Church is built upon revelation from God. (Matt. 16:18-20)
Jesus Christ entrusts the keys of His kingdom to His chosen prophets and Apostles. (Matt. 16:18-20)
Priesthood keys are necessary to administer the Lord’s Church upon the earth. (Matt. 16:18-20)
20 / Matthew 17 / *In each dispensation, God confers priesthood keys upon His chosen servants so they can direct His work upon the earth. (Matt. 17:4-9)
(T) We can follow the Savior’s example by avoiding actions that may cause others to stumble spiritually. (Matt. 17:25-27)
21 / Matthew 18 / *The Lord has commanded us to forgive those who offend or sin against us. (Matt. 18:21-22)
If we want God to forgive us, then we must be willing to forgive others. (Matt. 18:23-35)
22 / Matthew 19–20 / *Marriage between a man and a woman is a sacred relationship designed and established by God. (Matt. 19:4-6)
God gives eternal life to all people who choose to make and keep sacred covenants with Him. (Matt. 20:1-15)
If we choose to be jealous of Heavenly Father’s blessings upon others, then we may lose the blessings He wants to give us. (Matt. 20:16)
23 / Matthew 21:1–16 / *As we publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ, we can help others develop a desire to know more about Him. (Matt. 21:10-11)
The house of the Lord is a sacred place, and He desires that we treat it with reverence. (Matt. 21:12-13)
As we attend the temple, the Lord can heal us. (Matt. 21:14)
24 / Matthew 21:17–22:14 / *To enter the kingdom of God, we must obey our Heavenly Father and repent of our sins rather than only saying or pretending that we obey Him. (Matt. 21:31-32)
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we are responsible to bring forth fruits of righteousness. (Matt. 21:33-41, 43; JST Matt. 21:53)
25 / Matthew 22:15–46 / The Lord expects us to be good citizens and obey the laws of the land. (Matt. 22:18-21; Articles of Faith 1:12)
Those who are not sealed by priesthood authority to their spouses in mortality or through proxy ordinances in temples will not be married in the world to come. (Matt. 22:30; D&C 132:15-17)
*If we truly love God and love our neighbor as ourselves, we will strive to keep all of God’s commandments. (Matt. 22:37-40)
26 / Matthew 23 / We can choose to obey God’s laws even if we see others acting hypocritically. (Matt. 23:1-7)
If we try to exalt ourselves above others, we will be abased. (Matt. 23:12)
If we are humble and serve others, the Lord will exalt us. (Matt. 23:11-12)
As we strive to become spiritually clean on the inside, it will be reflected in our outward choices. (Matt. 23:23-36)
*If we are willing to be gathered by the Savior, then we will receive His care and protection. (Matt. 23:37-39)
27 / Matthew 24 / If we remain steadfast and are not overcome, then we will be saved. (JS-M 1:5-12)
Before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the Lord’s elect will be gathered and the gospel shall be preached in all the world. (JS-M 1:27-31)
If we treasure up the Lord’s word, then we will not be deceived. (JS-M 1:22, 37)
*Only Heavenly Father knows when the Savior’s Second Coming will occur, and if we watch for the signs and obey the Lord’s commandments, then we will be prepared for the Savior’s Second Coming. (JS-M 1:38-46; 47-54)
28 / Matthew 25:1–13 / *We cannot borrow spiritual preparation from others. (Matt. 25:1-13)
We prepare for the Second Coming by increasing our testimony and conversion through daily righteousness. (Matt. 25:1-13)
To be ready for the Lord’s coming and be worthy to remain in His presence, we must come to know Him. (Matt. 25:10-12)
29 / Matthew 25:14–46 / If we faithfully use the gifts and abilities the Lord has given us, then we can fulfill our divine potential and receive eternal life. (Matt. 25:19-21)
The Lord will bless us if we faithfully use the gifts and abilities He has given us, regardless of how many we have or what they may be. (Matt. 25:22-23)
Fear can prevent us from using the gifts and abilities the Lord has given us; and if we do not develop and use our spiritual gifts for good, then we will lose them. (Matt. 25:24-30)
If we do not develop and use our spiritual gifts for good, then we will lose them. (Matt. 25:26-40)
As we love and serve others, we show our love for the Lord; and as we neglect others’ needs, we neglect the Lord. (Matt. 25:34-40, 41-46)
30 / Matthew 26:1–30 / When disciples of Jesus Christ hear the word of the Lord, they examine their own lives to see how it applies to them. (Matt. 26:20-22)
The emblems of the sacrament represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which He sacrificed for us. (Matt. 26:26-29)
*Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament for us remember Him and His Atonement for our sins. (Matt. 26:22 fn b; JST Matt. 26:24-25)
When we repent and partake of the sacrament with real intent, we can receive a remission of our sins. (Matt. 26:27-28)
31 / Matthew 26:31–75 / *Jesus Christ submitted His will to the Father’s will to accomplish the Atonement. (Matt. 26:39)
We follow Jesus Christ’s example when we choose to submit our will to Heavenly Father’s will. (Matt. 26:39)
If we watch and pray continually, we will have strength to resist temptation. (Matt. 26:41)
32 / Matthew 27:1–50 / As part of the Atonement, Jesus Christ felt what it is like to experience the withdrawal of Heavenly Father’s Spirit. (Matt. 27:46)
Jesus Christ suffered to fulfill the will of Heavenly Father. (Matt. 27:50 and fn a)
33 / Matthew 27:51–28:20 / Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can all enter the presence of God if we repent and keep our covenants. (Matt. 27:51)
*Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. (Matt. 28:2, fn a)
*As we gain a testimony of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to testify of Him to others. (Matt. 28:19-20)
34 / Mark 1 / The Savior has power over the devil and his followers. (Mark 1:27-28)
*As we exercise faith and come unto the Savior, He will have compassion on us and cleanse us from sin. (Mark 1:40-42)
35 / Mark 2–3 / Jesus Christ has the power to heal us spiritually and physically. (Mark 2:6-7)
The Savior desires to help us repent of our sins and be healed. (Mark 2:17)
*We can keep the Sabbath day holy by glorifying God and doing good works. (Mark 223-28; 3:1-6)
36 / Mark 4–5 / If we seek the Savior’s help in times of trouble or fear, He can bring us peace. (Mark 4:39)
When we experience the Savior’s power in our lives, we can testify to others of His blessings and compassion. (Mark 519-20)
If we demonstrate our faith in Jesus Christ through our efforts to come to Him, He can make us whole. (Mark 5:27-34)
*Exercising faith in Jesus Christ requires us to continue believing in Him even in times of uncertainty. (Mark 5:36)
37 / Mark 6 / Seeking to please others instead of doing what we know is right can lead to wrong choices, sorrow, and regret. (Mark 6:21-29)
*When we offer the Savior all that we have, He can magnify our offering to accomplish His purposes. (Mark 6:35-44; Matt. 14:18)
38 / Mark 7–8 / *We can follow the Savior’s example by perceiving the needs of others and then helping to fulfill those needs. (Mark 8:4-9)
39 / Mark 9:1–29 / If we believe in Jesus Christ, all things will be possible to us. (Mark 9:23)
*If we hold on to what we believe and seek the Lord’s assistance, He will help us strengthen our faith. (Mark 9:25-27)
We can increase our faith in Jesus Christ through prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:29)
40 / Mark 9:30–50 / If we influence people who believe in Jesus Christ to sin, or lose their faith, we will be held accountable before God. (Mark 9:42)
*It is better to separate ourselves from unrighteous influences than to end up being separated from God. (Mark 9:40-48)
41 / Mark 10 / As we receive the gospel like little children, we will be prepared to enter God’s kingdom. (Mark 10:15-16)
Because He loves us, the Lord will help us know what we lack in our efforts to follow Him; and if we ask the Lord, He will teach us what we need to do to inherit eternal life. (Mark 10:21)
*To receive eternal life, we must be willing to give up whatever the Lord requires of us. (Mark 10:28-31, fn a)
(T)To be truly great, we must follow the Savior’s example by serving others. (Mark 10:46-52)
42 / Mark 11–16 / If we are willing to give all that we have to the Lord, He will accept our offering even if it appears small in comparison to others. (Mark 12:41-44)
The Savior is pleased when we give Him our best. (Mark 14:4-9)
*As part of His Atonement, Jesus Christ suffered and sorrowed in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Mark 14:32-34)
43 / Luke 1 / The Lord’s words will be fulfilled in their season. (Luke 1:14-20)
(T)We can trust the Lord’s promises because His words will be fulfilled in their season. (Luke 1:14-20)
Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Father. (Luke 1:28-32)
*With God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)
*If we faithfully try to fulfill the roles the Lord has for us, He can do great things in our lives. (Luke 1:38, 45-46)
44 / Luke 2 / *Because the Savior was born on the earth, we can experience great joy. (Luke 2:8-14)
As we heed revealed instructions, we can receive our own testimonies of Jesus Christ. (Luke 2:15-20)
*When we receive our own testimony of Jesus Christ, we desire to share our testimony with others. (Luke 2:15-20)
We can follow Jesus’s example by growing wisdom, physically, spiritually, and socially. (Luke 2:51-52)
45 / Luke 3–4 / Jesus Christ separates the righteous from the wicked. (Luke 3:16-17)
Jesus Christ was sent to heal the brokenhearted and deliver those who are spiritually captive. (Luke 4:18-21)
*When we demonstrate our faith in Jesus Christ, we can see miracles occur. (Luke 4:24-27)
46 / Luke 5 / *If we do what the Lord asks even when we don’t understand why, He can provide greater blessings than we could have anticipated. (Luke 5:6-9)
*As we exercise faith and come to the Savior, He can heal us, and we can help others come to the Savior so they can be healed. (Luke 5:12-15, 17-25)
*To accept the Savior and His gospel, we must be humble and willing to change. (Luke 5:36-29)
47 / Luke 6–7:17 / *If we do good to others without expecting anything in return, our reward will be great and we will be the children of the Highest. (Luke 6:32–35)
*As we generously give to others, Heavenly Father blesses us more generously. (Luke 6:36–38)
By exercising faith in Jesus Christ, we can help bring blessings into others’ lives. (Luke 7:9-10)
We can follow Jesus Christ’s example by demonstrating compassion for others and ministering to their unspoken needs. (Luke 7:13-15)
48 / Luke 7:18–50 / *John the Baptist was the prophet foreordained to prepare the way for and baptize the Son of God. (Luke 7:27-28)
1. As we exercise our faith by showing our love for and devotion to the Lord, we can experience His forgiveness; 2. As we receive the Lord’s forgiveness, we are filled with the desire to love and serve Him even more. (Luke 7:47-50)
49 / Luke 8–9 / *We follow the Savior’s example when we choose to respond to offenses with patience and long-suffering. (Luke 9:55-56)
*To be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, we must not let anything take priority over following Him. (Luke 8:57-62)
50 / Luke 10:1–37 / The Lord calls laborers in addition to the Apostles to represent Him and to assist Him in His work. (Luke 10:1-2)
*To obtain eternal life we must love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. (Luke 10:26-28)