Seminary
Doctrinal Mastery Review 21

Doctrinal Mastery Review 21

Apply Doctrinal Mastery Passages

Young adults looking at the scriptures.

One purpose of doctrinal mastery is to help you better understand the Savior’s teachings, be able to explain them in your own words, and apply them to your life. This lesson will give you an opportunity to practice applying New Testament doctrinal mastery passages to a variety of circumstances.

Student preparation: Invite students to choose a specific New Testament doctrinal mastery passage that has helped them and be prepared to share with the class how it has helped them.

Possible Learning Activities

Review doctrinal mastery passages

A doctrinal mastery passage lesson may need to be taught in place of this review lesson. Refer to the pacing schedule provided by the area or region director or coordinator to ensure that each doctrinal mastery passage lesson will be taught while seminary is in session.

Consider inviting students to quiz one another or to use another method to review the doctrinal mastery passages and key scripture phrases. Students could use the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document (2022) or the Doctrinal Mastery app to review the passages. Different doctrinal mastery passages could be used in place of the following passages.

Review the scripture references and key scripture phrases for the following doctrinal mastery passages. Think about how the doctrine in each passage could be applied to your life.

  • Hebrews 12:9: Heavenly Father is “the Father of spirits.”

  • James 1:5–6: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.”

  • James 2:17–18: “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead.”

  • 1 Peter 4:6: “The gospel [was] preached also to them that are dead.”

  • Revelation 20:12: “And the dead were judged … according to their works.”

Apply the doctrine taught in doctrinal mastery passages

The For the Strength of Youth booklet gives the following counsel: “Study the scriptures each day and apply what you read to your life. The scriptures are a powerful source of personal revelation and guidance and a constant strength to your testimony” ([2011], 42).

  • What kinds of things do you do that help you apply what you learn in the scriptures to your life?

Students could rely on their preparation for class when answering the following question.

  • What is a doctrinal mastery passage that has helped you in your life? How has it helped you?

The following exercise will help you practice applying certain doctrinal mastery passages to your own life. As you complete the exercise, be open to personal revelation. The Holy Spirit may inspire you with thoughts or ideas on how you can apply the scriptures to your own life. Be prepared to write down any promptings you receive.

Give each student a piece of paper, and invite them to complete step one below. Then invite students to pass their paper to a different member of the class, who will complete step two. Continue passing the paper to different students for steps three and four. Students could also complete this activity on a digital device with a messaging app.

Before students begin, they may benefit from an example such as the following:

  1. A student wonders if Heavenly Father knows who they are.

  2. Hebrews 12:9 could help because it teaches that God is the Father of our spirits.

  3. A student could share an experience in which they felt God was aware of them.

  4. When I am discouraged, I can remember I am a child of God.

If students need help thinking of a realistic scenario, consider providing some examples students could use.

  1. Describe a realistic scenario or ask a question that relates to one or more of the doctrinal mastery scripture passages in this lesson (Hebrews 12:9; James 1:5–6; James 2:17–18; 1 Peter 4:6; Revelation 20:12).

  2. Identify a New Testament doctrinal mastery scripture passage, and explain how it could help you respond to the scenario or question.

  3. Share an experience that relates to the doctrine taught in the passage. It could be a personal experience, an experience of someone you know, or an experience recorded in the scriptures.

  4. Share how you can apply the doctrine to your own life or what it helps you understand about Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ.

When students are finished, invite them to read the responses on their papers to the class. Students could then share what they learned from hearing the perspectives of other students. If there is time, students could repeat the exercise using different doctrinal mastery passages.

  • What can you do this week to help you apply the scriptures to your life?

  • How can doing this help you grow closer to the Savior?

Encourage students to read the scriptures daily and apply what they are learning to their own lives. Testify of the blessings of daily scripture study.