How I Study the Bible: My Color Code System

Grab your Bible! Find your Reading Plan! Grab your Scripture! READY...SET...GO!

Now this is the part where I use to get stuck starring at the passage trying to figure out how I can make it stick. I've tried numerous things:

• Reading the scripture at least 5 times
• Writing the complete scripture out
• Listening to an audio version of the scripture 
• Reading the scripture in at least 2-5 other translations

All those things are great to do but they weren't giving me the results I needed!

I wanted to be able to study scripture effectively and pull out what I could apply to my life and actually put it into practice. So I decided to come up with a way that was helpful to how I wanted to study scripture more effectively. 

Color Code System

I decided to use a color code system. There are many color code systems available online that people use to study scripture. Some even use symbols, which I haven't tried yet, but I was looking for something simple and less complicated. So I found some questions from a children's ministry scripture study and combined them with color and came up with this system.

Read the Passage and Highlight

For an example on how to use this system, let's take the scripture from Colossians 3: 1 - 17.
As we read the passage of scripture below, we will highlight according to the study system above.

Colossians 3:1-17
3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. 5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. 12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Categorizing 

After highlighting, I like to transfer those areas highlighted areas into a word document by category so that I can print it out and keep them in my study notebook. You can either type them out like I did below or write them on paper.

Doing this makes it easier for me to go back and reference those areas. One of my favorite areas that I use daily is the "Put into Practice" category. I use that area to pray those things listed that I need to apply in my life on a daily basis. I also pray those same areas for others. 

Truths about God

    Because of sin, the anger of God is coming
    He is my Creator
    He chose us
    He loves us because we are holy
    He forgave us
    He gives wisdom

Truths about Jesus Christ

·         He sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand

·         He is my life and will be revealed to the world

·         He is what matters

·         He lives inside of all of us

Truths about Me as a Believer:

·         Raised to a new life with Christ

·         Died to my old life

·         Real life is hidden with Christ in God

·         Christ is my life

·         I will share in all Christ’s glory

·         I use to do sinful things when my life was a part of the world

·         Christ lives inside of me

·         God chose me

·         God loves me

·         I am holy

·         I have been forgiven

Commands to Obey:

·         Set my sights on the realities of Heaven

·         Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth

·         Put to death sinful earthly things within you

·         Have nothing to do with Sexual immorality, impurity, lust and evil desires

·         Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world

·         Get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

·         Don’t lie to each other

·         Put on my new nature and be renewed as I learn how to know my Creator and become like him

·         Clothe myself with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience

·         Make allowance for each other’s faults

·         Forgive anyone who offends me

·         Clothe myself with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony

·         Whatever you do or say do it as a representative of the Lord, Jesus giving thanks through him to God the Father

Promises to Claim:

·         Christ lives inside of me

Sins to Avoid:

·         Sexual immorality, impurity, lust and evil desires

·         Greed

·         Anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language

·         Lying

Put Into Practice:

·         Love

·         Forgiveness

·         Tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience

·         Peace, let it rule in my heart

·         Filling my life with the message of Christ

·         Thankfulness and Gratitude

·         Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with a thankful heart

·         What I do or say, do it as a representative of Christ

·         Giving thanks through Christ to God the Father

Below you will find the links for the Color Code Chart and Worksheet

Do you use a color code system during your study? Would you be interested in starting to use the system I have implemented? What is your greatest challenge in studying scripture?

Links:

Color Code Chart ---> here

Color Code Worksheet ---> here