Now we can see here, from examining the definition of these two words and particularly the descriptive word "form" that there is a certain system (a mold or pattern) to the thoughts and teachings of the Apostles.

The Apostles (primarily Paul) were given the direct revelation of what Christ did in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension; with it a certain way of teaching and pronouncing these truths, so as to promote growth in the heart of the believer.

One reason why we, as "born again" believers, have not grasped or digested this revelation that Jesus gave us concerning His Person and Work and who the believer is now, because of that work; is simply because we haven't seen the importance or the distinctive place of it. We have failed to see the Bible as progressive revelation, The Word of Truth as a picture taken that is still developing, the revelation of the New Testament Epistles being our inclusion into that picture.

In the first three chapters of the Bible we see the creation and fall of man and the rest of the Old Testament is preparation, the setting of the stage through the nation of Israel, for the Redeemer to come.

Jesus said of the Old Testament writings, "They testify of Me." (John 5:39)

In the Gospels, we see the Redeemer on the stage. We see His physical expression as the Son of God.

But we don't see or know what He accomplished in His redemption, His Death, His burial, His resurrection and His ascension until we get over into the Epistles

There, primarily in the Epistles of Paul, we have an explanation of what the Redeemer accomplished in His redemptive work— His death, His burial, His resurrection—and what it means to us as believers. So you can see that this is the pinnacle of Gods' revelation to us, through the Word.

But instead of spending the bulk of our time digging these things out, many of us have spent our time studying the Prophets, Priests and Kings in the Old Testament, or maybe the majority of our time has been spent in the Four Gospels, or something else, or everything else.

We just haven't seen the importance of the revelation given in the New Testament, to the Church and the true systematic process of the Word, in "progressive revelation". The more light we have, the more we receive.

It is how the knowledge of God is given in growth and experience. We do not receive the ability to run unless we walk first, there is a definite pattern to the whole scheme of redemption and understanding each part and the place each part plays is of the utmost importance if we are to receive the full benefits of Christ's redemptive work on the cross.