Micah Theres an inherent danger in inductive Bible study -- it can degenerate into a process thats intellectually fascinating but spiritually frustrating. 1 Jn 1:7, 8, 9; Pr 28:13), (2) Response of faith: One of our reasons for meditating on the Word is to develop and build our faith. But to make us more like our Savior. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. They were the local authorities. The real authority of their view is always some single leader who has his or her ideas in writing. Where similar words are used, explore the context of each of those instances. When you become a Christian, you enter into an exciting, lifelong relationship with the Bible. We must mix faith with what we read and hear. What a terrible delusion to be content with, to delight in hearing the word, and yet not do it. HWM5q0^5 !EJ8`vC ! Scripture reading and Bible study always represents (so to speak) a "God sighting" ("God speaking") and as such always applies to us as His creatures. Spiritual maturity, in which we become more like Christ, comes not just from knowing more about the Bible. In Bible study, application is putting truth you've discovered (through observation and interpretation) to use in your life with the ultimate goal of transformation or life change. Interpretation should build on observation and then lead into interpretation. Inductive Bible study is a practical, relevant, and time-tested approach to interpreting Scripture. (Ps 119:15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148 - see A Primer On Biblical Meditation). Home This video series demonstrates how to perform inductive Bible study using the Logos Bible app thats free for web, mobile, or desktop. Mark it down -- You can measure the eternal effectiveness of your inductive Bible study by the temporal effect it has on your behavior and attitudes. T Is there a Truth to memorize and meditate upon (Click here)? Exodus Sometimes there will be figurative language and confusing imagery, but dont start by looking for hidden meaning. About Gods redemptive plan? We dont study the Bible just to gain knowledge. + (Keying into the term good news early will help you understand Marks Gospel, as its a critical term that he uses repeatedly.). How is our desire for, time with, and practice of God's living Word growing? Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. Their righteousness was external, based on facts and devoid of personal response. trailer Are we spiritual or are we natural? (1) Substituting interpretation for application as did the Pharisees; (2) substituting superficial obedience for substantial life-change and. 1 Chronicles hb```vV^af`B@#g|3h The older we are, the more experienced we become at rationalizing sin. Our life ought to be and if Gods grace be much in it, it will be a new translation of the Bible. And while pastors and teachers are wonderful, individual Christians should also be able to pick up any passage and read it with basic understanding and application. HLTkXw: 0000060059 00000 n The good hand of the LORD will be upon us even as it was upon Ezra the scribe! One of the best things about studying Gods Word is that you can come back to a book youve already studied in the past and discover all-new insights. This seems to be the kickoff point of Jesus ministry. The only Bible the world reads is the one bound in shoe leather: you and me! Which road will you travel? This means youre going to start by reading the whole thing hopefully in one sitting before you begin to deal with smaller portions of it in greater depth. One of the pastors startled the group with the declaration that "My grandmother's translation is the best I've ever read." The road prepared and paved by careful observation, proper interpretation and diligent application of the Scripture or the one wrought by a superficial, inaccurate, irreverent approach? The difference between studying and applying the Scriptures is somewhat like the difference between drifting in a boat and rowing toward a destination. and then shall we find the benefit and advantage designed thereby, and shall at last attain the happiness therein promised and assured to us.". Whenever (every time) we read the Scriptures, the question we should always honestly seek to ask is How does the meaning of this text apply to me? In His Words: What Billy Graham Once Said About Eternity. A Primer on the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation Coleridge once said that, if we wish to make old truths fresh, we must turn them into action. Grasp these sweet promises. As questions arise, they give you direction for further reading and study as you seek to answer those questions. Chapters, verses and subheadings are all very convenient and helpful, but when it comes time for genuine study, its appropriate to remember theyre not inspired elements of Scripture. 0000002043 00000 n When Gods Word points out something in us that needs correction, we need to respond. He alone is in a posture to learn from God, who sincerely gives up (surrenders, yields) his mind, conscience, and affections to the power and rule of what is revealed unto him. meditate and meditate and meditate, Devout meditation on the Word is more important to soul-health even than prayer. Is it because of ignorance, rebellion or indifference? Jesus emphasized this important truth again in John 17 declaring. endstream endobj 71 0 obj <>stream in my teaching, visiting or mission work? It is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Not to make us smarter sinners SMbN|U#t?%ux[w]z!\8U=Cdl1fNX`)5|@c!"&|q0|1"W Sfi%DaW1VC>Z(#qoR L%#GS`Kj)|%2laZxe"$[1Gf9pnY$,sfP.( +EelPEC_JjN bbBwa7$}%I$UO8 % How do we apply what we just learned to everyday life? Connect each passage back to the gospel and the broader message of the Bible. You can find the Inductive Bible Study Workflow (with five other Workflows and many other Bible Study tools) inLogos Starter. mo!zZJ:%3EAOnaY`z)p%Vv"-H=m>!MX|ov:Hh7vNmm%pZCY&,Z&!#+SzdOP ]LQ)A3_V@UU@Gz @mC-+BvH4sbC}&3A{ BV_$hyr0>Kiw>B/'/,fWGv>o|%vEQ mU0b-rxOw2)5t^_^~~p- 1 Peter Are we truly born of God and spiritually alive or are we deceiving ourselves and spiritually dead, no matter how orthodox our profession of faith might appear? It's better to live one verse of the Bible than to recite an entire chapter. The truth of God's Word is always relevant to our life. This book walks through each of the three steps of the inductive method paying particular attention to historical, literary, and theological elements that come into play at each stage. Esther Speak of bringing the Bible down into the vernacular! But this is exactly what happens when we fail to apply what we have observed and interpreted. The intercession of Abraham for Sodom, the prayer of Abraham's servant, the wrestling of Jacob, the pleadings of Moses, the strong crying of David, the spiritual conflicts of Elijah, Jonah and Jeremiah, the public and formal prayers of Solomon and Ezra, and the secret confessions of Danielall are the outpourings of hearts like our own. With Logos Fundamentals, youll find the truth for yourselfno matter what questions arise as you study the Word. Thats the kind of serious-minded response to truth application calls for. In other words, am I applying this truth? Maybe youre reading Matthew 5:13: You are the salt of the earth. Refrain. Study the Bible to be wise. In the third chapter, Matthew tells us about Jesus baptism by John. For some of you there is very little in the Word of God except threatening. Logos can be an incredible resource as you seek to make this a part of your daily routine. Bible study is meant not merely to inform but to transform and renew our mind. Be careful not to simply amass the kind of knowledge that puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1). What does it take to begin a relationship with God? To pick up the thread of Pauls argument, you need to go back and catch up. and then Youll also notice right out of the gate that Mark has introduced Jesus with two titles: Messiah and Son of God. It isn't enough just to be a Christian, if you aren't an obedient one. This might make you wonder whether this is good news for Mark or if Mark thinks this good news applies to everyone. The old saying regarding application is true that the same Word that afflicts the comfortable, also provides comfort for the afflicted! Then when you read descriptions of the human heart, and the fall, the corruption, and the depravity of our nature, look, and see yourselves as in a looking glass, and say of each man as you hear of his sin, I am such a man as this was, and if I do not fall into precisely the same sin, yet the possibility and peril of it is in my heart, and I should do so, but for Gods restraining grace. Take the very histories home to your heart, and find a point in them, either of encouragement or of warning for yourselves. Now you know the three simple steps to running your own inductive Bible study. Inductive Bible Study. Logos is the largest developer of tools that empower Christians to go deeper in the Bible. Allow the Bible to help you understand other passages of the Bible. Every time we encounter spiritual truth, we need to seek to apply that truth to our lives. Inductive Bible study students should strive to be men and women like Ezra whose pattern was to teach the truth that he had put into practice. Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. Who art thou that judgest another man? To his own master he stands or falls. +t8HL~Y,/0B_<7)K]JOSTx*=JOlgTx*=kp]un?VHk?Z,u-tglS There are a lot of excellent study Bibles available. As you carry out your inductive Bible study you will find that observation, interpretation, and application often occur simultaneously. So if youre studying Mark, start by reading the entire book. We must align ourselves with the Bible, never the Bible with ourselves. Observation. Permissions Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord? (3) substituting rationalization for repentance. Ephesians Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. Amos Genesis How foolish to look in the mirror of God's word, see spiritual "dirt" and yet fail to respond). Your grandmother translated the Bible?" Lay hold on the Bible until the Bible lays hold on you. Eventually, if not immediately, these practices will reveal the meaning of the text (interpretation) and how to apply it (life application). The Bible is an inexhaustible mine of precious gems. Until all on the altar we lay; startxref document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201 12-26). Bible study is about digging into the text and pulling out insights. And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. 1ICR, and how much we really believe what we have observed. two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- There is more to Christian growth than knowing what the Bible says; nobody is ever nourished by memorizing menus. The goal of Bible study is not simply to determine what it says and what it means, but in the final analysis to apply it to one's life. I took the one less traveled by, The Pharisees set the standard for this superficial, hypocritical, self deluding approach. These are the ideas that were true for the original audience and are equally true for you. And what did those things mean? These might include Bible dictionaries, atlases, concordances and handbooks. Where does your passage show how human beings or their world are broken? Create an account or log in to get started. It can provide you with answers you werent able to come up with on your own, and maybe give you some clues on interpretive techniques and tools in the future. Mark key words and phrases (see figure on page five) A key word is one that is essential to the text. Here are a few questions you can ask: There are a few essential rules to remember when attempting to interpret a passage: Make sure you spend a good chunk of time with this phase. The goal is that we live holy, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action and that in so doing we are made adequate and equipped for every good ("God") work, which represents only those works He initiates and empowers. Song of Solomon Observation involves reading the text to make simple statements that are true . In the margin of many pages in D. L. Moody's Bible, he wrote the letters T and P, meaning "Tried and Proved." What a glory He sheds on our way! Overview of Inductive Study with Observation Worksheet and example of how to mark a page, Click for Introduction to Inductive Bible Study using PowerPoint (2002), The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word, How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It - see page 30, Skip Heitzig How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It, Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics, Chicago Statement on Biblical Application. Words repeated multiple times in a passage, Words that indicate a change in topic or time, Words that contrast one thing against another. He knoweth what we have need of before we ask, but He expects us to ask all the same. It is the supernatural, progressive revelation of who God is and man's relationship to God. Used by cults. Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. What is the clearest meaning of this text? Do with the Bible as the sick man does with the doctors prescription. This is always the most challengingportion of Bible study, which most people give only cursory attention to (unfortunately).The key to doing Bible study is . Pray God to help you to feel the solemnity even of the threatening, for if you feel deeply the threatening now, you may be delivered from the tragic fulfilment of it by-and-by. It is one thing to know these truths, and even to fight for them with the zeal and bitterness of a controversialist, but it is quite another thing to enjoy them as our own heritage and our portion for ever. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. The goal is to familiarize yourself with the work as a whole. Youre attempting to get a sense of the whole before you begin to break down the parts. 2 Thessalonians These four steps help you to orient yourself to a passage, wrestle with what it's trying to communicate and examine your life in light of God's Word. Thus, we are called and encouraged to new labour in prayer, whilst we have a new example in Him Who prayed, and wept, and bled. Anyone can use the inductive Bible study method by following three simple steps: This phase isnt about interpretation. The godly preacher F. B. Meyer wrote that Devout meditation on the Word is more important to soul-health even than prayer. /+X$!acR\Y[/EC%D @2ADk0uHha3j^ 2 Peter Kay Arthur on Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation & Application,Christy Tennant - Read more about spiritual life growth, Christian living, and faith. August 5, 2009. Commentaries can be incredibly useful and powerful tools, but be wise about how you incorporate them into your study. The inductive method is an investigative way of studying Scripture that can be used by both new and seasoned students alike. Your goal in observing is to identify what the author was trying to communicate to his readers. Only in this way can believers grow spiritually. Reading and studying the Bible are two different practices. Sow a thought, reap an action. You should desire to know Gods Word better so it can change you. Goes the way, These four steps help you to orient yourself to a passage, wrestle with what its trying to communicate and examine your life in light of Gods Word. The following books are a great place to learn more about this simple methodology: Kay Arthurs inductive method has helped millions of people learn how to study the Bible for themselves. (How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It - see page 30). For example, Psalm 24 says, "The Lord owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. You cannot expect to approach the Bible with the same level of investment that youd give your favorite novel. R4`:|ut\#jDAh]Y1]|{ >^*8"I+ +N-rjiSS-Q*c9eF,xyV]%^p]=dG- J&naSP ", As William Temple said "Every revelation of God is a demand and the way to knowledge of God is by obedience. We try to communicate what weve never experienced in our own lives.". Refrain, Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet. As part of this step, take some time to identify where the beauty of the gospel comes into the passage. Did they know where the Messiah was to be born? 2023 BGEA (He 4:12, 13-see notes He 4:12; 13). This typically involves reading a shorter Bible passage and doing less in-depth investigation of the text. Local: 704-401-2432 After a few weeks, the detective was able to report to the man that Dr. Houghtons life matched his preaching. If you want to study Scripture, youll need to carve out intentional time for it. (Persevere!). The bottom-line question to ask is, How do the divine truths and principles contained in any passage apply to me in terms of my attitude and actions? Jesus made this promise to those who would carry their personal Bible study through to this point: If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them (John 13:17, cp Jn 15:14, 14:15, Lk 11:28, Jas 1:22+, Jas 1:25+, Rev 1:3+) Bible study is not complete until we ask ourselves, What does this mean for my life and how can I practically apply it? We must take the knowledge we have gained from our reading and interpretation and draw out the practical principles that apply to our personal lives. Ezra There is something incredibly rewarding about mining those nuggets of truth for yourself. Refrain, But we never can prove the delights of His love Will Graham Devotion: A Sacrifice That Costs Nothing Is Worth Nothing. Use this guide to help you lead your small group to encounter Jesus through the three main parts of an inductive Bible study: Observation, Interpretation, Application. Haggai Inductive Bible Study is an ideal textbook for courses in biblical interpretation, and for anyone who desires to better understand and teach Scripture. Read and practice; but we shall only be able to do this, as God the Holy Spirit shall help us. 1:20-21). And the botanist had a big notebook under his arm and a great big magnifying glass. Though he draw them they will not come to him, and when he calls them they will give him no answer. And when we do, like the bee, we will find that we never go away from God's Word empty. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (useful, advantageous, helpful,) for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness (see notes 2 Timothy 3:16-17). As a result, that man became a Christian. Your job at this stage is to discover what the author is trying to communicate. The tireless runner is a picture of what Application should look like in each of our livessobrethren, beloved of God, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world for so great a salvation, filled with His Spirit and controlled by the love of Christ "let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith" (He 12:1-note, He 12:2-note) pressing "on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Php 3:14-note) disciplining ourselves "for the purpose of godliness for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." Then you might turn your attention to verses 18 in the first chapter. (Lk 11:28+, cp Jn 13:17), D. L. Moody quipped that "Our great problem is the problem of trafficking in unlived truth. In fact, Logos even has an Inductive Bible Study Workflow built right in to guide you through these steps. Note that the question is not"Is this truth relevant to my life?" If there is a promise to be embraced, we claim it. Joshua In other words every divine revelation demands a determinative response. which then results in being and doing. What I mean is just this. The proper spirit for profitable Bible study is a tender, teachable heart willing to obey the truth and the fruit of this humble approach is an eternally changed life lived to glory of God. 10 Questions the Internet Is Asking about the KJV. He had the "truth" but never acted upon it. If you are a leader (and most of us are leaders in some sphere of influence) remember that a good leader is one who Knows the way, Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. Bible study is intentionally digging into a passage of Scripture and using various interpretive techniques to understand what the author is saying. What does this passage teach that is still as true today as it was when it was written? 0000001930 00000 n %%EOF You can discuss this post and others in the Faithlife Today group. When thou passest through the river I will be with thee, the floods shall not overflow thee! Oh! There should never be a time when we go to the Scriptures without allowing them to change our lives for the better. Janet Chismar Hebrews Different Approaches to Interpretation 1. Our favorite strategy is to rationalize sin instead of repent. 0000000536 00000 n Gather them. Both of these; Edward Louie (2011) The phrase "Bible study" can mean different things to different people. 3:7f+, He 4:2+), (3) Response of obedience: Genuine faith will obey. So before moving on to the crucial step of application, pause for a time of reflection. In Observation and Interpretation we study God's Word, but in Application, God's Word "studies" us! Volunteer abroad this year on a short term global missions trip offered by one of the best, most-reliable Christian missions organizations in the world. This volume incorporates insights from contemporary evangelical hermeneutics into an approachable, step-by-step process moving from observation through interpretation and on to the application of God's Word. Otherwise, its easy to become dependent on them. Lifting verses out of their immediate context is a sure way to find yourself in heresy land. The story is told of several pastors who were arguing over which Bible translation was the best. Inductive Bible study is OF INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY. Pretend youre an investigator and youre just gathering the facts. Woe! A sorry, sorry heart is that which so uses Gods Word as to make it an aggravation of its sin. Right here, we have countless book Inductive Bible Study Observation Interpretation And Application Through The Lenses Of History Literature And Theology and collections to . Greater knowledge should always bring about greater obedience, enabled by grace not law, empowered by the indwelling Spirit as we learn to discard self effort and depend on the Spirit. Imagine trying to find a specific place in Scripture during a sermon without them. 63 12 Its worth it. This guide presents three basic steps of Inductive bible studies, Observation, Interpretation and Application. P Is there a Prayer to pray or a Priority to change? (Skip Heitzig How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It), Puritan Thomas Manton adds that "What we take in by the Word we digest by meditation and let out by prayer.". Learn the basics of what Christians believe. Awe is a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder. For example, in a court of law, jurors are asked to reach a verdict based on the evidence presented to them. The reader through OBSERVATION discovers what a passage says which enables the reader to make an accurate INTERPRETATION, the discovery of what a passage means. He never reads the book, but he reads the disciple of Christ, and he judges the Christian religion, by the lives of its professors. And if at any time, when we study the Word, we have not this design expressly in our minds, yet if upon the discovery of any truth we endeavor not to have the likeness of it in our own hearts, we lose our principal advantage by it (John Owen). (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word), Andrew Murray writing about the discrepancy between knowing and doing, remarked. Then I watched a little longer out my window and there came a botanist. A (supernaturally charged and) changed life is the clearest testimony of genuine understanding of the Bible. Don't be like Crowfoot, the chief of the Blackfoot nation in southern Alberta, who gave the Canadian Pacific Railway permission to lay track from Medicine Hat to Calgary, and in exchange received a lifetime railroad pass. to which the context answers) for (every time you see a "for" at the beginning of a sentence pause and ponder why it's there and remember you can usually substitute the word "because" in place of "for" to help understand the meaning) Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. never loses his sense of direction. And so we should react with overwhelming wonder, admiration, respect, or dread, this latter emotion relevant especially to those who read but fail to heed God's Word (application). Strip the passage of all the jewels you can find on your own, and then come back through with a commentary. Our Lord taught that those who are, blessed (makarios [word study]) are those who hear the word of God and observe (phulasso [word study]) it. When Dr. Houghton became pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle in Atlanta, a man in that city hired a private detective to follow Dr. Houghton and report on his conduct. While there are several great methods of studying the Bible, heres a simple method one can follow: Observation, Interpretation, Transformation and Application. Fourthly, we seek to stir up our soul to notes of praise and thanksgiving, delighting ourselves in God's Word, rejoicing in the prospect it presents, yielding ourselves in joyful submission to its precepts, and at the same time searching ourselves in the light of its cautions, humbling ourselves over our past coldness or doubtsfor most of our failures come from doubting God. Take the time to dive into the application step. Application takes place as you are confronted with the truth and you respond to that truth in obedience (in faith). Instead, we need to be Bible "bees", using inductive study to go deep into the Scriptures obtaining its divine nectar and then allowing God's "nectar" to change us. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night (this is the parallel of observation and interpretation), so that you may be careful to do (the application) according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have success (the blessing of proper application). If youve uncovered truth youve not known or understood before, what does it mean for your life, priorities, and decisions now that you do understand it? Sources like these can give you vital information to help answer your questions. Look at Matthew 21:42-44 as an example. Sow a habit, reap a character. Key words and phrases are repeated in order to convey the author's point or purpose for writing. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. Will Graham Devotion: Paralyzed by Uncertainty? What Is Application? Now, think about what the passage tells us that is always true not just in its original setting, but in any time and place. And yet, so complete is the delusion, that Christians never realize they are not living good Christian lives. For instance, if you pick up the Book of Galatians at the beginning of chapter 4, youll find yourself in the middle of Pauls argument: What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. (Mt 7:13, 14+). How does he save or provide a way when people are unable? We are either a little more sweetened or a little more hardened. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. How about Son of God"? It's an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder inspired here by the absolute authority of the Words of God compared to all words of men. Try challenging yourself to come up with 10 observations about a passage, and once youve hit that number, push yourself to come up with five more. Once we know what a passage means we are responsible to live it out. Truth revealed brings responsibility to respond. Part of this work is supernatural: As you study the Bible, the Holy Spirit reveals truth from the text that applies to your life. MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word, MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth by Spurgeon. xref Once you know what the passage means (interpretation), you are responsible to put it into practice in your own life. Thus, interpretation flows out of observation. Inductive Bible Study - Observation Inductive Bible Study - Interpretation Inductive Bible Study - Application Simple Study on the Power of God's Word Authority of God's Word - study on 2Timothy 3:16-17 Ezra 7:10 - Exposition of the "Ezra 7:10 Principle" Job's "Secret" of perseverance? So even though you might be familiar with the word Messiah, you might want to focus on Mark and his original audience. When God got his attention, Samuel responded appropriately: "Speak, for Your servant hears" (1 Sa 3:10). Men may have in their study of the Scriptures other ends also, as the profit and edification of others. Follow it by personally doing what it bids thee. What did that word mean to them, and what kinds of feelings and hopes did it invoke? to my own life and destiny and relation to God?