Our favorite strategy is to rationalize sin instead of repent. 0000008074 00000 n startxref 0000001036 00000 n And to do this, you need to look at the context (Logos Bible Software can be a great help with this). Are for them who will trust and obey. Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus. Observation Tips What are some tips to help with observation? r2T4000F1h+JTqkR=9K'ZOH1{csjr3U 0aq^rD[ZZZFTRq:(3k @ 2c> )KI1.Ff~2cxq;c 0c`x@ ]^ What a glory He sheds on our way! never the Bible to ourselves. We must mix faith with what we read and hear. If our interpretation is accurate, we at least have the potential to apply the truth appropriately. 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. Only in this way can believers grow spiritually. 2 Chronicles Once you think youve done all you can here, its time to move on to the final phase: application. 3 John When we have read the Bible, many passages may become "overfamiliar." We think that we know what they say and cease . Though he draw them they will not come to him, and when he calls them they will give him no answer. 0000000536 00000 n Jeremiah The person who knows the truth but doesn't act on it is not simply making a mistake or showing poor judgment but he is in sin. By using the tools included inInductive Bible Study, youll approach Bible study with more depth and understanding. 0000001930 00000 n Awe is a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder. Samuel addressing King Saul after his serious "miscalculation" (sin) said "Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? ), 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. 0000003614 00000 n Jude One practical approach to Bible study is a four-part process of observation, interpretation, connection, and application. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. Step 2: InterpretationWhat does the passage mean? Life Application: What joy is experienced when deliberate Bible study moves from a 'have to' to a 'want to!' 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. Let's face it, most of us have a built-in "early-warning system" against spiritual change and the moment truth gets too close and too convicting, an alarm goes off and we begin to defend ourselves. Its about observing exactly what the text is saying. Through the inductive method you follow a process of studying the Bible one book at a time. In the 13th century, Stephen Langton added chapters to Scripture, and in the late 16th century, Robert Stephanus added verses. An Example of Interpretation Revelation 13:1-10. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, When the attitude of our heart reflects a readiness to hear and respond, the text of the Bible comes alive. Take care, nonetheless, to seek for the application of precepts. endstream endobj 68 0 obj <> endobj 69 0 obj <> endobj 70 0 obj <>stream And what thou readest well, thou canst not too well understand; It will walk you through each step of inductive bible studies in details. Zephaniah Marking them will help you see the sequence of events and lead to accurate interpretation of Scripture. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. ", D. L. Moody - "I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible.". We will not fully comprehend the extent of the "return on our investment" until we enter Paradise and stand before our Lord at His bema (judgment) seat. 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. Fourthly and this is very hard work Read And Practise. 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. Start with the obvious. But this is exactly what happens when we fail to apply what we have observed and interpreted. 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 % Here, you want to go back over the passage and your observations and ask as many questions as you can. If the Bible seems dry and unexciting, check your attitude (Ed: Also do some personal inventory with 1 Pe 2:1+and then you'll be able to move on to 1 Pe 2:2+!). --C H Spurgeon, Choose Book of Bible to Study Bible study is meant not merely to inform but to transform and renew our mind. He was there for hours writing notes, closed them, stuck them under his arm, tucked his magnifying glass in his pocket and walked away. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? For example, Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8: "Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion." Note expressions of time The relationship of events in time often sheds light on the true meaning of the text. Every time we encounter spiritual truth, we need to seek to apply that truth to our lives. We may hear words like "hermeneutics" (the science of interpretation) or "exegesis" (critical explanation or interpretation of a text) and think interpretation is something best left to experts. Gather them. 0000002043 00000 n We need to be honest with ourselves at this point. Anyone can use the inductive Bible study method by following three simple steps: This phase isnt about interpretation. 0000060059 00000 n You might see the word Messiah and think, I know what that means. But that can undermine your ability to discover new things. The purpose of exploring and connecting is to apply what the Bible teaches to your life. Instead of studying by chapter, its smart to look at pericopes. How do we apply what we just learned to everyday life? Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. They are to leave behind their assumptions and make a ruling based on the facts alone. Bible studies include workbooks that help connect you to the ideas of Bible texts. See what precepts are binding upon thyself, and then, as a child of God, be thy feet swift to run in the way of his commandments. What is the cultural and/or historical context of this passage? Part of this work is active: Youre wrestling with the text and learning to understand it. Give Me Liberty! Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. When God got his attention, Samuel responded appropriately: "Speak, for Your servant hears" (1 Sa 3:10). Romans Your grandmother translated the Bible?" I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee! Well, it is a very fine promise, but if it is read to me thus: I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, what a transformed and glorified promise it then becomes! If there is a promise to be embraced, we claim it. How do I propose to carry out these changes? You can find the Inductive Bible Study Workflow (with five other Workflows and many other Bible Study tools) inLogos Starter. Inductive study should cause us to be mentally excited by the truth, yet we may still fail to be morally changed by it and when that happens, you know there is something wrong with your study of the Bible. The only Bible the world reads is the one bound in shoe leather: you and me! It is not enough just to study the Bible. Don't be deceived -- Every time we hear the Word of God, we are either a little closer to heaven or a little further away. THE THREE COMPONENTS If you skip this step, you will never enjoy your Bible study and the Bible will never change your life. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. ", Oswald Chambers in his typical "no nonsense" style reminds us that"One step forward in obedience is worth years of study about it", We have to be careful not to deceive ourselves. You want to focus on things like: Practice observation on the first verse of the Gospel of Mark. This fundamental step must be taken if one desires to accurately interpret and properly apply God's Word. Here are a few questions to facilitate application of the truth you have observed How does this truth apply to my life in four spheres in my(a) personal life (b) my family (c) work (d) church (e) neighborhood? Follow it by personally doing what it bids thee. 3:7f+, He 4:2+), (3) Response of obedience: Genuine faith will obey. While there is only one valid interpretation of a passage, there can be many applications. -- F. B. Meyer, Read it to get the facts, study it to get the meaning, meditate on it to get the benefit. How much influence is the Bible supposed to have on society? Read about individuals who have been transformed by faith. Philippians 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? Once you do that, you can start shining a light on smaller sections of Scripture. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Everyone has distractions and responsibilities vying for their attention, so it helps if you have a set time when you will read your Bible. But when the report came of His birth, did they go to check it out? If youre not careful, theyll do all the work of observation and interpretation for you. After studying the importance of salt to first-century Judean people, you would have a clear picture of its significance to Jesus original audience. Some of them can only be answered by examining the text again or even by looking at other parts of the Bible. Grasp these sweet promises. (Galatians 4:1, New International Version). 6. And what thou understandest well, thou canst not too well teach; Logos is the largest developer of tools that empower Christians to go deeper in the Bible. Inductive Bible study draws its conclusions from the text, not our assumptions. 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. Well, this is it. 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. Maybe youre reading Matthew 5:13: You are the salt of the earth. Based on what youve learned, what does this passage mean for you? If there is a warning to be followed, we heed it. Read and practice; but we shall only be able to do this, as God the Holy Spirit shall help us. Daniel To an active mind knowledge gives pleasure. And its in this phase we start to look at what the text means. Look for the plainest interpretation first. For instance, the New International Version a popular modern translation of the Bible breaks sections in Philippians 1 down like this: Pauls Chains Advance the Gospel (vv. Jonah (1Ti 4:8+, 1Ti 4:9, 10+). Will Graham Devotion: How Do You Know Whats True? Are you ready and willing for Gods Word to cut deeply into your own life (reproof), to lay bare the hidden places of your heart, and to do its work of convicting, convincing, and converting your mind in any and every area?