It is more needful for you to hear God's words than that God should hear yours, though the one will always lead to the other. We may find something in every passage which comes before us both to pray over and to thank God over. Ask yourself all of the important questions above, and answer them as honestly as you are able. Girdlestone in his 1887 classic "How to Study the English Bible" has a chapter on application that speaks to "THE PRACTICAL AND DEVOTIONAL USE OF THE BIBLE" - We have now come to the last and most important stage of our subject. Sow a thought, reap an action. The good hand of the LORD will be upon us even as it was upon Ezra the scribe! It isn't enough just to be a Christian, if you aren't an obedient one. 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. You want to be able to trace the authors argument all the way through. In other words, we must act by faith in what God has shown us from His Word or our hearts can become hardened (cf. 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? -- F. B. Meyer, Read it to get the facts, study it to get the meaning, meditate on it to get the benefit. For example, Psalm 24 says, "The Lord owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. There are a lot of excellent study Bibles available. and then Commentaries are fantastic tools. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. Reportedly, Crowfoot put the pass in a leather pouch and wore it around his neck for the rest of his lifebut he never once availed himself of the rights and privileges it spelled out. His Word from day to day, The word of God reveals to us our true selves. Yogi Berra's advice is appropriate at this juncture -- When you arrive at a fork in the road, take it. When thou passest through the river I will be with thee, the floods shall not overflow thee! Oh! (John 7:17). To profess great love for Gods word or even to pose as a Bible student is a form of self-deception unless our increasing knowledge of the word is producing increasing likeness to the Lord Jesus. Next, youll want to figure out what youre going to study. 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. 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. If there is a warning to be followed, we heed it. For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, What was the result in his life and by way of application what will be the result in our life if we emulate his example? Marking them will help you see the sequence of events and lead to accurate interpretation of Scripture. Sow a habit, reap a character. When Gods Word points out something in us that needs correction, we need to respond. 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. Its good to set aside time for both devotional reading and studying. For the first question, you might think through your initial reading of Mark. But for your study time, its helpful to use them as secondary sources after youve done some preliminary work. Until all on the altar we lay; It is not enough just to study the Bible. Observation Tips What are some tips to help with observation? Amos 2 John Mark says hes starting at the beginning. For one thing people mistake the pleasure they have in hearing the Word of God for Christianity and worship. The third rule for our guide should be Read And Apply. A key discipline for good study is not to be too quick to fall back on what you think you know. The truth of God's Word is always relevant to our life. Home What does this passage teach that is still as true today as it was when it was written? We must align ourselves with the Bible, never the Bible with ourselves. in my business life ? We must meditate upon it. 2 Samuel Refrain, Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet. William MacDonald explains meditation as follows Christians should meditate on the Word of God (chew the cud) and have a separated walk (the cloven hoof). in my dealings with the world ? Look for the plainest interpretation first. ((this mirror = Gods Word = unique for it shows our inner nature as a regular mirror shows our exterior. Inductive Bible Study: Application | Precept Austin Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. Psalms 8. Interpretation, Illumination and Application | Bible.org How do you do that? Comment: Don't be like the butterfly flitting from one Bible study [preacher, devotional, commentary, etc] to another, but failing to personally apply what you learn. The Bible is divine in origin. Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. No, even though the town of Bethlehem was only only five miles down the road from Jerusalem. 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. 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. xref Inductive Bible Study: Observation | Precept Austin Could that be a clue about his intended audience? All action presupposes prayer, and all prayer ought to lead on to action. Sometimes its beneficial to ignore them and consider other ways you might divide the text. What guidance does it offer me in my social intercourse? Our first duty is to meditate. If this were the only passage of the Bible you had access to, what would you learn from it about Gods character and actions? (1 Sa 15:22) (cf Ps 51:16,17, Spurgeon note v16, note v 17), We learn Gods Word not to know but to grow by doing for "Obedience is the mother of true knowledge of God." Once you know what the passage means (interpretation), you are responsible to put it into practice in your own life. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Needless to say, the group of pastors got the point! 1 Chronicles yUew.7.J~rr9xn-j3Pv_Kp>.ow?oo^>]xgOqI| JSM.OQF=r%0'c[',(d2`\gNHbqsO&&#v>b[Wg7xr|*M R Observation involves reading the text to make simple statements that are true . 3. About people or human nature? The young prophet Samuel's response to God is a good example. James emphasizes the importance of follow through in inductive study exhorting us to "prove (ourselves) doers of the word, and not merely hearers (the Greek word was used of one who audited a class rather than taking it for credit -- are you just auditing the Bible or are you fully enrolled?) There should never be a time when we go to the Scriptures without allowing them to change our lives for the better. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. If a servant were to hear but not do, how quickly the judgment would be given. How does the truth of this passage apply to my life? John By using the tools included inInductive Bible Study, youll approach Bible study with more depth and understanding. 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. The danger of Observation and Interpretation without application is that we become hypocrites like the Pharisees, filled to the brim with intellectual knowledge, but failing miserably to allow the truth to transform our hearts! Where does your passage show how human beings or their world are broken? When God got his attention, Samuel responded appropriately: "Speak, for Your servant hears" (1 Sa 3:10). Because ethnicity is part of the good of creation, we seek to honor and celebrate the ethnic identity of those with whom we serve as well as those we seek to reach. There really arent any wrong questions, and sometimes what seems like a silly question can reveal critical insights. Identify chapter themes Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, The student has sought God's blessing on the Word, and has endeavored to find out its meaning and teaching; and it remains for him to ask, How does this passage apply to me? Let it not only inform you but inflame you. Your Teacher, the Holy Spirit, can give you insights at any point in your study, so that you need to be sensitive to His leading. 0000004118 00000 n Some seem as if they read the Bible in order to know how not to do, and the more God commands the more they will not obey. Together, these observations help you think about the biblical authors purpose and what they are trying to communicate. Study the Bible to be wise In a very real sense we are giving our brain a bath; we are washing it in the purifying solution of Gods Word (cp Ep 5:26-note). 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. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. In fact, Logos even has an Inductive Bible Study Workflow built right in to guide you through these steps. We must meditate upon it. Application is where the proverbial "rubber meets the road", where our walk either does or does not back up our talk and where head knowledge becomes heart knowledge. Bible study is about digging into the text and pulling out insights. The more time and intentionality you put into understanding Gods Word, the more treasures you discover. If our interpretation is accurate, we at least have the potential to apply the truth appropriately. Part of this work is active: Youre wrestling with the text and learning to understand it. This is the ultimate step: we submit to Scripture and let it transform our lives. 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). He knoweth what we have need of before we ask, but He expects us to ask all the same. Inductive Bible Study: A Step-by-Step Guide - Bible Study Tips Daniel In His Words: What Billy Graham Once Said About Eternity. Inaccurate Interpretation, Robert Frost in his poem "Road Not Taken" writes in his last stanza. The more honest question is"Am I ready and willing believe this truth and to apply it in my life? How to Study the Bible - 3 Simple Steps - Bible Study Tools Isaiah The only Bible the world reads is the one bound in shoe leather: you and me! which then results in being and doing. (1) Substituting interpretation for application as did the Pharisees; (2) substituting superficial obedience for substantial life-change and. Men may have in their study of the Scriptures other ends also, as the profit and edification of others. Sometimes there will be figurative language and confusing imagery, but dont start by looking for hidden meaning. Inductive Bible study draws its conclusions from the text, not our assumptions. The inductive study process involves three steps: observation, interpretation and application. Strip the passage of all the jewels you can find on your own, and then come back through with a commentary. When people started complaining, he told the congregation, "I'll preach a new sermon when you act on this one. If youre not careful, theyll do all the work of observation and interpretation for you. And to do this, you need to look at the context (Logos Bible Software can be a great help with this). Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord? It might be tempting to stop at the interpretation phase, but youll be selling yourself and Scripture short if you do. For more on studying the Bible on your own or with others check out our Bible Studies resources. Their righteousness was external, based on facts and devoid of personal response. (Jas 4:17+, cp Lk 12:47, 48+, Jn 9:41). 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. Some use the term to describe a discussion group, which may discuss the Bible or some other uplifting book. Also we become more responsible to God. + It comes from knowing more about the Bible and applying it to our spiritual needs. Apply: How do I respond to what God is saying? If there is a command to be obeyed, we obey it. Details of the OIA Method - Knowable Word But to make us more like our Savior. HhT=k&^-l (6WBbN~WPe4`!Mr`+^p!MO,LP/_n]aFBcp) Lamentations This video series demonstrates how to perform inductive Bible study using the Logos Bible app thats free for web, mobile, or desktop. Accurate interpretation and correct application rest on the accuracy of your observations. Take the time to dive into the application step. 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. The main tool for each step is the Bible itself, meaning that when there is a question in my mind as to a passage's meaning, I first look to other scripture to provide the answer. Jonah How is our desire for, time with, and practice of God's living Word growing? The best way to define application is to first determine what it is not. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. 8. Leading Inductive Bible Study | InterVarsity 0000000925 00000 n The ideal combination is to read the word and then heed it expeditiously and implicitly. Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. This is a dishonest way to interpret the text. hb```vV^af`B@#g|3h But when the report came of His birth, did they go to check it out? The gospel is a very solemn thing to every man, because if it be not a savour of life unto life, since it must always be a savour of some sort, it therefore becomes a savour of death unto death. So how do we apply any of it, let alone enjoy it. John Calvin commenting on proper application wrote thatWe must observe that the knowledge of God which we are invited to cultivate is not that which, resting satisfied with empty speculation, only flutters in the brain; but a knowledge which will prove substantial and fruitful whenever it is duly perceived and rooted in the heart.. HWM5q0^5 !EJ8`vC ! Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. God's Word is the flawless discerner, perfectly analyzing our every motive, intention, and belief. Refrain, But we never can prove the delights of His love Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. (John Calvin), Gods Word can only produce growth in soil "fertilized" by obedience. Practically speaking, when we study "the word of God" we sense ourselves pierced. You too can try and prove God's wonder-working precious and magnificent promises that provide everything needed for life and godliness -- but only if you seek to apply them to your life. Refrain. One who uses the Bible as his guide 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. We must get into the Word of God for ourselves. So even though you might be familiar with the word Messiah, you might want to focus on Mark and his original audience. The botanist would lean over a certain flower and he would look for a long time and then he would write notes in his notebook. In a very real sense we are giving our brain a bath; we are washing it in the purifying solution of Gods Word. The Bible is an inexhaustible mine of precious gems. And the botanist had a big notebook under his arm and a great big magnifying glass. Bibles today divide up the individual books within them with chapters and verses, but Bibles havent always done this. As the devotional writer Matthew Henry prayerfully put it"O that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever! Step 3: ApplicationWhat will I do about what the passage says and means? When youre studying a book, youre going to end up reading it multiple times. 0000004523 00000 n Every precept in Scripture may be turned into prayer, and every promise into praise. These divisions are tools that help us read Scripture; theyre not an actual part of it. This is a motivating truth that you can trust and which you should welcome and willingly acknowledge. 0000000016 00000 n (1 Sa 15:22, 23) Related resource: Relationship of faith and obedience. For instance, as you explore the terms Messiah and Son of God, you might be moved to respond in prayer and worship. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? 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. First, I saw a butterfly. ), 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. Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, and Application Through the Lenses of History, Literature, and Theology by Richard Alan Fuhr 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. Bible study is meant not merely to inform but to transform and renew our mind. Or well walk by His side in the way. When words or passages make an impression on you, stop and meditate on what God has shown you or as the great preacher C H Spurgeon advised Read the Bible carefully, Awe is a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder. A sorry, sorry heart is that which so uses Gods Word as to make it an aggravation of its sin. The goal is to familiarize yourself with the work as a whole. 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? Some of them can only be answered by examining the text again or even by looking at other parts of the Bible. After personal application, the best way to make the truth your own, is to teach it and even if you are not gifted to be a formal Bible teacher, there is always someone in your sphere of influence whom you are teaching by your life and your lips. Skip Heitzig writes that "The great evangelist Dwight L. Moody made a habit of carrying a notebook to record what he learned as he read the Bible or listened to a sermon. The third thing I noticed was a bee, just a little bee. -EO{0iB d("o? 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. How to Study Your Bible, Part 2 | Articles | Revive Our Hearts trailer If you skip this step, you will never enjoy your Bible study and the Bible will never change your life. As you make it your practice to study God's Word, you will experience the joy of having Him directly unveil His truth and reveal His purpose in your life. The adventure of following God's will takes on a whole new complexion when we stop to listen and then act upon what we hear. Christian author Jerry Bridges reminds us that. Memorization is the first step to meditation. --Hess, Robert Cook wisely advises that we should "Never leave a passage of Scripture until it has said something to you."