If we continually learn what we ought to do, but do not do it, we become frustrated and callous. (1Ti 4:7, 8-notes), The dictionary defines application as the act of putting to use or putting into operation especially for some practical purpose. To go on gaining an intellectual knowledge of the Bible without obeying it can be a trap instead of a blessing. 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. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. 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. We are either a little more sweetened or a little more hardened. 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. Bible studies include workbooks that help connect you to the ideas of Bible texts. Spiritual maturity, in which we become more like Christ, comes not just from knowing more about the Bible. P Is there a Promise to believe or condition to meet in order to partake of the promise? 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. How do we apply what we just learned to everyday life? (Self deception is the worst form of deception and occurs when we come to believe there is virtue in hearing the truth of God but failing to apply it.) 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). As for the doctrines, recollect that a doctrine killeth except as it is personally grasped and as you feel your interest in it. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? For he set its foundation upon the seas, and established it upon the ocean currents. Ask the Lord to show you your interest, in every truth, and; do not be satisfied until you have an assured personal interest therein. That seems important to delve into deeper. Learn how you can know God personally. They were the local authorities. In the 13th century, Stephen Langton added chapters to Scripture, and in the late 16th century, Robert Stephanus added verses. Youre attempting to get a sense of the whole before you begin to break down the parts. Write it all down (you can take notes directly in Logos), and once you feel like you have a good idea of whats happening in the text, its time to move on to the next step: interpretation. Its easy to become reliant upon commentary to explain the text to you, and this circumvents many of the benefits of study. After a few weeks, the detective was able to report to the man that Dr. Houghtons life matched his preaching. In this spirit of readiness we seek to turn God's truth into action. ), Christian author Jerry Bridges writes that "As we search the Scriptures, we must allow them to search us, to sit in judgment upon our character and conduct. Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. in my dealings with the world ? It is not enough just to study the Bible. Mark View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. Ask yourself all of the important questions above, and answer them as honestly as you are able. 0000002043 00000 n He now teaches two courses: "Bible Study" and "Advanced Bible Study." "All of my courses are built on the basic pattern of observation, interpretation, application and correlation (or . When God got his attention, Samuel responded appropriately: "Speak, for Your servant hears" (1 Sa 3:10). Writing it down helps to remind you of God's consistent revelation and reinforces the truth He conveys to your heart. He pastored Calvary Baptist Church in New York City and later served as president of Chicagos Moody Bible Institute till his death in 1946. 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. 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. Apply yourself to the Scriptures in my business life ? 2 Thessalonians 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. Who art thou that judgest another man? To his own master he stands or falls. two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- Read about individuals who have been transformed by faith. Sometimes its beneficial to ignore them and consider other ways you might divide the text. Observe whats there, and document it. As questions arise, they give you direction for further reading and study as you seek to answer those questions. Sow a thought, reap an action. Unlike other forms of study, the ultimate goal of Bible study is not information its transformation. 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. Another addition to a lot of Bibles is a subheading before many passages or chapters. Genesis Neither are you to be "Bible botanists" (even good inductive students), who laboriously observe the Biblical text and derive accurate interpretation but fail to apply these truths. Its the shortest of the Gospels, and you might have noticed that Mark seems focused on the action and hitting all the significant points. HWM5q0^5 !EJ8`vC ! But you may know that Luke and Matthew begin with Jesus birth story. Were so used to being exposed to chapters and verses that we lose sight of an authors intention for the whole book. These divisions are tools that help us read Scripture; theyre not an actual part of it. The world will learn better, and will more likely be brought to know Christ when the lives of Christians are better, and when the Bible of the Christian Life shall be more in, accordance with the Bible of Christian doctrine. Matthew Henry adds: Every gracious soul stands in awe of the word of God, of the authority of its precepts and the terror of its threatenings; and to those that do so nothing appears, in the power and wrath of man, at all formidable. For example, Psalm 24 says, "The Lord owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. 0000003614 00000 n And with all who will trust and obey. Take the time to dive into the application step. Give Me Liberty! This method makes observations on a passage of Scripture and then draws conclusions based on those observations. As you carry out your inductive Bible study you will find that observation, interpretation, and application often occur simultaneously. There should never be a time when we go to the Scriptures without allowing them to change our lives for the better. Observation answers the question: What do I see? Saturate the study of Scripture with prayer. The butterfly was beautiful, and it would alight on a flower and then it would flutter to another flower and then to another, and only for a second or two it would sit and it would move on. 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. When you break the discipline of Bible study down to its simplest forms, its just a few steps: Explore: What did God say (to the original readers)? It involves three steps: observation of the text, interpretation of the text, and application of the text. We all need to ask ourselves are we studying the Word that we might be more like Jesus or more like the Pharisees? Is your heart conditioned to listen and obey? Such a person is like the church who had a new pastor who preached the same sermon every Sunday. If we fail to apply the Scriptures, we cut short the entire process and have not finished what God wants us to do. The precious promises lie in front of you. Not just for information The third rule for our guide should be Read And Apply. 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. (John 17:3), Heart appropriation, not merely head apprehension, is the true goal of Bible study. John This becomes extremely important when youre studying a book with a single prolonged argument, like the Book of Romans. He knoweth what we have need of before we ask, but He expects us to ask all the same. Ephesians Luke gives us the most information about Jesus birth and even provides us with a glimpse of Jesus as a child (Luke 2:4150). Create an account or log in to get started. It is still as true today as when Martin Luther first said it that The world does not need a definition of religion as much as it needs a demonstration.. Inductive Bible study is a practical, relevant, and time-tested approach to interpreting Scripture. The purpose of exploring and connecting is to apply what the Bible teaches to your life. Often, its helpful to put chapter and verse breakdowns out of your mind as you dive into Scripture. James We don't really know the Bible unless we obey the Bible, God had a scathing rebuke for His people Israel through His prophet Ezekiel "They (the people of Israel) come to you (the prophet Ezekiel) as people come and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth and their heart goes after their gain." If a Christian is careless in Bible reading, he will care less about Christian living. Someone has rightly observed that it is possible to be full of Scripture and full of carnality. 2. 0000000925 00000 n Allow the Bible to help you understand other passages of the Bible. ", The goal of Inductive Bible study is We try to communicate what weve never experienced in our own lives.". How does the truth of this passage apply to my life? Numbers Just make sure it's the one based on careful observation and accurate interpretation! We must adjust ourselves to the Bible my heart stands in awe of Thy words. If youre new to studying, why not start with the Gospel of Mark? endstream endobj 68 0 obj <> endobj 69 0 obj <> endobj 70 0 obj <>stream Through the inductive method you follow a process of studying the Bible one book at a time. What else do I know about the book, author, and broader context of the passage? Obadiah But when the report came of His birth, did they go to check it out? Your next question should be, Hows my saltiness? 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. Once we know what a passage means we are responsible to live it out. Using a trusted commentary can help in a few ways: It can help show you the details you missed in the observation phase. So before moving on to the crucial step of application, pause for a time of reflection. The word of God reveals to us our true selves. A (supernaturally charged and) changed life is the clearest testimony of genuine understanding of the Bible. Then we have mentally to adjust the picture thus formed with the pictures already in our mindto hang it, so to speak, in its right place, so that it may blend with the convictions of truth already attained. For example, notice that some form of the word suffering is used three . (3) substituting rationalization for repentance. Philippians 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, Then you could go back and look at how the other Gospels start: Matthew begins by giving us Jesus genealogy and then gives us a little glimpse into His birth. For example, Philippians 4:13, in context, isn't about being the greatest and most famous basketball player, but about being content and having joy in any and every circumstance ( Phil 4:10-13 ). 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? (Jas 4:17+, cp Lk 12:47, 48+, Jn 9:41). 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. Not to make us smarter sinners He had put into practice (applied) passages from God's Word, proving that they work which of course they always do! is the result of Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. Our Goal in Interpreting . Why did Mark feel this title was necessary on top of calling Jesus the Messiah? The best way to define application is to first determine what it is not. Reading the Bible without meditating on it is like eating without chewing. This volume incorporates insights from contemporary evangelical hermeneutics into an. To know and not to do is not to know at all. xref Why Are There Lament Psalms at the End of the Psalter? Three vital responses in application are (1) Response of confession: The Word of God is like a sword (it penetrates), like a mirror (it reveals), and like a critic of the heart (it judges and reproves or exposes our attitudes and actions). 1 Chronicles 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. 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. Study the Bible to be wise 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. Now, think about what the passage tells us that is always true not just in its original setting, but in any time and place. 0e]y]ZU~P/^a53if5}Jk9$9t]ccc}.kw9H6`T5jN`=94jk:U>}a:P5p/]luu D_Ek!*Vwii][S9}mB=J\ueJJkf3mm8]g#pbmw6[PP? Therefore, it is vital that you develop observation skills which might, at first, seem difficult, laborious, and time-consuming. Some passages will not have a clear application. Ask God that his threats may drive you out of your sins, and drive you to seek pardon in Christ. Thats the kind of serious-minded response to truth application calls for. As youre reading along, you can check the commentary to gain insight into cultural, linguistic and interpretive considerations. Feed on them with joy" 3:7f+, He 4:2+), (3) Response of obedience: Genuine faith will obey. <<6970513041DCB34C825DECB3781DD654>]/Prev 490707>> Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. Jesus emphasized this important truth again in John 17 declaring. /+X$!acR\Y[/EC%D @2ADk0uHha3j^ Instead of studying by chapter, its smart to look at pericopes. The New Testament gives us further teaching about the way of approach, and makes new demands on our spiritual life, whilst offering us a new standard to live up to. Both reflect what is really there. See related resource: Relationship of faith and obedience, As Vance Havner wisely said "It is not the Word hidden in the head but in the heart that keeps us from sin. Every time we encounter spiritual truth, we need to seek to apply that truth to our lives. Inductive Bible study draws its conclusions from the text, not our assumptions. Absolutely. In short, as John MacArthur says "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. Interpretation is not necessarily a separate step from observation, for often, as you carefully observe the text, you begin to see what it means at that very moment. (Ps 119:15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148 - see A Primer On Biblical Meditation). Joshua When applied properly, the inductive method will provide a better overall understanding of a passagewhat it says, what it meant to its original audience, and what it means today. When you begin to study a passage, your first step will be observing the text. The Bible is a unique collection of sixty-six books written by men under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. You haven't completed your Bible study until you've allowed the Bible to "study' you and you respond accordingly to it's teaching (which tells us what is true and right and so structures our thinking), reproof ( tells us when we are out of bounds), correction (reveals sin and provides the dynamic whereby you can conform to Gods will) and training in righteous living (Gods means of showing you how to live), all in order that we as men and women of God might be complete or whole and what we were created to be so that we might be thoroughly equipped for good work (2Ti 3:16, 17-note). 0000001036 00000 n We tone down unconsciously the vigor of St. Paul's remonstrances, the force of his figures, such as ' Death to sin,' the strictness of the law of retribution, and of judgment according to works ; the demand of absolute self-sacrifice, and of truth at any cost ; the need of meekness, forbearance, self-restraint and sympathy. Many times a Bible passage is read only with eyes but not with the mind engaged. Marking them will help you see the sequence of events and lead to accurate interpretation of Scripture. Step 2: InterpretationWhat does the passage mean? The more work you do during this part of your study, the better you will do in the rest. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, Or well walk by His side in the way. Below I have written a simplified step-by-step guide . To pick up the thread of Pauls argument, you need to go back and catch up. 2 Peter And so prayer is not a substitute for action, but the deliberate contact of the soul with God, whence we draw an enabling force whereby we go forth conquering and to conquer. THE THREE COMPONENTS Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. 1ICR, 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 . Leviticus Study the Bible to be wise. 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. Jude 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. 1. And how prevalent the sight of multitudes of Christians listening to the Word of God most regularly and earnestly, and yet not doing it! Turn Scripture into Prayer. When in a spirit of quiet thought we have thus resolved and revolved God's Word, we are prepared to pray over it. It is full of instances of prayer; it supplies us with those thoughts about God which stimulate our faith to approach Him expectantly, earnestly, confidently. It is God's will that we should read Mark says hes starting at the beginning. All action presupposes prayer, and all prayer ought to lead on to action. For more on studying the Bible on your own or with others check out our Bible Studies resources. The older we are, the more experienced we become at rationalizing sin. When we obey the Word we are demonstrating the reality of our love for the Lord (our obedience is motivated by love not legalism!) Imagine trying to find a specific place in Scripture during a sermon without them.