Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, Note that the question is not"Is this truth relevant to my life?" This volume incorporates insights from contemporary evangelical hermeneutics into an. Erroneous interpretation can lead to aberrant application. To pick up the thread of Pauls argument, you need to go back and catch up. It is a trustworthy (pistos = faithful; cp Paul's 4 "faithful sayings" - 1Ti 1:15, 4:9, 2Ti 2:11+, Titus 3:8+) statement deserving full acceptanceit is for this (godliness) we labor (kopiao = to the point of exhaustion; present tense = continually) and strive (agonizomai = as when striving in an athletic contest emphasizing concentration, discipline, conviction, effort; present tense = continually)." When God got his attention, Samuel responded appropriately: "Speak, for Your servant hears" (1 Sa 3:10). (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.
Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, and Application Both reflect what is really there. Get a roundup of new Word by Word articles in your inbox each Friday. The Pharisees set the standard for this superficial, hypocritical, self deluding approach. And its in this phase we start to look at what the text means. We must never forget that the ultimate goal of Bible study, whether inductive or otherwise, is to know God and His Son so that we might have life in Him. ), 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. If you skip this step, you will never enjoy your Bible study and the Bible will never change your life. It might be tempting to stop at the interpretation phase, but youll be selling yourself and Scripture short if you do. 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. 0000001930 00000 n
Writing it down helps to remind you of God's consistent revelation and reinforces the truth He conveys to your heart. Step 3: ApplicationWhat will I do about what the passage says and means? 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. If there is a promise to be embraced, we claim it. Commentaries are fantastic tools. 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 ). This seems to be the process called inwardly digesting God's truth. 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. Your next question should be, Hows my saltiness? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." It is a means to an end, not an end in itself. 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? Contact Us. It is thework of applying something (I like that -- it make take a little "holy sweat" to apply what we have learned, but it is worth the effort exerted! Lifting verses out of their immediate context is a sure way to find yourself in heresy land. So before moving on to the crucial step of application, pause for a time of reflection. Where does your passage show how human beings or their world are broken? And with all who will trust and obey. So you might write that observation down: Marks beginning of the gospel story does not start at the very beginning., Youll also notice that Mark desires to tell you some good news, and this news is about Jesus. It is impossible to study the Scriptures diligently without running head-on into the need for application, "for the word of God is living and active (energetic, effective) and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge (sifting and analyzing) the thoughts and intentions of the heart and there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open (the bending back of the neck thoroughly exposing it to the eye of the skillful surgeon or the criminal on trial with a sharp dagger bound to his neck with the point just below the chin, so that he could not bow his head but had to face the court) and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we must give account." 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. And what thou readest, thou canst not read too well; Observation involves reading the text to make simple statements that are true . 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. Read the Bible as a man reads his relations will, to find what legacy there is in it for himself. Your goal in observing is to identify what the author was trying to communicate to his readers. 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. (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word), Andrew Murray writing about the discrepancy between knowing and doing, remarked. 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. If we continually learn what we ought to do, but do not do it, we become frustrated and callous. The mind delights in having the truth presented clearly; the imagination is gratified by its illustration; the feelings are stirred by its application. Practice it to be holy. When you begin to study a passage, your first step will be observing the text. It went in empty every time and came out full (A. Naismith, 1200 Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes [Chicago: Moody, 1962], p. In Psalm 119:18, David said, "Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your . Otherwise, its easy to become dependent on them. 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? Inductive Bible study is a practical, relevant, and time-tested approach to interpreting Scripture. 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? Would you like to give your time to work with Cru? There are a lot of excellent study Bibles available. Right here, we have countless book Inductive Bible Study Observation Interpretation And Application Through The Lenses Of History Literature And Theology and collections to . One practical approach to Bible study is a four-part process of observation, interpretation, connection, and application. Study the Bible to be wise. There is something incredibly rewarding about mining those nuggets of truth for yourself. 0000005006 00000 n
Thresh them by meditation. He had the "truth" but never acted upon it. Part of this work is active: Youre wrestling with the text and learning to understand it. Woe! The best way to define application is to first determine what it is not. He was there for hours writing notes, closed them, stuck them under his arm, tucked his magnifying glass in his pocket and walked away. Which road will you travel?
Inductive Bible Study: Observation | Precept Austin Janet Chismar King Edward VI of England would stand while the Word of God was read in worship service. and the Scriptures to yourself. I shall be telling this with a sigh Once we know what a passage means we are responsible to live it out. Such a person is like the church who had a new pastor who preached the same sermon every Sunday. <<6970513041DCB34C825DECB3781DD654>]/Prev 490707>>
Shows the way. Christian author Jerry Bridges reminds us that. Memorization is the first step to meditation. It can provide details and facts that you do not yet have the capacity or training to pick up on your own. Deuteronomy To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Were so used to being exposed to chapters and verses that we lose sight of an authors intention for the whole book. 3 John This is likewise one of the factors by obtaining the soft documents of this Inductive Bible Study Observation Interpretation And Application Through The Lenses Of History . (Ro 10:17+). 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. 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. While we do His good will, He abides with us still, 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). 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. 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). So even though you might be familiar with the word Messiah, you might want to focus on Mark and his original audience. 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. (Col 1:28, 29-See notes Col 1:28; 1:29), The basis for application is 2 Timothy 3:16. When Gods Word points out something in us that needs correction, we need to respond. Once you have explored the passage, its time to make some connections. Once you do that, you can start shining a light on smaller sections of Scripture. S Is there a Sin to avoid, forsake or confess? ", 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. THE THREE COMPONENTS Your grandmother translated the Bible?" What else do I know about the book, author, and broader context of the passage? 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! Is it because of ignorance, rebellion or indifference? Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. Exodus This is where secondary resources become really helpful. in my dealings with the world ? Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. Also we become more responsible to God. ", Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote that "It is a good thing to be a student of the Word, but only in order to be a practiser and experiencer of the Word.". trailer
A Is there an Attitude to change or guard against or an Action I need to take? 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). Its the shortest of the Gospels, and you might have noticed that Mark seems focused on the action and hitting all the significant points. We dont study the Bible just to gain knowledge. 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? 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. 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.
Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, and Application 1:20-21). How can we know what parts of the Bible apply to us today? God's Word is the flawless discerner, perfectly analyzing our every motive, intention, and belief. Have I overlooked anything or made any assumptions? A (supernaturally charged and) changed life is the clearest testimony of genuine understanding of the Bible. Here, you want to go back over the passage and your observations and ask as many questions as you can. There are many ways we can study the Bible, but one of the most influential and simple approaches to reading and understanding God's Word involves three simple steps: Step 1: ObservationWhat does the passage say? (Galatians 4:1, New International Version). (The blessing of God is integrally related to your response to the revelation of God. 63 0 obj
<>
endobj
), 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. who delude themselves. 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. You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. Spiritual maturity, in which we become more like Christ, comes not just from knowing more about the Bible. ", The goal of Inductive Bible study is J A Bengel wisely admonished "Apply yourself to the whole text, and apply the whole text to yourself.". For some of you there is very little in the Word of God except threatening. Speak of bringing the Bible down into the vernacular! Why are we deluded in this way? Again, we feel God's promises to be too high for us, we know He is perfect, and we are vile. Mark key words and phrases (see figure on page five) A key word is one that is essential to the text. In sum, acting on what God has said assumes that you understand what He has said as illustrated below. 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? About people or human nature? 0000003614 00000 n
1 Samuel With Logos Fundamentals, youll find the truth for yourselfno matter what questions arise as you study the Word. We all have a story. 1ICR, Jude We are either a little more sweetened or a little more hardened. When thou passest through the river I will be with thee, the floods shall not overflow thee! Oh! Study the New Testament at your own pace in workable units of material that follow the inductive method of study. Application begins with belief Saturate the study of Scripture with prayer.
OIA Method of Bible Study - Iamnorthside It isn't enough just to be a Christian, if you aren't an obedient one. The Gospel opens by saying: The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. He will be inquired of by us. And that has made all the difference. But this is exactly what happens when we fail to apply what we have observed and interpreted. The precious promises lie in front of you. Sow a character, reap a destiny! The good hand of the LORD will be upon us even as it was upon Ezra the scribe! You want to focus on things like: Practice observation on the first verse of the Gospel of Mark. How does he save or provide a way when people are unable? What guidance does it offer me in my social intercourse? The whole Bible tells the story of how God, in his grace and mercy, comes to the rescue of rebellious people living in a broken world.
PDF 10 BIBLE STUDY OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION - Home Baptist Church 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. It will walk you through each step of inductive bible studies in details. What Do We Lose When We Forget the Importance of Prayer? Now that you have your list of observations, you can wrestle with the questions that arise from them and the things that youve seen. There is more to Christian growth than knowing what the Bible says; nobody is ever nourished by memorizing menus.
PDF Precept Bible Study Method In fact, Logos even has an Inductive Bible Study Workflow built right in to guide you through these steps. Look for the plainest interpretation first. But you may know that Luke and Matthew begin with Jesus birth story. As the devotional writer Matthew Henry prayerfully put it"O that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever! A Primer on the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation You cannot expect to approach the Bible with the same level of investment that youd give your favorite novel. Observe whats there, and document it. It's better to live one verse of the Bible than to recite an entire chapter. Amos 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. 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. In Gods mind, knowledge without obedience is sin. It is more focused on the immediate application of the passage to your life. We must meditate upon it. Theres an inherent danger in inductive Bible study -- it can degenerate into a process thats intellectually fascinating but spiritually frustrating. When people started complaining, he told the congregation, "I'll preach a new sermon when you act on this one. 3. Not only do the books come from unfamiliar cultures, but theyre also thousands of years old. After making these connections, you should be able to identify some of the big truths that the passage offers every reader throughout time. 1 Peter Sources like these can give you vital information to help answer your questions. The Bible is divine in origin. 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 % startxref
The Bible is the best prayer-book in the world, as it has been called the best story-book in the world. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. Many of them include commentary at the bottom of the page or in the margins. Dr. Howard Hendricks remarks that Application is the most neglected yet the most needed stage in the process. This is the ultimate step: we submit to Scripture and let it transform our lives. Its helpful to take a funnel approach to the book youre reading. In a very real sense we are giving our brain a bath; we are washing it in the purifying solution of Gods Word. In fact, it has become the benchmark of Bible study for many people. We need to be specific here. Ezekiel What a glory He sheds on our way! You have remained in right site to start getting this info. Connect each passage back to the gospel and the broader message of the Bible. The more work you do during this part of your study, the better you will do in the rest. Some sections make much more sense if you read them within the context of the surrounding chapters, like Matthew 23-25 or 1 Corinthians 12-14. If there is a command to be obeyed, we obey it. You may start with reading a specific book of the Bible for five to 10 minutes every day and setting aside one day a week for a more intentional time of studying Scripture. What Is Application? We ought to obey God rather than men, and to make sure of God's favour, though we throw ourselves under the frowns of all the world, Lk 12:4, 5. It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot (NIV). Will Graham Devotion: How Do You Know Whats True? Never fear, only trust and obey. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. To be sure our first goal should be to get into the Bible and then to allow the Bible to get into us.
Bible study consists of Observation, Interpretation and Application. 1 Reading and studying the Bible are two different practices. Good Bible study does not happen by accident. These three parts are observation, interpretation, and application. Many times a Bible passage is read only with eyes but not with the mind engaged. 0000002043 00000 n
Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord? They do not seem very ancient. Believe it to be safe 1. T Is there a Truth to memorize and meditate upon (Click here)? Bible study is meant not merely to inform but to transform and renew our mind. Bible Study Observation Interpretation And Application Through The Lenses Of History Literature And Theology is universally compatible following any devices to read. Inductive Bible Study. Its apowerful toolfor those who want to learn how to study Scripture well. 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. You haven't really learned the Word until you live the Word. Using a trusted commentary can help in a few ways: It can help show you the details you missed in the observation phase. Coleridge once said that, if we wish to make old truths fresh, we must turn them into action. It is the supernatural, progressive revelation of who God is and man's relationship to God. Instead of studying by chapter, its smart to look at pericopes. That seems important to delve into deeper.
The Inductive Method of Bible Study: Know The Basics 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. Therefore, it is vital that you develop observation skills which might, at first, seem difficult, laborious, and time-consuming. 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?) Precept Ministries International was founded by internationally-known Bible teacher Kay Arthur, along with her husband, Jack, with the vision to establish people in Gods Word. How do I propose to carry out these changes? 1. (Ps 119:161). As part of this step, take some time to identify where the beauty of the gospel comes into the passage. Resource links How to Perform A Greek Word Study on the Web, Multiple resources on Biblical Interpretation (Hermeneutics). In Observation and Interpretation we study God's Word, but in Application, God's Word "studies" us!
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. 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." Ezra Are the "thoughts and intentions of our heart" spiritual thoughts and intentions or only natural thoughts and intentions? Owen wrote that To seek after mere notions of Truth, without an endeavor after an experience of its power in our hearts, is not the way to increase our understanding in spiritual things. Observation answers the question: What do I see? The Bible is Gods way of making Himself known to us. Nahum 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. John MacArthur argues thatStudying Scripture without allowing it to penetrate to the depths of your soul would be like preparing a banquet without eating it. Malachi 2 Thessalonians Think of it as an appointment that you do not want to miss. 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. John kicks off with some critical theological points and then immediately launches into the baptism too. To love Him and obey.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen. Pastor Houghton assiduously applied what he preached. Bible studies include workbooks that help connect you to the ideas of Bible texts. (Ro 12:2-note). Our life ought to be and if Gods grace be much in it, it will be a new translation of the Bible. This method makes observations on a passage of Scripture and then draws conclusions based on those observations. 1 Kings 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. Armed with that knowledge, youre ready to start thinking about how to apply what youve read. Philemon
How to Study the Bible (part 2): Interpretation and Application