Job A Silly yet Serious For the first question, you might think through your initial reading of Mark. --C H Spurgeon, Choose Book of Bible to Study Inductive Bible study is a practical, relevant, and time-tested approach to interpreting Scripture. What can He have to do with such as we are He is faithful, but will He be so to us? For example, Psalm 24 says, "The Lord owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? 2 John If youre not careful, theyll do all the work of observation and interpretation for you. Solicitation Disclosure Statement And how prevalent the sight of multitudes of Christians listening to the Word of God most regularly and earnestly, and yet not doing it! Acronym to Aid Application. Writing it down helps to remind you of God's consistent revelation and reinforces the truth He conveys to your heart. Click To Tweet Inductive Bible Study 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. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? Reading and studying the Bible are two different practices. However, interpretation can also involve separate actions or steps beyond merely observing the immediate text. Haggai The Bible is a unique collection of sixty-six books written by men under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. This speak of a personal choice that must be made) any man is willing (thelo = desires, wishes, delights [cp Ps 1:2-note], takes pleasure, is inclined to; the present tense - speaks of one's general direction of their life) to do (present tense - again speaks of one's general habit of practice = toward obedience not toward disobedience) His will, he shall know (ginosko = speaks not just of "head" knowing but of an experiential knowledge, a more intimate knowledge) of the teaching (didache - word study), whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself. We build up a reservoir of responses so that whenever the truth gets too convicting, weve got a multiplicity of reasons why it applies to everyone else but us! Titus (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word or Logos). You have remained in right site to start getting this info. This is where secondary resources become really helpful. T Is there a Truth to memorize and meditate upon (Click here)? While there is only one valid interpretation of a passage, there can be many applications. A sorry, sorry heart is that which so uses Gods Word as to make it an aggravation of its sin. But we are never just the same. (Basic Bible Interpretation). Give Me Liberty! About people or human nature? Edward Louie (2011) The phrase "Bible study" can mean different things to different people. 0000003614 00000 n
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. Will Graham Devotion: How Do You Know Whats True? Ask God that his threats may drive you out of your sins, and drive you to seek pardon in Christ. 3:7f+, He 4:2+), (3) Response of obedience: Genuine faith will obey. 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. Okay, so what is inductive Bible study, exactly? No, even though the town of Bethlehem was only only five miles down the road from Jerusalem. (Persevere!). Nehemiah Ezra It would touch as many lovely blossoms as it could, but derived absolutely no benefit from it. 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. H. P. Barker has a graphic illustration emphasizing the importance of both knowing and doing the Bibles truths As I looked out into the garden one day, I saw three things. 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). Hebrews The growing numbers of sermon-sippers and seminar-sitters who flit from one doctrinal dessert to another like so many busy, buzzing hummingbirds are most assuredly deceiving themselves unless they are also choosing to assimilate (heed) the truth ("honey" Ps 119:103-note) which they have tasted (cp Jas 1:22, 23, 24+, Jas 1:25+). This volume incorporates insights from contemporary evangelical hermeneutics into an. As for the doctrines, recollect that a doctrine killeth except as it is personally grasped and as you feel your interest in it. J A Bengel wisely admonished "Apply yourself to the whole text, and apply the whole text to yourself.". (3) substituting rationalization for repentance. But when the report came of His birth, did they go to check it out? Too much Bible study begins and ends in the wrong place: It begins with interpretation, and it also ends thereObservation plus interpretation without application equals abortion. We need to be specific here. 1 Chronicles Sometimes the application will simply be deeper faith and firmer belief. But to make us more like our Savior. This guide is written for people of all levels who are looking for a deeper and richer study of Scripture. And yet, so complete is the delusion, that Christians never realize they are not living good Christian lives. (Mt 7:13, 14+). Local: 704-401-2432 And what thou teachest well, thou canst not too well live. Observe whats there, and document it. Song of Solomon Luke gives us the most information about Jesus birth and even provides us with a glimpse of Jesus as a child (Luke 2:4150). How is our desire for, time with, and practice of God's living Word growing? When it comes to reading the Bible, these boundaries can hinder your ability to observe what biblical authors are saying. Be careful not to simply amass the kind of knowledge that puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1). Why are we deluded in this way? Another addition to a lot of Bibles is a subheading before many passages or chapters. A Primer on the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation When we have read the Bible, many passages may become "overfamiliar." We think that we know what they say and cease . 0
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." Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus. We must get into the Word of God for ourselves. (Read the entire sermon - How to Read the Bible), "Our Masters field is full and rich. Exodus This can train you to be more of an explorer in the future. For some of you there is very little in the Word of God except threatening. Our first duty is to meditate. First, I saw a butterfly. Believe it to be safe 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)? Did they know where the Messiah was to be born? These three parts are observation, interpretation, and application. Unlike other forms of study, the ultimate goal of Bible study is not information its transformation. We need you. Observation answers the question: What do I see? 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. The first verse of Mark youve been studying does not have immediate actionable teachings, but you still need to be open to the Holy Spirit moving as you study. (How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It - see page 30). The goal is to familiarize yourself with the work as a whole. Everyone has distractions and responsibilities vying for their attention, so it helps if you have a set time when you will read your Bible. We must adjust ourselves to the Bible 0000000536 00000 n
Remember that the more time spent in observation, the less time you will spend in interpretation, the more accurate the interpretation and the more appropriate the application. For example, notice that some form of the word suffering is used three . 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! (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." Jesus emphasized this important truth again in John 17 declaring. Zephaniah Sometimes its beneficial to ignore them and consider other ways you might divide the text. Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, Notice how Jesus observes the Old Testament text in verse 42, interprets it in verse 44, and applies it in verse 43 (implying that his listeners should believe the truth and make some changes in their lives). 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). Ask God not to let thy Bible be another mans Bible, but thine own Bible, Gods own mouth speaking to thy soul of the things which make for thy peace. Resources Bible Study Inductive Bible Study. in my teaching, visiting or mission work? P Is there a Promise to believe or condition to meet in order to partake of the promise? Philippians Would you like to give your time to work with Cru? Shows the way. Bibles today divide up the individual books within them with chapters and verses, but Bibles havent always done this. This is the ultimate step: we submit to Scripture and let it transform our lives. (Ezekiel 33:31), Hearing and not heeding the word is as foolish as cooking an expensive filet mignon and then not sitting down to eat it! HWM5q0^5 !EJ8`vC ! 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). He would take notes and later study them with great care. Ephesians While we do His good will, He abides with us still, Thirdly, we seek to link the spirit of the passage with our own personal experience of things human and Divine. The godly preacher F. B. Meyer wrote that Devout meditation on the Word is more important to soul-health even than prayer. Considering these things we receive the word with that trembling of heart which God so much respects. (Josh 1:8-note). 1. Some people say they cannot meditate; they do not know what it means, or they have no time, or they go to sleep when they begin. ::c\}oa\l#N/4!tGj;Mu}8Mmm3M^x_M=>l~m8n6vTk7.9Rm+s7mm1>7%cS,"W`!K[43!qCn66JVo[K^nE^ + What are its elements ? Inductive Bible study is a practical, relevant, and time-tested approach to interpreting Scripture. The best way to define application is to first determine what it is not. 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 . 1 Peter Its worth it. He is a prayer-hearing God, but will He hear our prayers? 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. Rather, an inductive study . Don't deceive yourself! He will be inquired of by us. 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? 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. In view of this truth, what specific changes should I make in my life? 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. There are three basic approaches to Bible interpretation: A. Its helpful to take a funnel approach to the book youre reading. This guide provokes you to read the Bible honestlyto let it surprise, challenge, and correct you as you apply the many steps of interpretation. Refrain. (1Ti 4:8+, 1Ti 4:9, 10+). 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. 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. The good hand of the LORD will be upon us even as it was upon Ezra the scribe! So if youre studying Mark, start by reading the entire book. Truth revealed brings responsibility to respond. Keeping some form of journal will allow you to go back and review what God has been teaching you. 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. You haven't really learned the Word until you live the Word. 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. Home If not why not? 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. Jesus warned that Bible study as the end in itself, can be deceptively dangerous declaring to the Jewish leaders You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life.