It's an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder inspired here by the absolute authority of the Words of God compared to all words of men. Otherwise, its easy to become dependent on them. If you are a leader (and most of us are leaders in some sphere of influence) remember that a good leader is one who Knows the way, 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 Kings ), 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. It would touch as many lovely blossoms as it could, but derived absolutely no benefit from it. Yes, the Scripture (through your Teacher the Spirit) will bestow spiritual blessings, not by knowing but by doing! Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? xref Many of them include commentary at the bottom of the page or in the margins. If we study to know but never do, we like Chief Crowfoot will never fully tap into the blessing of, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The ideal combination is to read the word and then heed it expeditiously and implicitly. Once you do that, you can start shining a light on smaller sections of Scripture. Used by cults. August 5, 2009. 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. Leave not off reading the Bible till you find your hearts warmed. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, The Power of Accurate Observation In Bible Study By Anna Wishart 07/31/2017 Details Bring Meaning God's Word has a lot to communicate. In other words, we must act by faith in what God has shown us from His Word or our hearts can become hardened (cf. After a few weeks, the detective was able to report to the man that Dr. Houghtons life matched his preaching. To be sure our first goal should be to get into the Bible and then to allow the Bible to get into us. As for the doctrines, recollect that a doctrine killeth except as it is personally grasped and as you feel your interest in it. Commentaries are fantastic tools. Thresh them by meditation. For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, truly, such a, promise is as a cluster of Eshcol, but it is in Eshcols valley and I cannot reach it there; but the promise applied is the cluster brought to me just where I am, and I can receive it, and delight myself in its luscious sweetness. 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)." So before moving on to the crucial step of application, pause for a time of reflection. 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. But this is exactly what happens when we fail to apply what we have observed and interpreted. Can abide while we trust and obey. Good Bible study does not happen by accident. (Ps139:23, 24+; cf. 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. Philemon Bibles today divide up the individual books within them with chapters and verses, but Bibles havent always done this. But you may know that Luke and Matthew begin with Jesus birth story. For example, notice that some form of the word suffering is used three . 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. ", James warned that "to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin." In sum, acting on what God has said assumes that you understand what He has said as illustrated below. Not to make us smarter sinners It is unified in all its parts and will never contradict itself (Ps. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. What can He have to do with such as we are He is faithful, but will He be so to us? J A Bengel wisely admonished "Apply yourself to the whole text, and apply the whole text to yourself.". For instance, as you explore the terms Messiah and Son of God, you might be moved to respond in prayer and worship. Pretend youre an investigator and youre just gathering the facts. Bible Study Principles Again, our METHOD of reading, searching, and study must involve very precise OBSERVATION, which is absolutely necessary to accurate INTERPRETATION! Once you know what the passage means (interpretation), you are responsible to put it into practice in your own life. 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. Every time we encounter spiritual truth, we need to seek to apply that truth to our lives. (The blessing of God is integrally related to your response to the revelation of God. T Is there a Truth to memorize and meditate upon (Click here)? 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). 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+!). The truth of God's Word is always relevant to our life. Galatians But our toil He doth richly repay; The intercession of Abraham for Sodom, the prayer of Abraham's servant, the wrestling of Jacob, the pleadings of Moses, the strong crying of David, the spiritual conflicts of Elijah, Jonah and Jeremiah, the public and formal prayers of Solomon and Ezra, and the secret confessions of Danielall are the outpourings of hearts like our own. But to make us more like our Savior. Too much Bible study begins and ends in the wrong placewith interpretation. Men may have in their study of the Scriptures other ends also, as the profit and edification of others. There really arent any wrong questions, and sometimes what seems like a silly question can reveal critical insights. 1. 2 Timothy Identify chapter themes As we search the Scriptures, we must allow them to search us, to sit in judgement upon our character and conduct. 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. In Observation and Interpretation we study God's Word, but in Application, God's Word "studies" us! Inductive Bible Study: Observation, Interpretation, and Application through the Lenses of History, Literature, and Theology (9781433684142) by Richard Alan Fuhr Jr., Andreas J. Kostenberger Apply yourself to the Scriptures 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. They were the local authorities. O/uE 4l"iI.l#e \c@pZFi7lq?3@hv?7 Il` HLTkXw: There are several reasons for this . in my business life ? The third thing I noticed was a bee, just a little bee. The religionists of Jesus' day had all of the data. Observation Tips What are some tips to help with observation? Maybe youre reading Matthew 5:13: You are the salt of the earth. my heart stands in awe of Thy words. It involves three steps: observation of the text, interpretation of the text, and application of the text. 63 0 obj <> endobj It is packed with revelation, lessons, instruction, and theology. They had mastered the Old Testament, but they were never mastered by the truth itself. Armed with that knowledge, youre ready to start thinking about how to apply what youve read. 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. This volume incorporates insights from contemporary evangelical hermeneutics into an. The story is told of several pastors who were arguing over which Bible translation was the best. acquire the Inductive Bible Study Observation Interpretation And Application Through The Lenses Of History Literature And Theology join that we . If you're looking for the best Christian jobs and careers, check out Cru's ministry job openings for full- and part-time missionaries and professionals. The inductive study process involves three steps: observation, interpretation and application. Let it not only inform you but inflame 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. Toll Free: 1-877-247-2426. As someone has blunted phrased it "Interpretation without application is abortion.". The godly preacher F. B. Meyer wrote that Devout meditation on the Word is more important to soul-health even than prayer. For example, Psalm 24 says, "The Lord owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. 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. This is not the fruit of slavish fear, but of holy love; it is not afraid of the Word, but delighting in it, as it discovers the mind of God to us; as in the next verse it is written, "I rejoice at Thy word." Rather, an inductive study . (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word or Logos). The Bible is an inexhaustible mine of precious gems. The Apostle Paul's great passion was transformed, Christ like lives as he explained to the saints at Colossae writing we proclaim Him (Christ in believers the hope of glory), admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ. ", Application is the most neglected yet the most needed stage in the process. After making these connections, you should be able to identify some of the big truths that the passage offers every reader throughout time. (John 17:3), Heart appropriation, not merely head apprehension, is the true goal of Bible study. Your job at this stage is to discover what the author is trying to communicate. 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. You should desire to know Gods Word better so it can change you. S Is there a Sin to avoid, forsake or confess? 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. 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. Jude Are the "thoughts and intentions of our heart" spiritual thoughts and intentions or only natural thoughts and intentions? 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? Every precept in Scripture may be turned into prayer, and every promise into praise. Marking them will help you see the sequence of events and lead to accurate interpretation of Scripture. Try (Ed: in the sense of to test or examine) what you hear; try what you profess; try what you read. Absolutely. Lifting verses out of their immediate context is a sure way to find yourself in heresy land. 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. Its worth it. The Bible is a unique collection of sixty-six books written by men under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. But one who looks intently (a picture of the man who meditates -- puritan Richard Baxter said "There must be inward practice by meditation and outward practice in true obedience.") When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen. Grasp these sweet promises. We must meditate upon it. One who uses the Bible as his guide 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. Who is allowed to ascend the mountain of the Lord? 0 :L Hebrews Many of us struggle to wade through the dense lists of commands, genealogies and prophecies in the Old Testament. 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. Yogi Berra's advice is appropriate at this juncture -- When you arrive at a fork in the road, take it. Based on what youve learned, what does this passage mean for you? We all have a story. By Mark says hes starting at the beginning. If there is a promise to be embraced, we claim it. 1ICR, Click To Tweet Inductive Bible Study endstream endobj 64 0 obj <>>> endobj 65 0 obj >/PageWidthList<0 612.0>>>>>>/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/Properties<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 66 0 obj <> endobj 67 0 obj <>stream Bible reading fits into the devotional category. Bible studies include workbooks that help connect you to the ideas of Bible texts. Avoid basing important doctrines on obscure passages. And when we do, like the bee, we will find that we never go away from God's Word empty. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201 who delude themselves. We must meditate upon it. If you read, He that believeth on him is not condemned, if you believe not then you are condemned already, because you have not believed in the Son of God. Nevertheless our duty is clear. In Psalm 119:18, David said, "Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your . If there is a promise to be embraced, we claim it. Believe it to be safe 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. We need you. Note that the question is not"Is this truth relevant to my life?" These divisions are incredibly convenient. Its good to set aside time for both devotional reading and studying. This is always a powerful application of Scripture. A key discipline for good study is not to be too quick to fall back on what you think you know. Learn more 2. 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. You have remained in right site to start getting this info. Esther Haggai (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. Its helpful to take a funnel approach to the book youre reading. Head knowledge without heart change is not enough and in some ways is even worse than no knowledge. 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. Local: 704-401-2432 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. 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. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? About people or human nature? 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). It isn't enough just to be a Christian, if you aren't an obedient one. Don't deceive yourself! Its apowerful toolfor those who want to learn how to study Scripture well. 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! ::c\}oa\l#N/4!tGj;Mu}8Mmm3M^x_M=>l~m8n6vTk7.9Rm+s7mm1>7%cS,"W`!K[43!qCn66JVo[K^nE^ + 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. They are to leave behind their assumptions and make a ruling based on the facts alone. Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. 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). Connect: What is God saying (that is always true or that is true to all readers in all settings)? The following steps follow the inductive method's process of observation, interpretation, and application. A (supernaturally charged and) changed life is the clearest testimony of genuine understanding of the Bible. Ask yourself all of the important questions above, and answer them as honestly as you are able. King Edward VI of England would stand while the Word of God was read in worship service. The word of God reveals to us our true selves. He pastored Calvary Baptist Church in New York City and later served as president of Chicagos Moody Bible Institute till his death in 1946. Believe that the text means what it says. He will be inquired of by us. It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot (NIV). What is awe? Privacy 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). 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? 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. As the devotional writer Matthew Henry prayerfully put it"O that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever! It went in empty every time and came out full (A. Naismith, 1200 Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes [Chicago: Moody, 1962], p.
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