SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY LESSON LECTURE INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) To develop a way of understanding the Bible that would be useful for personal studies. To develop a way of preparing a bible study lesson plan. To enable them to learn how to handle or interpret the passages with the bible through the Holy Spirit guidance. To enable them to learn in application what the real meaning of passage to them. To enable them to know, to start in prayer to ask for the spiritual guidance of God.

INTRODUCTION The leading a Bible Study, it is very necessary for the leader to get fully prepared before starting the actual study within the group. A sound knowledge in Inductive Bible Study is a very helpful tool in the preparation.

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WHAT IS INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY

A. THE DEFINITION It is reasoning from particular facts to a general conclusion, in contrast to deductive which is the reasoning from the general to the specific. In General Terms: Inductive Bible Study falls within a broad category of approaches to teaching and interpretation that emphasize the process and careful and controlled discovery. In inductive approaches, the teacher facilitates and supports the learners investigation and discovery. Inductive bible study is one way of studying the bible in enable group or in a small group. B. DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY 1. Systematic and Methodical Good bible study is always systematic and methodical. Unguided discussion about the Bible can be inefficient and disorganized, and are usually lacking in substance. They often focus on the controversial at the expense of the important. We must study the Bible as diligently and in as informed a manner as we study any important book. To say that the message of the Bible is contained in ordinary human language does not demean the Bible any more than acknowledging Christs humanity demeans God. The Bible is Gods Word in human form. As long as we recognize that the Bible is Gods Word and more than a human book, we need not fear that we will read it in the same mechanical way that we read an instruction manual.
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Inductive Study uses careful methods of Interpretation. The leader and the participants prove the meaning of text in a careful and thorough manner. They give the biblical author the respect that they will expect in a conversation; they do not take what is said out of context, they take the words of the passage seriously, to avoid misquoting the author. They consider the purpose of the communication. Inductive Bible Study is a Shared Study Even more important is the wealth of insights that come when the group shares together at a passage from the bible. There is also the enrichment that comes from the different perspectives that group members bring to a study of the bible. A group can also provide the support that is essential when people try to put into practice what they have learned from the bible. Without mutual prayer and exhortation and the example of other group members, many people would be hard pressed to change the habits that prevent them from Living by the Book.

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Inductive Study is Discussion Oriented Good inductive bible study takes place in small group that is not dominated by one person. It is a study in which all group members can share their ideas, ask questions, and seek help in clearing up confusions that they have about the passage. Discussion, brainstorming, and debating question back and forth call are part of an inductive Bible study. Inductive Study is Application Oriented Inductive Bible Study is not just an academic or intellectual exercise. It provides an opportunity for the group members to see where they have excelled or failed, as measured by the Word of God. It also encourages people to see how they can put into practice what they learned in the study. Inductive Study is Scientific We simply mean that it follows the order of the scientific method of inquiry. The scientific method begins with observation, not opinions. So does the inductive method of Bible study? As a scientist forms his hypothesis, similarly a Bible Study member form an interpretation based on a careful observation of a text and then test the validity of that interpretation with other members of the group. Like the scientific method, the inductive method seeks to base its interpretation (hypothesis) on careful observation of the Bible (Data) and not merely on opinions and conjecture. Inductive Study Focuses on Both Process and Product The most important outcomes of a Bible Study are the principles learned, the questions answered, and the understandings attained. These are important, but the very process of inductive study is itself beneficial.
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In the process of the studyPeople encounter the biblical text in a deliberate and direct manner, thereby exposing themselves of the transforming power of Word and Spirit. They also encounter the personalities, experiences, and needs of other group members. Spiritual unity is one of the leading purposes of Inductive Bible Study, though of course it comes as a by-product of the study itself. C. QUESTIONS THE HEART OF INDUCTIVE METHOD IN SMALL BIBLE STUDY GROUP Creative and thought-provoking questions are central to Inductive Bible Study. These questions are used by the leader to foster group discovery and discussion. 1. Good Questions as Precise Group members need to understand what is being asked. The goal is to get people to look for specific things in a passage. Good Questions Focus on Important Issues There are dozens of questions a leader could ask about a Bible passage, but not all these would be relevant or important to a particular group. The most effective questions concentrate on the vital aspect of the passage. Good Questions has a Purpose Inductive Bible Study Questions are not designed simply to get people talking. They guide people in their discovery of the Bibles message. Questions should be written to help accomplish one of the three steps of the inductive method (observation, interpretation, application), and they should in some way relate to the statement of topic and theme of the passage. Good Questions are thought Provoking They make group members think and ponder the meaning of the text. Overly obvious questions waste peoples time and bore them as well. Good Questions can be answered by the Group The leader should ask questions that the group members can handle and the passage actually allows them to answer. Teachers should try to make group members the experts by asking questions that relate to both the text and their experience. Good Questions are at least somewhat open-ended They stimulate discussion and unlike leading questions they do not imply that there is a single correct answer. Leading question beg for a particular answer, such as, isnt JESUS the answer to lifes problems? Usually these questions can be answered with discussion stifling YES or NO. Leading questions can easily be changed into open ended questions. Often simply adding a why, how, or what to the beginning of a question will transform into an open ended question.
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In summary, we believed that a good questions are precise (they can be easily understood): purposeful (they help to accomplish one of the three steps of Inductive Study and keep the discussion focused on the big idea of the passage); and productive (they stimulate both thought and discussion).

II. BASIC STEPS IN INDUCTIVE STUDY

A. OBSERVATION Find the Facts, stated or complied (FF) 1. Observation as part of the Hermeneutics Hermeneutics = derived from the Greek words Hermeneutikos which means to interpret. Simply put its, Hermeneutics is a methodological study of the principles and interpretation of the bible. In Studying the Bible, students should remember the following: a. With reverent attitude: John 5:39 Regard the bible as the infallible Word of God and the highest authority in studying g the divine revelation about God and His nature. b. Approach the Bible like a: 1) Stranger or a traveler who seeks to obtain a thorough and experiential knowledge of a place or new country. go over its vast fields of truth descend into its valleys of revelation enter its walls of instruction visits its museums of history 2) Miner who digs for treasures of gold. Must great truths doesnt lie above the surface. They must be brought out into the open by patient work. 3) Deep Sea Divers who plunges into the deepest sea or the ocean deep to look for the most precious gem. (see psalm 19:7-11) Note: Remember that these methods are not rules but only guidelines which if followed, will enhance the study of the scriptures. 2. Reading Skill an effective tool in Hermeneutics Things to remember in order to enhance reading comprehension. a. Learn to read as for the first time. The moment you come to a passage of the scripture and say, oh, I know this one already, youre in trouble. Instead you need to come to every text as if
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you have never seen it before in your life. Thats a quite discipline. It involves cultivating a mind set, an attitude toward the Word. It helps to read the Bible in different versions. If youve reading same translation for years, try something fresh and contemporary for a change. b. Read the Bible as a Love Letter Read it as though you have fallen in love. received your first love letter. How do we read love letter? minds.

Read it as though you have

Of course, it involves our feeling and our

This how we should read Gods love letter to us, the Bible, with our feelings and with our minds as the Holy Spirit helps us. He is the author of Scripture and our Teacher. Several Approaches into having an effective Reading Skills: The process of hermeneutics requires one to assume the role of a Detective for that matter a Biblical Detective. He needs to search for clues as to the meaning of the text as a seculars detective considered every clues available to give lights to the case he is handling. The Bible must be read to be understood. But thee are more than one way to read it. a. Read the Bible Thoughtfully Thoughtfully reading involves study not boredom. Mental discipline is required for your vital interest. The Bible does not yield its fruit to the lazy one. (Proverb 2:4). b. Read the Bible Repeatedly You may be an expert in a given field if you read a book in that field two or three times. You can put on the shelf and move on to something else. c. Read it over and over again, and youll still see things that youve never seen before. d. Read the Bible Selectively Selecting Bible reading involves using the right bait when you troll the Scriptures. Here are six lures that you can use with any text, six questions to ask any passage of Scripture. 1) WHO? It is more that identifying the people in the text but it is looking much deeper about the significance of that character in the text. Here are some few suggestions:

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First, what is said about that person or people? For example, Joshua 2:1 introduces Rahab, but identifies here as a harlot whose name was Rahab. Read also Hebrew 11. 2) WHAT? A second question to ask is, what is happening in this text? What are the events? In what order? What happens to the characters? If the passage that argues a point: What is the argument? What is the point? What is the author or writer trying to say or communicate with us. What is wrong with the picture? 3) WHERE? This gives you the location. Where is the narrative taking place? Where are the people in the story. Where they are coming from? Where they are going? Maps or an Atlas is one best of seeing the place of the story happened. 4) WHEN? This is the question of time. When did the events in the text take place? When did they occur to other events in Scripture? When was the writer writing? In short, always determine what time it is. 5) WHY? Why is this included? Why does that person say that? Why is it placed here? Why does someone say nothing? Why is a question that dig for meaning. 6) WHEREFORE? What difference would it make if were to apply this truth? Where is the question that get us started doing something about what weve read. Remember, the Word of God was not written to satisfy our curiosity; it was written to change our lives. e. Read the Bible Patiently So it is with patient Bible reading that you have to develop some stamina, some staying power to hang on with a next until you start to make some progress. (Some suggestion:-) Zoom In and Zoom Out Method: A better strategy for approaching the passage of the Bible. Start with a wide angle. Back off and get the big picture or reading the book in its entirety. See if you can detect a flow in the material, a progression of event or ideas. Then zoom in on something that seems prominent. If you use the month-long approach, spend a week or so on that one event or idea. Example: The Book of Genesis Starts from the Creation in Earth
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The Dispensation of Man After youve zoomed in to study a particular event or concept or word, make sure you zoom back out to recall that big picture. Remember, you dont want to end up with a lot of disconnected fragments but rather with unified whole in which all the details fit in with the overall message of the book. The keys to reading the Bible patiently are: patient with yourself. Be patient with the text, and be

f. Read the Bible Prayerfully Prayer is really a key to effective Bible Study. Learn to pray before, during, and after your reading of the Scriptures. g. Read the Bible Telescopically Telescopic reading means viewing the parts in the light of the whole. The Bible is not simply a collection of parts. It is an integrated message in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Put the part together again into meaningful and powerful whole. So everytime you read and analyze the Scripture, and everytime you take it apart, realize that you have only done half of the job. Our next task is to put it back together again. How can you do that..? 1) Look for the Connectives connectives link the text together. They are the coupling pins in a train of associated words that work together to communicate meaning. Telescopic reading demands that you pay attention to these links, so that you tie the authors message together in your mind. 2) Pay attention to the text the principle to remember is that whenever you study a verse or paragraph, always consult the neighbors of that verse or paragraph to find out what the broader context is. Telescopic reading is based on this principle. It never settles for close-ups alone; it always demands the wide angle lens or perspective. It always asks, What is the big picture? 3) Evaluate the passage in the light of the book as a whole this is the ultimate extension of checking the context. Its like flying a plane over some land in order to evaluate distances and relationships. 4) Look at the Historical Context of the Book History is one of the most fascinating subject therein. History leads relevance too, otherwise there will be no significant details to come out. Whenever you come to a book of the Bible askWhere does this book fit historically? When did the event takes place? What was happening elsewhere in the world at that time.
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Keep in mind that God is a God of History. He works through real people in the real world to accomplish His purposes. You can discover a lot about those purposes if you read His Word telescopically. h. Read the Bible Meditatively In other words, learn to reflect on it. meditation.

Scripture speaks so frequently about

Example of Passages: Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth Proverbs 23:7 For as a person thinks within himself, so is he Psalm 1:1,2 And in His law he meditates day and night i. Read the Bible Purposefully 2 Timothy 3:16-17, says that all Scripture is given by divine inspiration and is profitable. In other words, it serves a purpose four purposes, as a matter of fact: teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in the righteousness of living. 1) Purpose through Grammatical Structure Many Biblical authors communicate their mind through carefully selected grammar. Grammar is determinative for doctrine. So theres a need to pay careful attention to the following grammatical features of the text. Verbs They are the action words that tell us who is doing what. For instance, in Ephesians 5:18 Paul writes, Be filled with the spirit. The verb be filled is passive. He doesnt say. Fill yourself with the Spirit. He challenges us to open ourselves up to the Spirits control, to yield to His will. Thats an important observation because Ephesians tells us what life in the Spirit looks like in the church. Subject and Object The subject of a sentence does the acting, and the object is acted upon. Its important not to confuse them. Philipians 2:3 exhorts us Let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. The order is crucial. Regard is the verb; each of you is the subject; one another is the object. Paul is writing some challenging words about the humility of Christ that ought to mark the relationships of believers. Modifiers Modifiers are descriptive words such as adjectives and adverbs. They enlarge the meaning of the words they modify, and quite often they make all the difference. For instance, in Philippians 4 Paul thanks the Philippians for a gift they had sent him. We dont know exactly what the gift was, but Paul encourages those who sent it with the repeated
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promise: My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus (v.19). (Modifiers all is definitive). Prepositional Phrases Prepositions are the little words that tell you where the action is taking place: (in, on, upon, through, to and so on) Consider a few of the may prepositional phrases that appear in Scripture, and youll see how important it is to mark them when you see them: - (in Christ, in the beginning, by the Spirit, according to the Spirit, in the flesh, under the law, by faith, according to the Word of God). Connectives Two of the most powerful words in the Bible are AND and BUT. Text references commonly uses the word AND & BUT Acts 1:8; 1 John 3:17; Luke 22:26, etc. 2) Purpose through Literary Structure Biographical Structure Commonly found in narrative books and biographical structure builds on the key persons in the story. Eg: Genesis 12-50 focuses on the experience of the four patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Also in Acts, the Apostle Paul commands the action in the later portions of the book. Historical Structure Key event are the basis of historical structure. A good example is the book of Joshua; also the book of John uses historical structure to make its point. Chronological Structure Closely related to historical structure, where an author organize material around key times. There is a temporal progression; the events of the story happen sequentially. 1 and 2 Samuel use biographical structure, but they also employ chronological structure. The narrative moves like a diary through the early days of Israels kingdom. Incident after incident begins with the Kingdom. Incident after incident begins with the word, then,then Ideological Structure Most of Pauls letters to churches are structured around ideas and concepts. Romans is a classic in this regard. It argues forcefully and comprehensively for one main idea, as summarized in Rom 1:16 the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation.
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In presenting his case, Paul touches on concepts such as sin, the law, faith, grace, and life in the Spirit. Ideological structure makes it easy to outline a book. Once you understand the central theme and purpose, you can determine what each part contributes to the understanding of the theme and purpose. B. INTERPRETATION

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Definition
Search for the Significance (SS) In Second Timothy we found, All Scripture is profitableread this scripture. That is, it has purpose, it has meaning and its meaning can be understood. Understanding the Bible required good interpretation. That is why, one has to know the principles of good interpretation. Many people today have decided that the laws of logic, do not apply to Scripture. To them, it doesnt really matter whether you see the text as blue and I see it as green. For them the meaning of the text is not in the text, its in their response to the text. And everyone is free to have his or her own response. Meaning becomes purely subjective. If we have to interpret the Bible accurately let us remember the fundamental premise: Meaning is not our subjective thoughts read into the text but Gods objective truth read out of the text. The task of the Bible study is to think Gods thoughts after Him. He has a mind and He has revealed it in His word. The step of Interpretation can be regarded as the recreation process. It is, as if standing in the authors shoes and recreate his experience to think as he thought, to feel as he felt, and to decide as he decided. Were asking. What did this mean to him? Before we ever ask, what does it mean to us? In Observation we excavate, but in Interpretation we erect. The more substantial the foundation, the more substantial the superstructure. The quality of your interpretation will always depend on the quality of your observation. It is impossible to understand what a writer means until you notice what the writer says, therefore, to observe well is to interpret well.

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Five Basic Principles of Interpretation

a. The Content There is always a direct cause-effect relationship between content and meaning. The content of a passage is the raw material, the data base, with which you will interpret the text. Your careful observation will determine the content of a passage. Remember, you looked for terms, structure, literary form, and atmosphere. You asked a series of penetrating questions: who, what, where, when, wherefore. You looked

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for things that are emphasized, repeated, related, a like, unlike, and true to life. In short, you had made used with a variety of strategies aimed at answering the question, What do I see? In other words, youve answered the question you know what the author is saying. That is why, the more time you spend in Observation, the less time you will have to spend in interpretation, and the more accurate will be the result. The less time you spend in Observation, the more time you will have to spend in interpretation, and the less accurate will be your result. So whatever you do in Observation will provide the basic content out of which you will interpret the meaning of the text. b. The Context The context refers to that which goes before and that which follows after. It is the in between of the text. Let us see Philippians 2:12 which say, Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. It we are to focus our thinking on this verse, it will give us an understanding that basically salvation is by works. But if we will relate that to the next verse which says, For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (v.13 KJV). That puts verse 12 in altogether different light. Several Kinds of Context: 1) Literary Context The literary context of any verse is the paragraph of which it is a part, the section of which that paragraph is a part, and the book of which that section is a part. And given the unit of scripture, the ultimate context of any book is the entire Bible. (Check John 14:12) 2) Historical Context In other words, when is this taking place? Where does this passage fit in history? What else was taking place in the world at this time? What were some of the social, political, and technological influences on the writer and on those to whom he was writing? (Look at Ezra 7) 3) Cultural Context Culture has a powerful influence on all forms of communication, and the cultures in biblical times had a profound effect on the creation of the Bible. So the more you know about the ancient cultures, the more insight youll have into the text. Because this is so important, every bile student should familiarize himself on the ancient culture of biblical times. 4) Geographical Context
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Geography is a fascinating subject that is incredibly relevant to the interpretation of the Scripture. Geographical context answers questions such as: What was the terrain like? What were the transportation routes for these people? What was the weather like? How far was this town from places mentioned in the text? What size city was this? What was the layout of this town? What was this location known for? Example: Sea of Galilee, etc. 5) Theological Context The question here is, what did this author know about God? What was the relationship of his readers to God. How did the people worship Him at that point? One of the helpful resources youll want to turn to as you investigate theological context is a commentary bible. So whenever you study a verse, a paragraph, a section, even an entire book always consult the neighbors of that verse, that paragraph, that section, that book. Whenever you get lost, climb a contextual tree and gain some perspective. c. The Comparison In comparison we compare Scripture with Scripture. And that offers a great safety net, because the greatest interpreter of Scripture is Scripture itself. The more you compare Scripture, the more the meaning of Bible becomes apparent. The parts take on meaning in light of the whole. Remember, although we have about forty different human authors the sixty-six books are ultimately the result of one primary Author, the Holy Spirit, who coordinated the entire message. His Book is integrated. It hangs together. Concordance a great help to Comparison: A concordance is a tool that enables you to chase down terms and concepts from one book of the Bible to the next. Using concordance, you can put together things that appear isolated in the text and they take on greater meaning in relation to each other. Read John 2:23 24 (word believe purpose of miracle / Jesus did not commit himself because he knew all men) Explanation in Concordance: Trust Men, for he knew they were not genuine in faith and in character. Here is an example of the gifts of knowledge and discerning of spirits (1 Cor. 12:4 -11) Read John 3:1-7
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About the name Nicodemus will know by reading some explanation about him. A Jewish Rabbi, member of Sanhedrin, and one of the three riches men in Jerusalem. Steps done by Nicodemus: In verse 1 came to Jesus by night (because of fear that someone will see him) In John 7:50-51 testified for Him In John 19:39 did service for Him d. The Culture A clue in studying the Bible is to see it against the right background, with the right light shining on it, to capture its meaning. We must pay attention to what comes before and what comes after the passage you are studying. In the same way, we must pay attention to the cultural and historical context to the factors that led to the writing of the passage, the influence they had on the text, and what happened as a result of the message. The Bible is the product and presentation of cultures that are dramatically different from our own and also different from each other. To appreciate what is going on in Scripture, we have to reconstruct the cultural context in areas of communication, transportation, trade, agriculture, occupation, religion, perception of time, and so on. This is where archaeology proves helpful. e. The Consultation Consultation involves the use of secondary resources. They can shed light on the text that will help you make more sense out of what youre looking at. But one word of caution; never forget the order. First the next of Scripture; then the secondary helps without even consulting the text gives small place to the Word of God. 1) Concordance A concordance is somewhat like an index to the Bible. It list all of the words of the text alphabetically, with references for where they appear, along with a few of the surrounding words to give some context. 2) Bible Dictionaries In recent years a great advances on biblical studies has taken place as a result, particularly of some significant archaeological discoveries. In fact, we know more about the Bible now than in all of the history
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of interpretation. Much of this knowledge is available to you in Bible dictionaries. A classis example is An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words the life work of a scholar name W.E. Vine. It gives the meaning of the Greek words or the background of the words. He tells you what they mean, how they are used, and all of their variations. The New Ungers Bible Dictionary by Merrill F. Unger, 1957 edition, (Moody Press Chicago) Four emphasis characterize this dictionary: First, The ARCHAEOLOGICAL. The latest contributions of scientific biblical archaeological have been collated to expand and illustrate Bible backgrounds, customs and history. Second, The HISTORICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL. The facts of the history and geography of ancient Near Eastern lands as they bear upon the Bible are copiously drawn upon to make the Old and New Testament live. Third, The BIOGRAPHICAL. Bible characters are presented in consecutive narrative form, and events in their lives are connected with the history , geography, and archaeology of Palestine and the ancient Near East. Fourth, The DOCTRINAL. Important biblical doctrines are presented yet not as held by any one group, but as subscribed to by the various segments of the church as a whole. 3) Atlas Geography is one of the most helpful sciences to Bible study. Yet most people completely bypass the significance of place in the account. For instance, the cities that Paul visited Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome are just dots on page to most readers. For instance, when we looked at the stilling of the storm in Mark 4, we said that the Sea of Galilee was 690 feet or more below sea level. 4) Bible Commentaries A commentary offer you insights of someone who has perhaps spent his whole life studying the text. It cant do your study for you, but it certainly is an excellent means of evaluating your own study. Commentaries can be a blessing and a curse. The tendency is to start depending on them rather than familiarizing yourself with the biblical
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text. Theres nothing wrong with commentaries, but remember that ultimately they are just one persons opinion. They are not certainly inspired. Note: The use of extra biblical materials should never be a substitute for personal Bible study, but rather a stimulus for it. The order is always the same; First the Word of God; then the Secondary resources.

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Barriers in Interpretation
a. Language Barriers There are some excellent translation from the Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic languages in which it was originally written. Even, so, the English text leaves us a long way from complete understanding. Thats why the process of Interpretation involves the use of a Bible dictionary and similar resources. We have to go back and recover the shades of meaning that translated words alone cannot convey. b. Cultural Barriers The Bible is the product and presentation of cultures that are dramatically different from our own - and also different from each other. To appreciate what is going on in Scripture, we have to reconstruct the cultural context in areas of communication, transportation, trade, agriculture, occupation, religion, perception of time, and so on. This is where archaeology proves helpful. c. Literary Barriers The literary genres of the Bible are quite diverse and demand vastly different approaches. We cant read the Song of Solomon with the same cold logic that we bring to Romans. We wont get the point of the parables through the same exhaustive word studies that might unlock truths in Galatians. d. Communication Barriers Its the age-old problem of communication. And even though God Himself is speaking through Scripture, we still must contend with breakdowns in the communication process. As finite creatures, we can never know what is going on in someone mind completely. As a result, we have to settle for limited objectives in our interpretation of Scripture. HAZARDS TO AVOID: The problem in interpreting the Scripture dont lay on the Word of God. Its with misinterpretation of the text. Here are some pitfalls of interpretation.

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a. Misreading the Text youll never gain a proper understanding of Scripture if you dont or cant read the text properly. If Jesus says, I am the way (John 14:6), but you read it as, I am a way, you are misreading the text. If Paul writes, For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil (1 Timothy 6:10), but you read it as, Money is the root of all evil, you are misreading the text. Weve got to learn how to read if we are to study Gods Word. There is no other way. Ignorance of what the text says is the unpardonable sin of interpretation. b. Distorting the Text Its one thing to struggle with difficulties in interpretation: Its another to distort the meaning of Gods Word. We need to be careful to learn how to interpret Scripture accurately, practically, and profitably. In Mark 10:18, Jesus say, No one is good except God alone. Some people claimed that this is a clear indication of the Lord Jesus Christ pronouncement that He is not God. But a close study of its implication reveals that Jesus is only responding to someone whom who have no idea of his true nature. He cannot claim to be God for He is very human at this particular dispensation. c. Contradicting the Text Contradicting the text is even worse than textual distortion. It amount to calling God a liar. The classic illustration is Satan in the Garden of Eden. See Genesis 3:1-4 as compare to Genesis 2:16-17. No wonder Jesus called Satan a liar and the father of lies (Jn 8:44) Satan has been lying by encouraging people to contradict the biblical text. d. Overconfidence In Bible Study, as in life, pride goes before a fall. The minute you think that you mastered a portion of Scripture you are setting yourself up for a tumble (to and fro or move up and down). Why? Because knowledge puffs up (fill with pride) (1 Corinthians 8:1). It can make you arrogant and unteachable. Some of the worst abuses of doctrine occur when someone see himself up as the ultimate authority on the text. Not think if you read the Bible most of the time and memorize meant to say you know all the meaning in the scripturesNo because only the Holy Spirit will help us to interpret the real meaning of what the Words of God says.

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C.

APPLICATION Link to Life application Application is the most neglected yet the most needed stage in the process. Too much Bible Study begins and ends in the wrong place. Sometimes no good to say we start in good observation and interpretation but we stop there. Understanding the Words of God simply to say a means to a larger end practicing biblical truth in day-to-day life. Observation plus Interpretation without application equals abortion. In other words, every time you observe and interpret but fail to apply, you perform an abortion on the Scriptures in terms of their purpose. The Bible was not written to satisfy your curiosity; it was written to transform your life. The ultimate goal of the Bible study, then, is not to do something to the Bible but to allow the Bible to do something to you, so truth becomes tangent to life. 1. Four Steps: a. To Know If you want to apply the Bible, you need to know two things. 1) Know the Text First, youve got to know the interpretation of the biblical text. Application is based on interpretation, so if your interpretation of a passage is erroneous, your application will likely be erroneous. If your interpretation is correct, you have a possibility that your application will be correct. The principle is, Interpretation is one: Application is many. There is only one ultimate interpretation of a passage of the Scripture. The text doesnt mean one thing today and something else tomorrow. Whatever it means, it means forever. But you will never cease the process of applying that truth to your life. Implication: Be careful how you interpret. You will only multiply error if you start with a faulty interpretation. 2) Know Yourself Not only must you know the interpretation, you must know yourself. In 1 Timothy 4:16, Paul warns Timothy, Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching. Notice the order: Pay attention to yourself, first; then to the communication of the truth to others. Why? Because if you dont

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know yourself, its difficult to help other people apply the Bible to their lives. Question to know yourself What are your Assets and Liabilities (limitations and greatest hindrance to growth)? Now put these together and see the value in application. If you know your assets, it will develop your Confidence. If you know your liabilities, it will develop your Faith. Your assets tell you what God has done for you. Your liabilities tell you what God needs to develop in you. The reason most of us dont grow more is that we dont really know what we need. (Romans 12:3 offers insight here: For by grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. b. To Relate Once we know the truth of the Word of God, we must relate it to our experience. In fact, Christianity is best understood as a series of new relationships. The biblical pattern for that is 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. When you become a Christian, Jesus Christ moves into your life right to the center. Once there, He affects every area. He improves your home life; you become more sensitive as a partner, as a parent, as a person. He strengthens your thought life: your mind dwells on constructive things, you develop wider interest, and you cultivate more godly values. He renovates your social life: your relationship with friends and associates change as you begin to treat them with Christlikeness. Jesus Christ wants to renew every area of your life. Thats why Christian growth is a process a dynamic process. Everyday as we wake up and realize that there are still areas of our life over which the Lord does not have control. So we have got to come to the Word of God throughout our lifetime. Spiritual growth is a longterm process and unless I heed the Word of God, I will never arrive at the goal of Christlikeness. Once you realize that Jesus Christ wants to impact your life in a profound way, you need to look for areas in which to relate the Word to life. Such as these: 1) A new Relationship to God He is now your heavenly Father. have a personal and intimate relationship with Him. You

2) A new Relationship to Yourself You develop a new self-image. Why, if God loves you, if Christ died for you, if the Holy Spirit has
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gifted and empowered you, the means you have tremendous value and significance. Your life takes on new meaning and purpose. 3) A new Relationship to Other People You discover that other people are not the enemy. They may be victims of the enemy, but they are the people that God has placed in your life. He calls you treat them with Christlikeness. 4) A new Relationship to the Enemy Please note: Once you come to Christ you change sides in the battle. Before, you were just a pawn of the enemy. He moved you around whenever he wanted you to go. You 5) The Word Exposes your Sin Remember 2 Timothy 3:16. Scripture has a reproving and corrective function. It tells you when you are outof-bounds in order to clean out the sin from your life. 6) The Word gives you Gods promises It tells you what you can expect from God and what you can rely on Him to do. 7) The Word gives you Gods Commands The biographies in the Scripture are very much helpful. It tells of the stories of people who lived their lives before God. Thats were the Scripture becomes real. Some offer a positive example, and those are the ones I want to follow. Others present a negative example that I need to avoid.

c.

To Meditate Meditation has become a lost art in contemporary society, except of course, among adherents of Eastern mysticism. Im talking about something completely different from the mental gymnastics that seek to empty the mind. True meditation is pondering the truth with a view to letting it help and readjust our lives. Since most of us are active, busy people, were likely to conclude that meditation was a nice thing for an earlier generation of believers, but it really has no relevance in our day and age (wrong statement). Meditation is useful in the step of Observation. It is absolutely essential to the step of application. Remember the passages, Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:12. Both of those passages said that the key to spiritual prosperity is to meditate on the Word day and night. In other words, were to weave Scripture into the fabric of everyday living. There is a direct link between meditation and memory. Memory provides the mind with the fuel it needs to make meditation profitable. Memory is the key to meditation and Meditation is the key to changing our outlook.

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d.

To Practice The ultimate goal of Bible study is to practice the truth. Scripture are not written to fatten geese but to train athletes and equip soldiers for the realities of life. Run to win, Fight to win, Thats the message of the Word. You cant consciously apply every truth you find in your study, but you can consistently apply something. So you can always want to ask yourself. Is there some area of my life for which this truth is needed? Let me give you a personal illustration, Philippians 2:14 is a convicting verse: Do everything without complaining or arguing (NIV). May be thats no problem to you, but for me that extremely difficult verse. In fact, I wish I could just skip from verse 13 to verse 15. But theres that little verse right in the middle.

1.

Nine Question to ask in Application: In observation, we bombard the text with batteries of questions. The same is true when it comes to Application. Here are nine applicational questions you can ask whenever you come to the Word. a. Is there an example for me to follow? Have you noticed how much of the Bible is biographical? Thats not an accident; its by design. God fills His Word with people because nothing helps the truth come alive the way people do. The challenge, of course, is to draw parallels between your situation and that of the character you are studying. Consider Abraham in Genesis 18. The Lord reveals to him that He is about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, where Abrahams nephew, Lot, lives with his family. So Abraham pleads with the Lord not to destroy Sodom, if he can find enough righteous people living there. So does that means theres nothing for me to apply from Genesis 18? No, Abraham is an outstanding model of compassionate prayer on behalf of wicked people. There he is on his knees, begging the Lord to spare them from judgment. So I have to ask, is that the kind of prayer Im praying for the people around me? Or am I sort of hoping that God will remove all those evil pagans out there? b. Is there a sin to avoid? One of the values of the Word is that it raises your consciousness in regard to moral issues. Before we became believer we did things that if

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somebody had told us were sin, well probably ignore it and have said, You must be kidding. Altogether we have different standard of right and wrong. It was only when we came to Christ and began reading Scripture that we know what sin really is. c. Is there a promise to claim? Gods word is filled with promises promises that are made by the Person who does not lie and who is totally capable of fulfilling them. God honored His word. Just like what He had shown to Nehemiah in the first chapter of Nehemiah. God promised that He will restore the land if the people would confess and repent of their sin. Nehemiah prayed and claimed those promises and God rewarded him with the right answer. Of course, not all of the promises in the Scripture are given to you and me. Some promises God made to certain individuals, not to the people in general. Others he made to groups of people, such as the nation of Israel. We cant claim promises that havent been made to us. But we can certainly claim promises made to the church, as well as those made to the righteous in Proverb and other portions of the wisdom literature. d. Is there a prayer to repeat? Abraham teaches us something about prayer in Genesis 18. So does Nehemiah. Try to meditate on the great prayers in Scripture: for example, Davids prayer of confession in Psalm 51; Hannahs prayer of thanksgiving after the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:1-10); Jonahs prayer from the belly of the fish (Jonah 2); Marys prayer in Luke 1:46-55; Pauls prayer for the Ephesians in Ephesians 3:14-21; Jesus prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mathew 26:36-46), and the Lords prayer, which is really the disciples prayer, and in fact, our prayer (Mathew 6:5-15). As you study those passages, ask yourself, what is there in these prayers that I need to be praying? e. Is there a command to obey? The Bible is filled with potent, clear-cut commands. There are fifty-four in the book of James alone. Likewise, the applicational sections of Pauls epistles Romans 12-15, Galatians 5-6, Ephesians 4-6, Colossians 3-4 are primarily exhortation. A wise, old scholar was once asked how to determine the will of God. His response was simple. Ninety-five percent of the will of God is revealed in the commands of the Scripture. If you spend your time attending to those, you wont have much trouble working out the other five percent.
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f. Is there a condition to meet? Many of the promises of God are based on conditions set forth in the text. For instance, Jesus said, If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). Do you notice the conditions? If you abide in Me, and (if) My words abide in you. Jesus made an incredible promise: Ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. But the conditions must be met. g. Is there a verse to memorize? Obviously, any verse of Scripture can be memorized. But some will carry more significance for you than others. Thats why it is highly recommend that you launch a Bible memorization program. Perhaps you can use something such as the Topical Memory System. Through that you may be able to develop your own list of verses that have become personal and meaningful to you. It will be significantly helpful if you will try to memorize a large portion of the Word. The benefit could be immeasurable. h. Is there an error to mark? One of the positive developments that Ive observed among Christians during my lifetime has been a renewed on people and relationships. Thats what the outworking of biblical truth ought to produce love and concern for people and their needs. Personal Bible study can help to turn that around. As you investigate Gods Word, ask yourself: What doctrines and truths is this passage teaching? What theological error is it exposing? And then: What changes do I need to make in my thinking in order to bring it in line with what the Scriptures teach? i. Is there a challenge to face? Have you ever read a portion of the Bible and felt convicted that you needed to act on the basis of what youve read? The Spirit of God will prompt that, when you read the Word. Hell challenge you to respond in some area of your life, or in some situation that you are facing. Perhaps its a relationship that needs to be healed. Perhaps its a relationship that needs to be made. Maybe you need to get out of something that is drawing you away from God or maybe theres a habit you need to start cultivating. Whatever it is, the Spirit uses Scripture to promote changes in your life. The question is, are you open to such change? Are you prepared to take on His challenges? I guarantee that if you approach Gods Word with any
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degree of honesty and teacheability, the Spirit wont let you go away disappointed.

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