Inductive Bible Study

This post is for those of you who missed out on the first study we did: How to Study the Bible. We used Kay Arthur's book Lord Teach me to Study in 28 Days and learned the Inductive Study Method.

If you have ever sat down and talked Bible study with me, you have probably heard me tell you some form of the Inductive Study Method.

Inductive vs. Deductive
Inductive Bible Study is where you learn how to study for yourself. You are learning directly from the text itself, instead of hearing someone else speak the words to you. It's the difference between going to church and listening to the pastor preach and message and you at home in the Word studying it for yourself. Another example is you studying the Word vs. doing a study by someone who tells you what it means. Learning though people is not a bad thing, but when you learn it yourself you will find that the Word is truly written on your heart!

Observation
The first step to Inductive Bible Study is observation. Observation asks the question "What does the text say?"Observing is what we are doing when we read through the book of Colossians and mark key words, or make a list while asking the 5W's & an H. In observation we are only looking at what the text says itself.

Interpretation
The next step of Inductive Bible Study is interpretation. Interpretation asks "What does the text mean?" We are interpreting the text when we consider the context, look up Greek or Hebrew definitions, or look up cross references. Interpretation is closely related to observation. We are still not looking at what someone else tells us the verses or chapter means, but we are drawing conclusions from the text always while keeping the context in mind. In Interpretation, context is king, because it rules (or directs) interpretation.

Application
Application is the final step of Inductive Bible Study. In application we ask "How does the text apply to me?" In application we must consider how what we learned in the text changes our  belief or our behavior. True application happens when we our minds, hearts, or actions change based on what we see in the text.

This is just a brief synopsis of the Inductive Study Method. If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to stop by www.precept.org. You can find a more in-depth description of the Inductive Study Method here.