Inductive Bible Study Steps

The Second Step of Inductive Bible Study is Learning,
"The Fundamentals of Getting More out of God’s Word!"

How to Start 

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:1-5)

THE METHOD OF GETTING INTO GOD'S WORD

• Select the verse, book, and passage you wish to study, and then read it with the passion to want to know Him and His percepts better.

• Study with a plan: consecutive reading, book study, topical study or verse by verse needs our best efforts and diligence (Luke 24:27, Acts 17:11).

• Discover what our Lord has to say to you by asking the text some questions!

The basic win-win plan: If you just took a Bible book, any one, such as Romans and read it every day for a month, you will know it beyond measure! And this can be done in less time than it takes to watch a half hour TV show! You will have far more knowledge of His Word and be more active and involved in our Lord than perhaps 90% of Christians who usually just “pew sit” and do nothing with their faith. So who will get your time and reverence? Who or what will be filling your heart and mind? Will it be TV or God who loves you? By the way the TV does not love you!

The Basic Inductive Bible Study Questions

Now to get more out of your Bible reading, as you read be conscious of and ask the three basic essential inductive questions:  

• What does this passage say?

• What does this passage mean?

• How does this passage apply to me?

The “nitty-gritty” for your review: Read a whole book at least three times in an easy-to-read translation. Then, read each chapter you are studying in a good translation at least three times. Then, read the verses, verse-by-verse in order, now ask the basic inductive questions and then write down what you see and learn. Then you will be amazed at how much more you will pick up!

• Do not be overwhelmed! Yes the Bible looks ominous and un-climbable, so you just start. Like eating an elephant, you do it by one bite at a time, then one day it will be done!

• Ask yourself, what holds me back from regular and serious Bible study? What are you going to do about it?

Now ask more Important Inductive Questions

As you grow in your devotions and understating of His precepts, perhaps you want to know more out of His most precious Word. If so ask Him for more and use some more inductive tools:

• What is God telling me?

• How am I encouraged and strengthened?

• Is there sin in my life for which confession and repentance is needed?

• How can I be changed, so I can learn and grow?

• What is in the way of these precepts affecting me?

• What is in the way of my listening to God?

• How does this personally apply to me? What will I do about it and when?

• What can I model and teach?

• What does God want me to share with someone?

The primary purpose of this method is to teach you how to study His Word in a logical, clear, and concise way. Over the years, we have developed more questions to assist you to more deeply dig out and learn His message.

More Indispensable Inductive Bible Study Questions

These questions are designed to be a “check and balance,” to make sure we are headed in the right direction and not following our own pride and ideas. We must be willing to be taught and be teachable even change our presupposing ideas to face and apply God’s clear revelation.

• What does the Passage actually say, not what I want it to say?

• Is what I have found all that this passage says and means?

• Why do I believe what I found, or previously thought to be true?

• How can I be better at being teachable and not impose my will and ideas as His?

• Did I observe the context, what is going on around what I have been reading?

• Did I ask someone or look something up that I did not understand?

• How can I live out this principle facing a critical and unkind world?

• How can I converse my faith and what I have learned to others in the character of His Spirit and Fruit?

• Now that I know more and what to do, did I do it? What can I do to get more motivation and accountability to keep going?

Persevere: Be persistent and set goals in your endeavors in God’s Word, once you have a good plan and discipline, stick to it, and do not give up. At the same time be realistic and do not set goals that you cannot accomplish. (2 Peter 3:16).

Look it Up: And or ask someone who is knowledgeable and mature what you do not know. Use the deductive resources such as Bible Dictionaries, Concordances, Commentaries, Lexicons and such.

If you do the above sections, bit by bit, then more and more, you are on your way to a more distinctive, purposeful and productive Christian life filled with His power and Spirit!

Digging Deeper in God’s Word

Once you get the feel of daily Bible reading and the practice of the basic inductive mythology you may want more. You will desire to grow more, and or you will want to be a better prepared Bible teacher, then you can embark on the following steps and principles. They are designed to allow you to accurately and profoundly dig out more of what the text is saying.

How do we further and more intensely engage the Bible? Dig and get more tools to dig more out. The following steps of this curriculum will slow you down to explain the process and tools and give you more tools to dig out even more of what is there. In addition, make sure we do not read in what we want to find. This is called the science of “exegetical method,” but there is no need for big words here. These are the basic procedures a pastor or experienced teacher of the Word will learn in Bible School and Seminary to prepare sermons and commentaries combined with inductive tools, but boiled down in a clearer and simpler way for you to understand and apply.

A Synopsis on How we can Better Start Studying the Bible

FIRST: LOOK AT THE WHOLE BOOK at least three times in an easy to read translation. It is best to do this step 2 or 3 times!

OVERVIEW the big picture. Remember the context! See the whole picture of what is going on. The reason most people do not get it, is because they do not get in it!

• Study whole books; book by book and not just topics or chapters.

• Read through a whole book through and through systematically, then the chapters, and then study the verses, verse by verse in order. You are not at a buffet.

SECOND: READ CAREFULLY. EXAMINE IT WITH A MICROSCOPE.

Read each chapter you are studying in a good translation at least three times. (NIV; NASB; NKJV) Then read the verses, verse by verse in order. Then check out other translations. Now look up key words in good commentaries, and Bible dictionaries.

Repetition is the key to understanding!

• Imagine yourself as a participant. As if it is your story. As if you are there.

• Let God speak to you, as the main goal is to know our Lord better, not just to gain more knowledge!

• Look out for topics, logic, and direction, then memorize those key passages.

• Examine what is being said.

  • First in chapters.

  • Second in Paragraphs

  • Third in Verses.

THIRD: MAKE USE OF THE BOOK CHART (step VIII).

OUTLINE and write down what God is saying to you and what you have discovered and learned. By doing this, it will allow you to apply it to your life better!

ALWAYS BE AWARE OF THE CONTEXT!

Some more suggestions for hearing and receiving the Scriptures into our mind, heart and life:

Study with a Purpose!

• To be with God, and deepen your personal knowledge and relationship with Him, this is our first priority in life! (Psalm 27:8)

• To be with Jesus and learn of and from Him. (Phil. 3:10; 1 John 1 :3-4)

• To let the Bible be a window on God and a mirror on self. (James 1:21)

• To know and do God's will. (Matt. 7:24-29; Rom. 12:2, Col. 1:9)

• To be strengthened in our faith and obedience. (Rom. 15:4)

• To be equipped and ready for Christ's service. (2 Tim. 3:15-16)

REMEMBER: BIBLE STUDY IS WORK!

Growing in the Spirit – it is a day by day growth; just like learning to read, the study of mathematics, science, or playing a sport or a musical instrument. It takes time, practice, patience, and effort! But it is well worth it!

HARD WORK WILL PAY OFF!

Condensed from the book, "Into Thy Word" (see Resources)