Inductive Bible Studies (IBS) are amazing for delving into the historical context and background of the scripture passages. This study method is beneficial for getting a deeper understanding. Reading something without understanding its meaning can be extremely challenging.
Imagine opening a book you’ve never read and whose genre you don’t even know! Then, when you start reading a sentence in the middle of the book, you might wonder why the author wrote this and what the context is.
Well, guess what? There is so much to learn when it comes to Bible passages. The things you discover will blow your mind! God’s Word literally speaks for itself! You can always find something new. An IBS will open your eyes to a whole new perspective and make the scripture come alive!
WHAT IS THE MAIN GOAL OF INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDIES?
Learning more about God’s Word by inductively studying the Bible is a great way to know the Author of the Scriptures. In a Discipleship Training School (DTS), you’ll dive deep into the Bible and develop a greater understanding of God’s character. God’s greatness is astounding! There are so many things we can learn about Him! As you read the Bible, you will get a deeper understanding of who God is, especially since all scripture is inspired by God, not just some, but all scripture (2 Tim. 3:16). Therefore, the more you read and understand the passages, the deeper your understanding of the Creator of the Book becomes.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEDUCTIVE AND INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY?
A deductive Bible study is when you have a theme or topic and look for passages that go with and support that theme. Whereas inductive Bible study looks at a story or passage of Scripture to uncover themes and deeper meaning. This method invites observation, interpretation, and application. They are both similar but reversed processes.
WHAT ARE THE TOOLS OF INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY?
Have you ever wondered if there are study tools for studying the Bible inductively? Well, guess what? There certainly are! Just like you need tools to fix a car, you also need tools to nurture your soul. You can use different Bible versions and look up the words in their original languages (Greek or Hebrew) to better understand what you’re reading.
It would also be great if you used a concordance to study the passage. That way, you can try to find verses similar to that one and compare them. Another approach that would be great is to research the historical background, such as looking at the passages before it to get more context and understanding of what you are reading.
Want to take your Bible study to the next level? Join a Discipleship Training School (DTS) and learn how to engage with Scripture in a life-changing way! Learn More About DTS >>
WHAT ARE THE BASIC STEPS OF INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY?
An IBS has three main parts: observation, interpretation, and application.
1. Observation
The first step is observation; the goal is to observe what you read and find out when the story happened, where it occurred, and whom the author is speaking to.
2. Interpretation
During Interpretation, you discuss your opinion of what you just read and think about what it would have meant to the original reader, then think about what it means to you. It would also be beneficial to ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight from the passages.
3. Application
The final step of an IBS is an application, which involves discovering lessons you can apply to your life from that passage.
Now that you know the basic steps, you can easily do this on your own and even share it with your friends to create your own Bible study!
WHY IS IT HELPFUL?
It’s so amazing how much an IBS can open your understanding of what you’re reading! Literally, one observation can lead to another, and soon, you might unravel a whole lot of other revelations! The Bible is so incredible! No matter how often you study a passage, there will always be something you can get from it! So don’t be surprised if you discover gold nuggets in a scripture passage you’ve already read during your personal study! The Bible can sometimes seem like a magician’s hat; you put your hand inside, and there is nothing there, but then you keep doing it, and suddenly you find something unexpected! All that to say, God can literally speak to you through His Word, especially when you least expect it!
Isn’t it astonishing that when you study the Bible, you’ll not only understand more about Jesus, but you’ll also understand more about yourself and others? We are literally made by God in his image; He created us! Therefore, when we get to know our Maker and learn why He created us, we can walk confidently in the way He designed us. Through an IBS, you can discover your purpose since the Bible speaks for itself. Have you ever wondered why you were created? The more you study the passages and learn about God, the more you discover your purpose. If you don’t know your purpose, how can you know how to live?
Let’s put on our thinking caps again and imagine a hiker trekking through a rural area and dropping his phone on the ground. Twenty minutes later, a boy from a tribe strolls along, and the object catches his eye. He takes it and looks at it, not knowing what it’s used for; he decides to use it as a shovel to dig into the dirt. He shrugs his shoulders as he continues to dig, thinking it is better than nothing. After all, he found a use for it.
Phones are obviously not made for that purpose; however, the boy didn’t know there was a better use for the phone and decided to do what he thought was best. Since he didn’t even know the purpose of a phone, he couldn’t use it effectively. So when we don’t know our purpose, we won’t be able to live the way we ought to live. We can’t do it on our own strength, so we need God’s Word to guide us and help us live the way He intended us to live, and studying the Bible inductively is one way to do it! With that being said, grab a Bible, and you’ll be surprised by new perspectives and revelations coming your way!
Ready to take your understanding of the Bible to new heights? Consider joining our Discipleship Training School (DTS), and immerse yourself in a transformative experience. Apply today to encounter God, discover your purpose, and reach the unreached.
