Three Straightforward Bible Study Methods

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You have a Bible. If you’re honest, half the time it sits on your nightstand, not out of a lack of desire, but out of not knowing how to study it. Here are three straightforward ways that can get the Bible in front of your face and its supernatural words into your soul.

O-I-A

Commonly known as the inductive Bible Study method, this one has three basic steps that will help you unpack the passage before you.

O is for observation. If the deductive approach is akin to figuring out how an accident happened, the inductive approach looks at the parts and pieces first to draw a conclusion.  Observation is about asking the right questions:

Who is involved in this story?

Where is the story occurring?

When did it happen?

What is the plot line?

I is for interpretation.  In other words, having put the observation facts together, what is the underlying message?  What is God trying to say to the people in the story? Everything God does has an underlying message and purpose. Interpretation is not your opinion; it’s a reasonable conclusion to what the facts point to.

A is for application. All scripture is inspired by God. It is profitable, making us competent in every good work. God spoke his word for the purpose of transformation.  When you read his words, he has an application for you, too. Interpretation and application are two different things. If interpretation is the message, application is you living it out. 

Based on what the passage says, how will I live it out?

Here’s an example. 

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 ESV.

Observation: Paul wrote to Christians living in Colossae (current Greece). The way of God in how one works is different than how most non-believing citizens of Colossae. 

Interpretation: God wants a higher work ethic out of believers because our earthly work has eternal rewards. We don’t work for our boss; we work for Jesus.

Application: This will vary per person, but for me, it means there is a level of quality in what I do. It means I implement a quality control review of the drawings for buildings I design before they are released. It also means that in the end, my client is not the person I ultimately work for; it is Christ.

O-I-A– It’s a simple three-step way to unpack the scriptures.

Here’s a second simple Bible Study method.

A,B,C,D-Method

One time, during college, I was invited by a friend from school to his hometown for the weekend. That Sunday, at his church, about a dozen college students were home as well. The funny mix-up was that the class teacher was out of town; no one to lead the class.  So, after a few awkward moments, I volunteered to lead.  

In selecting a passage, the method goes like this:

A is for A Title.  By looking at the passage, come up with a title that best describes it. Do not use the title in your Bible. 

B is for Best Verse or Phrase.  As you read the passage, ask the Holy Spirit for a phrase or a verse that speaks to you.

C is for a Command or Challenge. In this passage, is there something God commands or challenges you to do? This gets into application; living out the Word of God.

D is for a Difficult verse or question.  Not all scripture is clear-cut. There are mysteries in the Word that take the Holy Spirit to understand. 

This method can be done solo or in a small group.

Biblical Counseling Method

Often, life poses a problem. For example, a young man struggling with pornography. The knee-jerk reaction is to stop the behavior.  Granted, porn is a sloppy, immature and disgusting action. If we focus only on the behavior, we’ve reduced the Gospel into a management issue, and not the life-transforming power it is!

In this method, we work from the bottom up. 

In biblical counseling, three layers help unpack the real reasons we look at porn, for example. Think of a triangle divided into thirds.

The bottom two layers are trapezoids. The top is a triangle. 

The bottom trapezoid represents our view of God, self and others. In essence, our theology and worldview. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself.

• Do you see God rightly?  Is your view of him too small, puny, distant? Or, is he holy and glorious, kind and compassionate?
• How do you see others?  Are you surrounded by supportive friends and family, or do you feel as if no one truly cares about you?  Is there someone you can be courageously vulnerable with?
• How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself always coming up short or are you comfortable with where you are in life, knowing that there is always room for growth and maturity?

The middle layer (second trapezoid) represents your values, your way of thinking, 

• In other words, given how I see God, self, and others, how am I addressing the challenges in life?  
• What is a healthy way to handle stressors?
• Do I see God present in my pain?
• How should I approach the inner wounds that want me to find relief through porn?
• Is there a better way?
• Have I brought this inner wound to Jesus?  
• Who can I reach out to who will love me without conditions as I work through my “stuff”?

That leads to the triangle on top. This represents our actions. Behaviors. What we say, do, and how we act.

• How are my actions reflecting my heart?
• Do I sense the nearness of Jesus in my challenges, such that I say and act in ways that reflect his heart?
• Instead of porn to manage my emotions, how can I bring them to Jesus, so that my actions reflect him?

Three straightforward Bible Study methods. Yes, they take effort on your part, but the results will be supernatural!

So, get your Bible off your nightstand and let the heavens open up!

Warrior On!