INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY TECHNIQUES

By Dennis Schmidt 11/2014

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This is a guide on how this Inductive Bible study is done. There are no right or wrong ways to do Inductive Bible studies. These are tools to derive more information from your Bible studies.

Looking at the inductive Bible book pages use of colors, symbols, & groups (lists) immediately shows more insight to what God is teaching. The reader will be able to graphically and visually see God's word.

The advantage of this Bible study technique is no other book, other than the Bible, or reference book is required. However, a study Bible with a concordance is helpful to find the location of all usage's of the word in the Bible book. Inductive Bible techniques can be used for word, topic or people studies also.

Other ministries, that use similar Inductive Bible study techniques, include Precept Ministries (Kay Arthur's) and Josh McDowell's (from his book: "Guide to understanding your Bible").

See below examples of words/lists/groups with their colors used to mark the information so that a consistent chapter to chapter & book to book methodology is applied.

STEP 1: Prayer (Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes & ears to show scriptural truths.)

STEP 2: Read the entire Bible book & mark "KEY WORDS/PHRASES" with color pencils.

KEY WORDS/PHRASES that show important issues which are used multiple times in the Bible books. Use the same color consistently for every usage of the word & phrase in other scriptures.

Examples: [ Gospel ] [ Heaven ] [ Holy Spirit ] In Galatians 1:6 example below: [ called ] selected color is different than [ grace ] and [ gospel ].

Galatians 1:6 "I marvel that ye are so [ soon ] removed from /\ him /\ that [ called ] you into the * [ grace ] * of T Christ T unto another * [ gospel ] *:" WHEN: [ soon ]

TIME WORDS such as (before/after/while/when/until/then/soon) should be placed in [ ] black brackets at both ends of the words and color them purple.

[ TIME WORD ] {Galatians 1:6} SOON

CONCLUSION WORDS/PHRASES such as (therefore/finally/in-conclusion/wherefore) should be placed in [ ] blue brackets at both ends of the words and color them red.

Ephesians 6:10 "[ Finally ], my brethren, be strong in the /\ Lord /\ , and in the [ power ] of /\ his /\ [ might ]."

[ CONCLUSION WORD/PHRASE ] {Ephesians 6:10} FINALLY

EXPRESSIVE WORDS such as (faith/hope/love/grace) should be placed in red stars * at both ends of the words and color them the correct color assigned for the word.

*[ Faith ]* *[ Hope ]* *[ Love ]* *[ Grace ]*

KEY WORDS such as (God/Jesus/law/love/repent) should be placed in symbols at both ends.

GOD ( /\ triangle) "NOUN (God/Lord/Father)/PRONOUN (I/you/him/she) WORDS"

Ephesians 1:3 "[ blessed ] be the /\ God /\ & /\ Father /\ of our /\ Lord /\ M Jesus M

T Christ T, who hath * [ blessed ] * us with all spiritual [ blessings ] in [ heavenly ] places in T Christ T:"

JESUS ( T cross for suffering/ M crown for king) "NOUN/PRONOUN WORDS"

CHRIST ( T cross for suffering) "NOUN/PRONOUN WORDS"

LAW ( [][] tablets)

LOVE ( (^) heart)

REPENT ( <- arrow for turn around)

STEP 3: Read the entire Bible book, a second time, & mark "KEY GROUPS" with different colors pencils and under-lines/[ ] brackets around text.

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KEY WORD:

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KEY WORDS/PHRASES GROUPS: show important issues which are used multiple times in the Bible book. Place within red field "KEY WORD" & color the elements (1, 2, & on) red.

Place dash lines above/below the groups, write the key element & scripture locations.

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KEY WORD: {Galatians 1:6-2:7} GOSPEL

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(1) {1:6} Grace of Christ unto another gospel

(2) {1:7} Pervert the gospel of Christ

(3) ETC.

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LIST:

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LISTS: (look at the key words/topical/others to make lists number on how it is described in the items: 1, 2, & on. Add the location.) Place within purple field "LISTS" & color the elements purple. Place dash lines above/below the groups, write the key element & scripture locations.

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LIST: {Galatians 1:15-16} PAUL'S CALLING

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(1) {1:15} Separated to God's purpose

(2) {1:15} Called me by His grace

(3) {1:16} Revealed Jesus in me

(4) {1:16} I preach Jesus to Gentiles

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CONTRAST OR COMPARISONS:

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"CONTRAST" Different or opposite such as (good/bad). Look for "but". Place within blue field "CONTRAST & color the elements blue.

Place dash lines above/below the groups, write the key element & scripture locations.

"COMPARISONS" Similarities such as (Godhead to human family order). Look for "like/as".

Place within blue field "COMPARISONS" & color the elements blue.

Place dash lines above/below the groups, write the key element & scripture locations.

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CONTRAST: {Galatians 2:7-8} GOSPEL: OF PAUL -> GENTILE / PETER -> JEW

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(1) {2:7} Peter -> Jew -> Circumcision

(2) {2:8} Paul -> Gentile -> Un-circumcision

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MISCELLANEOUS: "MAIN CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES OF APPLICATIONS" presented. Place within orange/brown field "MISCELLANEOUS" & color the elements orange/brown.

Place dash lines above/below the groups, write the key element & scripture locations. This example could also be listed as contrast (like above).

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MISCELLANEOUS: {Galatians 2:16} JUSTIFICATION

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(1) Justification: Faith in Jesus

(2) No Justification: Works & law

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STEP 4: Read each chapter & ask "Elevan "W's". Underline & bold scriptures for the following.

Use a large size red color for each of the nine W's. Shown below are examples of Nine W's.

WHO (book author writing, who is the story about, main person, who did action);

Philippians 1:1 "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of M Jesus M T Christ T, to all the saints in M Jesus M T Christ T which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:"

WHOM: Paul and Timotheus/Saints, WHO: Jesus, WHERE: Philippi

WHOM (book written to, whom had action);

WHEN (book time-frame written, time event occurred);

Galatians 1:6 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from T him T that [ called ] you into the grace of T Christ T unto another [ gospel ]:" WHEN: So Soon

Philippians 1:5 "For your fellowship in the [ gospel ] from the first day until now;" WHEN: First day until now

WHERE (book written from location or to whom written location, event located);

WHY (book purpose, function);

Galatians 5:3 "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law." WHY: Circumcised are debtor to do the whole law

WHAT (book key element, subject, event, what is taught: instructions, history);

Galatians 5:1 "[ Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith T Christ T hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. ]" WHAT: Stand fast in liberty

WHEREAS (book another key element, subject, event, what is taught: instructions, history);

WAY (book methods, modes, means, techniques used);

Galatians 1:9 "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other [ gospel ] unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." WAY: Man preach any other gospel

WANT (book desired outcome, end result);

WHILE (book what is occurring doing event or action);

WAIT (book if there was a delay, should a period of time occur before event, results: when and way).

Romans 4:17 "(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even /\ God /\, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." Abraham's 25 year wait for his child Issac. WAIT: Made thee a father of many nations

Not all elevan "W's" will be in every chapter or Bible book. If the subject of a chapter changes, you should ask the elevan "W's" a second time & mark with a new subject. NEW SUBJECT

In a WORD STUDY - resurrection, ASK: who was resurrected, way the resurrection was done, what affects the resurrection had on others, why was there a resurrection, when/where the resurrection occurred, ETC.

STEP 5: Read each chapter for its "THEME" using mostly "WHAT, WHEREAS and WHY" statements to be helpful finding the themes. Also mark the "MAIN PRINCIPLE OR APPLICATION" taught. Mark "KEY WORDS/PHRASES" to make LISTS of these scriptures.

STEP 6: Fill in a form showing each chapter and book THEME; PURPOSE purpose of book; & book structures and other references God shows you.

IN CONCLUSION:

The texts of your Bible, should be covered with comments of different colors, symbols, and boxes of groups in the margin, etc. No other Bible reference books are required. However, you may want to use a Study Bible and/or concordance to help find the key words and their locations. It is God showing you a large number of in-depth details right from the Bible book and chapter scriptures. The information is graphical displayed for the reader to easily see the information

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