Matthew Laker

Engaging the bible ultimately should lead us to engaging Jesus Christ. Otherwise we will never know the value of the bible.

How does the bible guide your life? How do you use the bible in your life as a follower of Jesus? No matter where you are in your spiritual journey with Jesus, the discipline of engaging the bible plays a significant role. It will be one of the great spiritual catalysts repeatedly in your life, as you live out the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The idea is one of formation.  In all of our lives, there are things that form and shape us.  Paul’s call here is to let the scripture form and shape us.  The words we find in the bible are useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.  Listening to God’s voice through the scripture will cultivate our life with God, and direct us to living what we were created for.

Early in my journey, we were taught a method called “Inductive Bible Study. This is a useful method to start with for beginners, but a great one for those who have been on the journey longer.

Here is how I have adapted it in my life, and used it as I engage in the scriptures. Grab a piece of paper, divide it into three columns, and walk through each of the following steps.

Observation

Here you want to ask: What is being said? You are not trying to apply, just answer the question

Some Question to answer:

1. Who is speaking in the part of the selected text you are working on?
2. What do you notice in the emotion of the people?
3. Who is listening?
4. Where is it taking place?
5. What does it say about God?
6. What does it say about following God?
7. What are the main points

Interpretation:

Here, we are seeking to grasp the meaning of the text. We are looking to understand the meaning of the passage for the people to whom it was written We try to define terms, phrases and sentences. We look at the relationships and implications of the statements. Write out the main points of the text.

Application:

Here, we ask what it means for us today. Using the information from the above two steps, we have gained an understanding of the spirit of the text. We look at what questions we have from the text that were not answered.

I always encourage people to journal as they read God’s word, but you can also lightly do some of this in your mind as you reflect upon the text.

Looking for more help on developing the rhythm of bible reading, check out my series of posts called “Help Me Read the Bible”

When did you first start reading the bible?