TALMID SCHOOL

of

Theology

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

TST-BI-100

Certificate Program
By Bishop F. Tshili

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GOALS OF BIBLE STUDY: The goal of Bible study is:
1. To see who God is and what He has done and is still doing. God’s Word is alive
and powerful and will transform our lives making us more like Jesus Christ. To
live a life of abundance, we must allow God to change our lives.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Timothy 3:16,17 )
2. The Bible is our source of strength in our Christian life.
“I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides
in you" (1 John 2:14).
As we consistently study the Bible, we will be strengthened to meet the challenges we
individually encounter in life.(Matt 13:20-23; )
3. The habit of personal Bible study boosts our personal assurance of eternal life.
"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you
many know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13).
Christians who tend to struggle with the assurance of their salvation also struggle with
the discipline in personal Bible study.
4. To enhance Confidence in our relationship with God.
"This is the confidence that we have in Him . . ." (1 John 5:14).
5. Personal Bible study is an important key to effectiveness in our prayer life.
We get answers when we come to God by the Bible.
Jesus told His disciples, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask
what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7).
This promise extends beyond those gathered in the Upper Room that evening. It is a
promise to be claimed by every Christian involved in the discipline of personal Bible
study.
6. The experience of overcoming sin.

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 The Bible describes itself as "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). As we study the Scriptures, we learn
doctrines which are the principles of Scripture to govern the way a Christian should live.
Occasionally, these principles reveal how we live contrary to God’s way. Therefore the
Scriptures correct the wrong way we live and instruct us in the correct way of
righteousness. As we respond to this fourfold ministry of:
(1) learning doctrine, (2) learning reproof, (3) being instructed, and (4) being built in
righteousness; we deal with sin in our experience.
Jesus told His disciples, "You are already clean because of the word which I have
spoken to you" (John 15:3).
7. To get Internal Joy and Peace
Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that
your joy may be full" (John 15:11). Joy comes from Jesus’ words.
Then He added, "These things have I spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace"
(John 16:33). The joy of the Lord and peace of God are two experiences that come from
the Word of God planted in our lives.
8. Personal Bible study Helps One Make Good Decisions.
The Psalmist observed, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps.
119:105). The principles we learn through the daily study of the Scriptures will guide us
through the issues involved in each decision we make. Many Christian businessmen
have developed the habit of reading one chapter from Proverbs as they begin each day.
They read the entire books of Proverbs once each month by reading one chapter a day.
As they make decisions throughout their business day, they do so with the added
advantage of God's wisdom to help them evaluate each situation they face.

9. Personal Bible study will help Us Explain Our Faith to Others.

The Apostle Peter urged Christians to "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always
be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in
you" (1 Peter 3:15). The better you understand the Bible, the easier it will be for you to
explain the message of the Scriptures to others. Those who are most effective in

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sharing their faith with others are those who have gone one step further in their Bible
study. As they come across verses which summarize the teaching of Scripture on
various subjects, they commit these verses to memory to be used in later conversations
about their faith.
10. Personal Bible Study Leads to Success in Every Aspect of Our Christian Lives.
The word "success" occurs only once in Scripture and it is found in the context of
meditating on the Scriptures. God promised Joshua, "This Book of the Law shall not
depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe
to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous
and then you will have good success" (Josh. 1:8).
Many successful Christians have proved God honors this promise, because they have
given priority to personal Bible study in their life.

YOU CAN GET THE TREASURE IN YOUR BIBLE

My son, if you Receive My Words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you
incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out
for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And
search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come
knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a
shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of jus tice, And preserves the
way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and
every good path. ¶ When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your
soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, (Proverbs 2:1-11)

YOU CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF BIBLE STUDY IF YOU:

(1) Accept the Bible as the Word of God.
- Inspiration: The Holy Spirit worked through the writers to give us the Word of
God.
- Illumination: The Holy Spirit works in the reader’s heart to bring the Word to life.

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(2) Understand It As The Word of God.
- The Word is a revelation of God’s magnificent acts.
- Our goal is to see who God is and what He is doing.
- We will gain an abundant life of transformation.
(3) Prepare Your Heart Spiritually
"For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even
so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:11).
- Come with reverence and awe into the presence of God.
- Come in His personal holiness.
- Come dependent on the Holy Spirit.
- Come with a sensitivity and willingness to respond
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the Spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of Him" (Eph. 1:17).
- Come with patience, humility and a teachable spirit.
- Come with creativity and flexibility.
(4) Learn Practical Methods:
- Honour divine inspiration and illumination.
- Consider the Structure
- Be Flexible
- Ask questions
(5) Basic Methods:
- Observe the passage.
- Interpret the passage.
- Check your understanding.
- Apply the passage.

HOW TO APPROACH THE BIBLE

(1) STUDY THE BIBLE- ASKING KEY QUESTIONS
We present the line of reasoning that asking questions is the best method for
discovering true meanings from the Bible. Asking questions is the heart of effective
thinking and learning.
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Questions help us to:
- Awaken our God-given curiosity and sense of wonder
- Explore
- Discover
- Reflect (meditation)
- Develop our thinking skills
- Clarify our understandings
- Clear away our prejudices and pre-conceived ideas
- Find new insights
- Create links between different ideas
- Stay humble
. Be Patient and Humble:
- There will always be more questions than answers.
- We do not know all the answers.
- There are different answers.
- Keep looking.
. Assembling Your Tool Kit:
- Different tools have different uses.
- Different questions have different uses.
SEVEN QUESTIONS FOR BIBLE STUDY:

Who? Identifies People /groups/individuals

What? Describes Defining objects/ideas
Why? Look for Reasons/ purposes/results
When? Time Past/ present/ future/sequence/date/length of
time
Where? Place Location/origin/destination/figurative/sphere
How? Method Manner/ means
So What? Implications Unspoken/ information/possibilities

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  By asking questions, we can unlock the Scriptures which have the power to
transform nations.
 We can discover the true meaning of God’s Word without reading into it with our
own mindsets and pre-conceived ideas.

2. STUDY THE BIBLE- STEP BY STEP

THE FOUR STEPS OF BIBLE STUDY
We need to keep the balance in these steps and work chronologically through them. It
is also necessary to be sensitive and flexible to the Holy Spirit.
Overview of the four basic steps for Bible study:
1 OBSERVE THE PASSAGE:
 What do we see in the text?
- Look at the passage.
- Look at the structure.
- Look at the words.
- Do not impose words into the passage (inductive study).
 Analyzing the passage in order to meet God in the text
Pray: Ask the Spirit to guide your study and acknowledge your dependence on Him
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak
of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that
the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto
you”. (Joh 16:13-15)
Observation: Take notes on a notebook/printout of the passage, while interrogating the
text

a) • Investigative questions
-Who is speaking?
-Who are the main people?
-Who is being spoken to?
-What is happening?

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-What is the cultural context?
-Where is this taking place?
-When did or will the events take place?
-What was the response?

b) • Consider the Sentence flow diagram:

Taking note of the verb tenses used
c) • Grammatical connections:
Look for repeated words, comparisons, contrast, cause and effect.
d) • Look for conjunctions:
Such as since and therefore. Why are they there?

1.2 While you analyze the text, make three lists:

-Themes—what are the main topics, thoughts, events, or ideas driving the passage?
-Questions—both questions you have of the text and ideas for possible discussion
questions
-Words—identify key words and phrases for further study
Defining the context of a passage
Bible Study will never be complete, and it can’t start without an initial observation of the
passage.
- It’s from observation that we move into the other steps.
- The basic skill of observing is to read, read, and read again.
- The best tool for understanding the Bible is the Bible itself.
 Observe the passage.
 Interpret the passage.
 Confirm your understanding.
Key question:
a. What do you see?
b. Why is this important?
It supplies the raw materials for the Holy Spirit to work in your life.
c. How do we improve our sight?
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 - Look, look and look again. The more we look, the more we will see.
- Spend time looking.
- Learn what to look for.
- Look from a different perspective.
- Look at the whole and then look at the parts.
- Be open to surprises.
- Don’t jump to conclusions.
- Think about what you are seeing.
d. What should we look for?
- Context :- How was the book set up?
- Book :- Kind of writing
- Author :- Background
1. Context
- Circles of context
- Biblical World
- Plans and purposes of God
- Testament
- Bible
2. Book
- Genre
- Passage
- Verse
 Where do you start?
- Read the Book and get an overview.
 What kind of book is it?
- Letter, Gospel or historical
 What is the atmosphere and tone of the book?
- Praise, hope or information
 Why did the author write that book?
- To praise God for His spiritual blessing

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 - To help them know and experience what they have in Christ, including the unity
of the church
- To call them to a new way of thinking and living
- To ask for prayer
- To let others know how he is doing
Any successful work calls for diligence, and as you approach the Bible and start your
observation, you need to know what to look for and dedicate yourself to finding it. Be
careful not to see a book in the Bible as a textbook, but keep in mind that it is God’s
Word.
BACKGROUND STUDY
- The importance of understanding the background of a passage cannot be over
emphasised. We must use every possible means to research the background.
- For us to effectively understand and enjoy good Bible Study, we need to understand
the background of the scripture as well.

UNDERSTANDING HISTORIC SETTING:

The Bible is a historical book, that can be divided into sections which helps us to read
and understand it better.
How to learn about the Biblical world?
 The Biblical world is similar and different from our world.
1 - Read, read and read again
- The Bible is an historical book.
#2 - Pay attention to details: People, culture, history, and geography.
#3 - Ask questions:
- Who are the characters of the group?
- What happened? What was said?
- Where did it happen?
- What are the needs/circumstances that people faced?
- What did they know? Didn’t know?
- What was their culture?

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Understanding the background of biblical stories adds depth and colour to what we are
reading.
Context of Book:
(a). Main themes, divisions
You look for:
#1 - Direct statements
#2 - Connectives
#3 - Changes
#4 - Repetition, which indicates that it is part of a bigger whole.
(b). Genre (e.g. Gospels – similar books with similar context and structure)
There are two classes of writing in the Bible:
#1 - Narrative (stories)
 The writer uses the story to say something about:
- God
- People
- How God relates to people
N.B : One third of the Bible, & sixty per cent of the New Testament, is narrative.
#2 - Discourse (speech or writing with a purpose)
- Letters, songs, poems, prophecy (e.g. prophets, epistles)
- Similar questions to narrative
- Most discourses are part of a bigger story.
(c). Kinds of writing in Scripture:
- History and law
- Poetry and wisdom
- Prophets and apocalyptic
- Gospel and Acts
- Epistles
- Parables
WORD STUDY: The importance of words and how they’re put together.

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To have a comprehensive understanding of the Word, we must analyse everything in
our Bible study carefully. After studying context (the boundaries in which scripture takes
place), we move to content, where words are the building blocks of communication.
Observe the Content
 What should we look for?
- Words: the building blocks of communication
- Structure: how words are put together
 Words:
- You are to look for:
1. All words
2. Key words
3. Words with specific uses:
- Read the passage again and again and again.
- Stop and look at the words.
Types of key words:
1. Important
2. Not understood
3. Literal or figurative
4. Words that are repeated
- Key questions: What is this word/group of words doing in this sentence?
1. Some words describe actions (verbs)
2. Some words link other words (conjunction)
3. Some words identify / describe
4. Some words clarify and expand others
5. Some words connect groups of words with other words
- Look for details like:
1. Reason/why
2. Location
3. Time (past, present or future)
4. Identification

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 5. Series of purposes
6. Singular or plural
By studying and observing the Scriptures, we learn to see the words God used to bring
a passage to life in our lives and to bring about change. Words form the basis of
communication, and also form the basis of Bible study.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Understanding sentence structure
In studying the Bible, we observe that the importance is not in the words themselves but
in the way the words are put together, the structure. Ideas are not communicated by
throwing out words randomly. Without structure therefore, words are meaningless.
Observing structure:
- The way words are put together
- Ideas are not communicated by throwing out random and isolated words
- Ideas are communicated by taking words and putting them together according in
relationships.
- Structure involves all the relationships that bind words and ideas together to express
a thought.

How the words/ideas are put together

- Two types of structure: Sentence structure and thought structure
- 1.Sentence structure:
 Work through a passage phrase by phrase and ask what each one is doing in a
flow of thought
 Learn the possible relationships
- Paul’s prayer (Ephesians 1:15-19)

 Verse 15-16: Main  Verse 17: Main idea  Verse 18-19: Main idea –
idea – – I pray also
I have not stopped I keep asking Content: “That” the eyes
Giving thanks His prayer: “of” your heart
For whom? That the God Action: may be enlightened

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 For you Identifies: Purpose: in order that you
How? the Glorious God may know
Remembering you in Action: First truth:
my prayers May give you a spirit the hope
Reason? Identifies: Identifies:
For this reason of wisdom to which He has called you
Starting point: Identifies: Second truth:
Ever since I heard and of revelation into the riches
Report: Why? Identifies:
About your faith So that you may of His glorious inheritance
Description: know Him Identifies: in the saints
In the Lord Jesus Christ How? Series: and
Report 2: Better Third truth:
and your love incomparably great power
Description: Identifies: for us who believe
for all the saints

2.Thought structure:
- Reason why he started to pray
- Time that he started to pray
- He gave thanks for two things: Their faith and their love
- Made two prayer requests: General and specific
- Three things Paul wanted them to know: Hope, riches, and power available to them.

In studying the Bible for life, ministry, preaching and teaching, it is not enough to
present the truth to people, but we need to equip them with the necessary skills so that
they are able to discover

BASIC STRUCTURE:
Defining the basic structures in language

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When observing, we use what we are familiar with; our language, to try and bring to
consciousness that which is unfamiliar. We learn from our own language structure.
 Work through a passage phrase by phrase, determine the meanings and possible
relationships.
 Keep a record of possible relationships.
 Look for:
- Commands or statements: Distinguish between the two
- Question and answer: Stop and think about certain truths
- Quotations: Very powerful and have great impact
- Notice comparisons:
1. Relate/compare concepts and ideas that are already understood
2. How are they alike? How are they different?
- Contrasts: 1. Find differences/changes
2. What is different? What has changed?
- Conditions
- Connections
- Conclusions
- Series: List of things that are parallel
- Renaming
- Parallelism: Hebrews had a poetic way of thinking
1. Saying an idea and then saying it again, will slightly change it to make a point of
emphasis
2. Repetition: rhyming thoughts, not words
3. Repeated ideas
4. Repetition was a majestic way to communicate and express ideas/messages
5. Repeat an idea, but slightly change it to emphasize the idea
 Structure in languages:
- Every language has a different way of expressing its structure.
- Learn how your language expresses different thoughts.
- All languages are trying to express the same basic, structural relationship

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It is wonderful to know that although languages differ in structure, this Bible study
strategy and the way of looking at words, can be applied to all languages, and the core
truth will remain the same.
BROAD BOOK STRUCTURE :
Understanding the structure in terms of the broader structure of a book
In observing the Word of God in terms of structure, we do not only look at words but at
groups of words. The broad structure is something that links two passages together.
Sometimes we have to read and understand for one to be able to understand the other
passage.
Observe/Content Example:
 Compare and contrast in passages:
- Ephesians 1: 20-23
- Ephesians 2: 1-22
 Broad structure:
- Look to Paul for differences and similarities
- God’s power in our lives is similar to Christ
 Review patterns in Ephesians 1:20-23 (Note sequence):
- Dead
- Raised
- Seated in heavenly places
- Appointed head
 Differences:
- Christ died.
- Christ made alive by Father.
- Christ made head.
- We are dead in sin.
- We are made alive in Christ.
- We are made to serve.
 Similar:

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- The same power that raised Christ, places us in the heavenly places with Him.
Ultimately, understanding the broader structure in the scriptures is vital to understanding
certain passages, because passages are often linked to each other. Smaller parts and
words take on new significance and bring us to a new understanding.

2 INTERPRET THE PASSAGE:

This should take you to the point where you can recite from memory the flow of the
passage
- What does the text mean to the author, reader?
- Ask questions, answer questions and summarize.
▪ How does the passage fit into the flow of the letter or book?
▪ How does the passage tie in with other passages in the Bible?
Suggestions:
• Time and repeated exposure are crucial: analyze the passage once a day, at least, for
a week, marking up your manuscript each time
STEPS TO BIBLE INTERPRETATION
The three steps of interpreting a Bible text: Asking questions
In learning the steps of interpreting a text, we learn that God gave us scripture, and
each has a specific meaning, with various possible interpretations and as many
applications as led by the Holy Spirit.
Interpretation:
 Key questions:
- What does the text say?
- What does it mean?
- What did the text mean to the original author?
Three steps to interpretation:
- Question
- Answer
- Summarise

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STEP ONE : Asking Questions
- It is the bridge between observation and application.
- Ask the seven basic questions about the observed scripture.
- Ephesians 6:18a
 Basic observation:
 Main idea: Pray
 Series: “and”
 Where? “in the spirit” (figurative location)
 When? “on all occasions”
 How? “with all kinds of prayers and requests”
 Repeated word: “all”
 Context:
 Review background and observations in context
 Ask Who? What? Why? When? Where? How? and So what?
 Content:
 Who is to pray?
 For whom?
 What prayer?
 What for? Etc
Asking questions is a tool used to obtain a better understanding and deeper insight into
God’s Word. It helps us notice aspects and depths of the passages we would never
have realised.
STEP TWO
The steps to interpreting a Bible text: Answering questions
Good Bible study is determined not only by our ability to ask proper questions, but also
to give proper answers. If we do the questioning well, most of the struggle in Bible
study will be already done. Many questions answer themselves in and through other
passages.
 Answering questions:
- Ability to answer questions effectively depends on:

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 Our resources
 Our basic understanding of Bible study guidelines
- Questions to answer
 Attempt to answer the most important questions and accept the fact that you will not
be able to answer all of them.
- Ability to answer questions depends on:
 Our resources
 Spiritual sensitivity (1Corinthians 2:14 and John 7:17).
 Life experiences (Philemon 4-7).
 Knowledge and understanding of the Bible
 Awareness of our own background
 Access to knowledgeable people
 Access to, and intelligent use of Bible study tools, e.g. Bible atlas, Bible dictionary,
concordance and Bible commentaries
 Three basic Bible study guidelines:
 Remember that the meaning is always determined by the context, e.g. “trunk.”
 Understand difficult passages in the light of easier to understand passages, e.g.
Matthew 24:25 –“ See I have told you ahead of time” - might be difficult to
understand, while Mark 13:30-32 –“ I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly
not pass away until all these things have happened” - might explain it better.
 Use common sense.
Surely, God has given us all the abilities we need to understand the scriptures as we
allow the Holy Spirit to work through our common sense. God does not want to keep
His truth secret. He gave us His Word and Spirit so that the truth might be made known
to us and be proclaimed to the world.

STEP THREE
The steps of interpreting a Bible text; The Summary

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We now reach the final step of interpretation which is summarsing. In doing this we
review all we have studied and found, and this enables us to use it in teaching and
preaching, and to apply the scripture to our own lives.
 Summarising answers:
- Review what you have found.
- State the main points.
- Talk through the passage in your own words.
- Organize important findings.
- Store your findings for future use.
 Organise your findings in:
- Point form
- Summary statements
- Paraphrases
- Charts
- Outline or diagrams
 Why summarise?
- It helps to see the thought of the passage.
- It helps with teaching and preaching.
- It helps us to understand the bigger picture better.
Finally, we appreciate the importance of not only studying the Word and understanding
it, but we must also make it part of our lives.

2.2 CHECK THE PASSAGE:

- How does our understanding relate to the verses that relate to the text?
 When interpreting: Summarise what is in the passage.
 When checking: Does your summary align with the book you study and or other
passages of scripture?
- Often we are quick to draw conclusions about verses in the Bible without studying
and/or checking them with the rest of the Word.

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- By not taking into consideration the context and background of the passage, we might
be led to a wrong interpretation/understanding of it.

STEP ONE :-Checking/confirming your understanding of a passage

We are exhorted never to overlook testing our understanding of the scriptures. This
helps us to complete our knowledge and to test our own understanding of the Word.
STEP TWO:-Check your understanding:
 Key questions:
- Does our understanding fit in with the book as a whole and with the entire Bible?
2 Peter 3:14-16, many distort the truth
- Is it consistent with all of scripture?
 Where do we test our understanding of the passage?
- Is it consistent with the Bible?
- Is it consistent with other knowledgeable believers?
- Are there other scriptures confirming our understanding?
- Do other scriptures oppose our line of thought?
 Example:
- Ephesians 4:22-24 –Do you have to put off all former ties when being born
again?
- Ephesians 4:25-5:20 – In context, it is not literally cutting yourself off from people.
- Ephesians 5:21-6:9 – Put off ungodly attitudes in your relationships, not the
relationship itself.
- 1 Peter 2:17-19; 3:1 – Live in such a way that your life might be a testimony to
unbelievers.
- John 3:5-6; Philippians 3:1-11; Acts 22:22-29 – Paul never rejected being a
Roman citizen. He rejected salvation through human relationships. Not
relationship itself.
- Matthew 10:34-36 – Did Jesus come to separate us from people?
- Christians are not rejected by families, but vice versa.
- A Christian might have to choose between his family and Christ (verse 37-39).

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 - Accept rejection as part of the cost of discipleship.
- 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 – We should not separate ourselves from unbelievers. Our
lives should testify to them.

God wants to transform our relationships so that we can be a witness. We should be

careful when interpreting scripture not to do it in isolation from other scriptures. Always
check our understanding according to the Word to make sure it is the truth.
SUMMARY Review
“Give someone a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed
him for a lifetime.”
By bringing someone a word, you feed his soul for a day, but by teaching him how to
get the truth out of the Word of God, he will be fed for a lifetime.
Observing: Ephesians 4:3
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Observing the passage:
Context: Book:
- Paul wrote this letter from prison in Rome
- Paul emphasised God’s calling.
- The book is divided into worshiping God for the calling and walking worthy of the
calling.
Why did he put the verse there?
- Unity – a major theme.
- God’s ultimate purpose is unity through Christ.
 Tone – praise and worship
 Background:
- Paul wrote this from Rome while he was in prison
- Diverse background of Ephesians
- Major trade route and religious centre
 Content: Phrase by phrase
-“make every effort…”

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 Keywords: Unity, spirit, peace, etc
 Connectives: Action, command – “Make every effort”
Object of his effort – “To keep the unity”
 Identifies – “Of the Spirit”
 How? By what means? – “Through the bond”
 Identifies – “Of peace”
 Structure: Part of a series of commands on how to walk worthy of their calling (Eph
4:2)
- Ephesians 4:4-14 –discusses unity and diversity in the church

4. INTERPRETING THE PASSAGE

- Questions : -Ask the seven questions concerning the passage
INTERPRETATION EXAMPLE: Ephesians 4:3
 “Make every effort…”
- Without effort, relationships break down.
- This is a step beyond humility and patience.
 “To keep the unity of the Spirit…”
- The unity already existed. They just had to maintain it.
- The unity is a result of the work of Christ and the indwelling of the Spirit.
- Not a one-time act, but an on-going attitude.
 “Through the bond of peace”
- Not by force, but by peace
- Not by conforming
- Refers to the unifying work Christ did in us
- At the cross we receive our unity and peace.
- When there is disunity, the church is more open for attack.
CHECKING OUR UNDERSTANDING:
Psalm 133:1; Matt 5:9; Gal 3:26-28; 1Cori 12:12 and John 17:20-23.

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3.0  APPLY THE PASSAGE:
- What does it mean to me in my world?
3  APPLY GENERAL PRINCIPLES:
God wants us to live according to His calling.
- Start asking questions about your life.
- Answer the questions on your own.
- What are you going to do about the outcome of your questions?
APPLICATION:
 Step 1- Prepare ourselves spiritually
 Step 2- Know the intended meaning
 Step 3- Know our own needs
 Step 4- Find general principles
 Step 5- Apply general principles
 Step 6- Act on application
We often stop at the understanding of a scripture and don’t really know how to apply it.
By following these helpful steps of application, and especially acting on our application,
our lives will be transformed.

WHY APPLICATION OF SCRIPTURE IS IMPORTANT?

Application is an essential part of Bible study and should be noted and applied in order
to be effective in one’s study of God’s Word.
 Why should we learn about applying scripture to our lives?
- God speaks in order to speak to us and to mankind.
- The incredible need of our day, both in us and in the world around us.
 Goal of Application:
- John 20:31 - Believe and live
- A transforming life with God Himself
 Heart of Application:

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 - To learn to recognize the will, word and works of God
- To live as Jesus did and to allow the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us.
Christ lived out of love and obedience to God
 Conforming to the world
- The world’s conforming pressures entangle us in sin and we end up with
hardened hearts (Ephesians 4:17-19).
- Futile thinking: Ignorance
Darkened understanding
Insensitivity
Corrupt desires
 GOD’S TRANSFORMING PROCESS:
- The Holy Spirit renews our minds in spirit and in truth (John 16:13).
As we allow the Holy Spirit to transform our thinking and to renew our minds, we will
become more like Jesus, and we will know God’s will for our lives. Unless we allow the
Holy Spirit to touch the core of our being, we can never have true application but
instead we will have superficial application.

3. APPLICATION- LIMITATIONS TO BEWARE OF

When we apply the Word of God to our lives, it is the Holy Spirit who convicts us. We
need to be constantly listening, through the Spirit, to what God is saying to us.
 What hinders us from applying the Bible?
Possible Barriers:
- pressure from others - spiritual warfare
- unconfessed sin - fellowship with other Christians
- judgmental attitudes - prejudice
- perfectionism - defeated attitudes
- too busy - suffering
- lack of spiritual commitment

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STEPS TO MAKING APPLICATION WORK
1. Prepare ourselves spiritually
- Key Questions: Do I really desire to co-operate with the Holy Spirit?
Do I really want God to change me?
- Acknowledge total dependence on God.
- Meditate on God’s love and grace.
- Praise God for what he is doing already
- Give yourself wholeheartedly to God.
- Deal with hindrances immediately.
- Start now, not when you are perfect.
2. Know the intended meaning
- Key Question: What did God say in the original situation?
- Put yourself, as much as possible, into the original situation.
- Seek to understand what God meant back then.
- Different scriptures have different purposes (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
3. Know your own needs
- Key question: How do we become aware of our true needs and the
needs of the world around us?
- Pray consistently for the work of the Holy Spirit.
- Look at the possible areas of need:
 personal needs
 group needs
 social, ethical, political issues
 special events, public crises, world events
- Watch out for blind spots
 Seek advice of a spiritual trusted advisor.
 Listen to the frustrations of those close to you.
 Use actions of others as a mirror.
 Spend time in the light of the Word.
- Beware of the accuser

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 Are you experiencing true conviction or false guilt?
 Satan is the accuser.
- Ask God to show you where to start – it is God who determines where
the battle is, not the accuser.
As Christians, we often find that we want to be perfect before we go out and live
according to God’s purposes. We spend so much time preparing to live a godly life that
we never actually live it.
In applying the Word of God, we should then move from the general principle to the
specific action.
4. Finding the general principles
- Key questions : What is universal and timeless TRUTH?
- Move from the general principle to a specific action
- Does the writer state a general principle?
- What difference will you allow God to make in your life?
5. Apply the specific principles
- Key question: What are we to do?
- Start at the general and move down to the specific.
- Seek a clear picture of what God wants to do in your life.
- Claim it by faith.
- Whom do you know who lives out this passage?
- Make specific plans:
 Start at a place of hope not a place of failure.
 What are you actually going to do?
 How will you know that you have done it?
 What steps will you follow?
 What resources has God given you?
 What barriers do you have to overcome?
 When will you start?
 Where will you start?
 Who can help you?

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6. Act on your application
- Key Question: What are you going to do now?
- Pray and meditate.
- Step out in faith and take the first step.
- Walk one step at a time.
- Make yourself accountable.
- Be patient and flexible.
It is important to be practical about applying Scripture in our lives. We should set clear
goals and decide on timeframes to reach them. We should also seek a clear picture of
how God wants our lives to be, and through being renewed by His Word, we should put
these goals into action.
B. TOPIC STUDY
Textual study, which is working through a book systematically, is truly vital for effective
ministry. When studying the Bible, if a good foundation of textual study is laid down,
topical study becomes relatively easy.
Four steps to successful topical study:
1) Choose the topic:
- Ideas may come from : - Bible study
- Personal questions
- Current issues
- Special occasions
- Be specific about your topic
2) Choose how much of your Bible you will study:
- Choose your topic from a specific book.
- How much do you want to study?
- Focus the study on the amount of time you have.
3) Survey the passage
- Find all passages relating to the topic.
- Read them all carefully.
- Do basic observation and interpretation.

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4) Organise your findings by:
- Logical flow
- Location/person
- Time/sequence
Clearly we should approach Scripture as a lifestyle that God wants us to live. We don’t
need to be theologians to study the Word. God wants us to start simply, and through the
Holy Spirit, He will help us to understand and apply the Scriptures to our lives.

APPLICATION RESULT: TRANSFORMATION THROUGH STUDY

Example :The topic of prayer and meditation
As we pray and meditate on the lessons we receive from God’s Word, it brings more
transformation into our lives.
Prayer and meditation:
 A deeply rooted practice in the Bible and church history
- Psalm 1 and 119
- The blessing of meditation touches all areas of our lives (physically, spiritually
etc).
God’s heart’s desire: God wants to be with us and talk to us through His Word and
Spirit. (John 17:24 and Revelations 21:3)
 Our response to God’s desire:
- I want to be with God through the Spirit.
- A healthy relationship, rooted in devotion, e.g. Psalm 119
 When?
- At any time and at special times
 Where?
- At any place and at special quiet places
 What do we meditate on?
- God’s Word and creation
 How do we meditate?
- N Meditation is best learned through experience as God delights in our attempts.

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 - Many different ways
- Bible study steps are a good method
 Preparation phase-
- Find a suitable time and place, get comfortable and relax. Allow God to speak to
you.
 Meditation phase-
-Focus on one subject or object; look from different perspectives at a subject.
-Reflect on what God is saying to you in the situation.
-Visualise your faith.
-Spend time in this phase. Speak with Him as a child and allow Him to speak to you.
-Spiritual warfare-Ephesians 6:10
 Skills
1. Recognise the need for the Word in Spiritual warfare.
2. Discern the true battle.
3. Choose the appropriate weapons.
4. Pray, pray and keep on praying.
5. Pray with others.

God’s Word tells us that the enemy has already been defeated. However he still uses
deception to attack us. We need to use our weapon of prayer which is our “white light.”
This expands into a brilliant array of colours as you develop deeper understanding of
the Word, and spiritual warfare.

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