Hey Cameron,
Hope all is well and this finds you abundantly blessed.
When we spoke about your new zeal to set aside all the ‘pre-chewed’ food and to begin to study the Bible for yourself, you expressed the fact that you were feeling a bit ‘dry’ spiritually. One of the most invaluable assets in the Christian Church is fellowship. The reason that is so is due to the fact that there is an unfathomable amount of untapped resource, strength, and power in the body of Christ. Because of this, there is no reason that any of us need feel ‘dry’ for too long. If you begin an inductive study of the book of Romans, you will find a great secret that brings refreshment to the body of Christ in the first segment’s thought.
Inductive Bible Study means just that, Inductive. Therefore it is not going to be expedient for me to spell out for you the segment but a few helpful questions to get you started can’t hurt. Here are some questions about the first few paragraph’s that you should consider concerning the first segment’s main thought. Remember, the answers to the questions should be found in the immediate context
- What is the Gospel?
- When did the Gospel begin?
- When does the Gospel end?
- What is Paul thankful for?
- What is being spoken of throughout the world?
- What is the Substantiation in verse 9?
- What does Paul want to give to the Church?
- What does Paul want from the Church?
- What will encourage Paul?
- What will encourage the Church
- What does it mean to be a debtor?
- Who is Paul a debtor to?
- Who are the people that Paul is a debtor to?
- Since the substantiation begins the paragraph, what is being substantiated?
- What is the Power of God to Salvation?
- How is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith?
- What does it mean to live by faith?
If you can answer these questions, which no doubt seem like ‘no-brainers,’ the passage becomes pretty understandable. Remember to keep your data within the immediate context. All of these questions, not to mention many other more basic ones, are questions about what is being said in the first 17 verses, the answers of which can be found directly on the page.
The logical application from these questions is a real key to being refreshed.
Blessings, Leep