The Three Methods
How to determine if it is Good or True
The Scientific or Inductive Method
The first way to find knowledge, gain truth, and understand what to do is to use the Inductive Method. This is also called the scientific method. It is a way to use experimentation and the results to determine what to do. This was the method used by King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived. His experimentation and the results he found are chronicled in the Bible book of Ecclesiastes. He later gave up this method but was not able to overcome the devastating addictions it caused him. That is why the wisest man that ever lived died as the biggest fool there ever was! Although his wisdom is written in the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, his life's results are written in 1 Kings 11. A man's life is not just what he believes but how he got to what he believes and how he finishes up! He got a lot of knowledge from using the inductive method, but it ruined him personally, and ended up destroying his kingdom as his sons made the same stupid mistakes he made. You can use the inductive method to determine that two plus two equals four. Take two balls and add two balls. Count the balls and you get four balls.
The Inductive Method consists of these steps to find out the truth:
1. Observation
2. Hypothesis or assumption
3. Experimentation to test the assumption
4. Conclusions
5. Scientific Theory
The Reason or Deductive Method
The second valid method that is used to find the truth is called the Deductive Method. This is the Reasoning Method. Some things can't be proven by experimentation. They are found out by using your "noggin"! For example, the origin of the Universe. This event can't be re-created or tested. It is proven by deduction. Some things you don't want to prove by experiment. What would happen if you jumped off a 500-foot cliff? If you jumped, you would not survive to tell the results! Things like this must be learned by deduction. You could throw a watermelon off the cliff and observe the results. You could then deduce what would happen if you did it! History is a great tool to determine if something is valid or not. By examining what happened in the past, it is possible to determine that if the same thing is tried again, it will produce the same results. The mistakes of others also is a valid way to deduce what is true or not. If they did it, and it produced good results, it probably will produce good results again. If it produced bad results, it is likely to continue producing bad results. You can use the deductive method to determine two plus two equals four. In your mind you assume you have two balls and then you add two balls. You now have four balls in your mind. Without ever having any real balls.
The Deductive Method consists of these steps:
2. Reason or second assumption. Because the initial assumption is true then the reason or second assumption is true.
3. Testing
4. Conclusion
The Instructive or Bible Method
The third and without a doubt the best method is the Instructive Method. This is the often-overlooked method. It is the Bible Believing Method. It could be described this way: "God said it. That settles it!" Or it could be said "Always do it God's way and you will get God's results." The Instructive method incorporates both the Inductive Method and the Deductive Method. It basically shows you when to use either one to get the best results! The best description of using the Bible Believing Method I got from the old man that taught me the Bible, Doctor Ruckman. I heard him preach one time and he kept repeating this phrase: "If it's right do it! If it's wrong quit it! If you can't quit it, kick yourself around the block!" 1 Thessalonians 5:21 "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Here is how it works: Use the Instructive Method and do what the Bible says: "prove all things!" Use the Inductive Method and prove good things by trying them out. Experiment! If the Bible says to do it; then do it! How do you prove bad things? Use the Deductive Method. See the results in others and in history! You don't have to get inside of a trash can to know that it is full of trash! As you get near it, it stinks, and looks trashy! You definitely don't want to experiment by climbing in! This was the mistake King Solomon made. His experimentations led to learning the truth but it ended up ruining him. The problem with trying sin is that it is addicting. When the fun and excitement are done, the need to keep doing it lingers on. The results are deadly! Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death..." The Deductive Method teaches that sin is deadly. Romans 6:23 "...but the gift of God is eternal life." The Inductive Method teaches that eternal life is found in Jesus Christ!
The Bible Method consists of these steps:
1. Find out what the Bible says about it.
2. If it is right and good. Do it.
3. If it is wrong and evil. Don't do it.
4. Reap the results!
Use the Instructive Method to learn what is good and bad. Use the Inductive Method to prove the good. Use the Deductive Method to avoid the bad!
