3 - Character Quality Bible Study Method

Big Idea: Introduction to a Bible study method that teaches you to examine both good and bad qualities portrayed in the Bible to guide us to shed bad qualities and embrace qualities that make us more like Christ.

Series note: We are taking 12 weeks to feature summaries of the 12 Bible Study Methods featured in the book by Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life.

Learning From Bible Characters

Jezebel? How could I possibly be like Jezebel?

The “Bad Girls of the Bible” Bible study by Liz Curtis Higgs says we all can see ourselves in these bad girls! Really? Jezebel?

The author explained that Jezebel portrays huge control issues that many women relate to. Yup. I struggle with that too. It is not a becoming trait and not at all like Jesus.

Character Qualities

The character quality Bible study method is valuable because it guides you how to examine qualities, both good and bad ones, portrayed by the people in the Bible.

We need to develop the good qualities that make us more like Jesus. And curtail the bad qualities that detract and even sabotage our witness and living life pleasing to the Holy Spirit.

Tools needed:

A good study Bible     (Scripture Spy blogpost Why use a study Bible)
An exhaustive concordance    (Scripture Spy blogpost How to use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance)
A Bible dictionary or a word study book
A topical Bible
An English dictionary

Tips from Rick Warren:

1. Only focus on one quality at a time.
2. Don’t rush it! Character development takes time.
3. Stay with that quality and give it time to get a good handle on it in your life.
4. Be aware that a negative quality may be a positive one misused. They can be transformed.
5. Trust the Holy Spirit to build these qualities into your life.

9 Steps to do a character quality study

Rick Warren’s lists for this method. His book fleshes it out more. In fact you can find a form to use at this website, as well as some additional information on each step. 

1. Name the quality. Write out the dictionary definition. List synonyms.

2. Name the opposite quality (the antonym) and write those dictionary definitions.

3. Do a simple word study.  (Scripture Spy blogpost What is a word study?)

4. Find some cross-references. (Scripture Spy blogpost Concordance and Word Search)

5. Do a brief biographical study.

6. Find a memory verse. (Scripture Spy blogpost Dwelling on the Word by Memorization)

7. Select a situation or relationship to work on.

8. Plan a specific project.

9. Write out a personal illustration.


Here are a couple of lists to get you thinking about qualities talked about in the Bible.  The list is not exhaustive. It is just to give you some ideas.

Positive Qualities: servanthood, honesty, humility, determination, diligence, faithfulness, availability, teachability, forgiveness, generosity, loyalty, fairness, kindness, cooperativeness, discipline, sincerity, contentment

Negative qualitites: lazines, a critical spirit, pride, selfishness, unfaithfulness, disrespectfulness, rebelliousness, gossip, being unloving, dishonesty, impatience, worry, fearfulness, lustfulness, bitterness, apathy, grumbling

A final quote from Rick Warren:

Before we can work on a Christlike quality in our lives, we must be able to recognize it. This study is designed to help you identify negative and positive character qualities and then be able to understand them.

You may then work on setting aside negative character qualities and building positive ones in yiour life. Doing these things will enable you to become more and more like Jesus Christ.

Here is an online PDF of the book by Rick Warren, Bible Study Methods: 12 ways you can unlock God's Word. 
____________________

Previous: Chapter Summary Bible Study Method
Up next: Thematic Bible Study Method
_____________________

Reflect:

1. What character trait of a Bible character would you like to reflect more? Why do you choose that?

2. What negative character trait would you like to change into a positive trait? Can you think of a Bible character who portrays that trait?