Method | Knowable Word

The Bible is for Everyone

September 30, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

There are more Bibles in print today than ever. We have dozens of English Bible translations and scores of Bible apps. The number of ways to listen, stream, and download the Bible would amaze our parents in the faith.

And yet, some think the Bible is exclusive and elite. That it is aimed at a narrow strip of humanity.

Brethren, this should not be. The Bible is for everyone.

It is not just for pastors and ministers, not just for the ordained. It is not just for missionaries or evangelists or worship leaders. It is not just for elders, deacons, or Bible study leaders. It is not just for those in vocational ministry.

The Bible is not just for independent adults. It is not just for the employed or the wealthy or the powerful. It is not just for those who speak loudly into the world and influence others. It is not just for the educated.

The Bible is not only for those who already know it. It is not a private club with a secret handshake. It is not only for church members, not only for the theologically astute, not only for people who can turn to Amos without consulting the table of contents.

The Bible is not for a select, respectable few, because Jesus did not come for a select, respectable few.

With the drama and force of a thousand neon arrows, the Bible points to Jesus. And since Jesus invites everyone to come to him, the Bible is for everyone.

The Bible is for those who don’t know Chronicles from Corinthians. It’s for those who have never been to church, who don’t what “theology” means.

The Bible is for babies, children, teens, and the elderly. It is for the jobless and the retired. It is for the poor and helpless, the weak and the overlooked. The Bible is for grade-school dropouts and those with mental challenges.

The Bible is for regular, normal Christians. And it is also for the curious, the doubting, and the disenchanted.

The Bible is for you. And the Bible is for your neighbor.

Regardless of your achievements, bank account, or any status in anyone’s eyes—good or bad—the Bible is for you. And God invites you to read, listen to, study, and memorize the Bible so that you might know him through his son Jesus.

So grab a Bible, grab a neighbor, and take up this remarkable, unique book that is written for all people. Let’s dig in.

The Best Book of the Bible for Teaching OIA

September 13, 2019 By Peter Krol

When people get excited about the OIA method of Bible study and want to teach it to others, they often ask me what the best books of the Bible are to use for this purpose. In other words, which book (or books) will make it easiest for newbies to acquire the basic skills of observation, interpretation, and application? Which book should I use as my example to make it easiest for people to learn to study the Bible for themselves?

And herein lies the beauty of the OIA method: it works equally well on any book of the Bible.

Built into the method is the need to observe the genre and ask corresponding interpretive questions. The OIA method requires you to adjust your expectations for narrative, poetry, prophecy, law, and epistle. It requires you to discover the author’s main point for his audience in their historical circumstances. It expects you to remain aware of the context so you can follow the author’s train of thought. It pushes you to connect the main point to the person and work of Jesus Christ before you attempt either inward or outward application.

And you can and should do all of these things on any and every book of the Bible.

Therefore, my stock answer to the question of which book you should use to teach the OIA method is whichever book you want. People are more likely to catch a vision for OIA Bible study from your enthusiasm for it than from any particular book of the Bible. If you try to teach the method using the “right” book or a recommended book, but you are not thrilled to your core by what God is teaching you in that book, people will tend to think the OIA method is dry and dusty.

In 20 years of teaching the OIA method, I can remember using each of the following books at various times:

Genesis
Exodus
1 Samuel
1 Kings
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Joel
Amos
Nahum
Haggai
Matthew
Mark
John
Romans
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
1 Thessalonians
2 Timothy
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
3 John

None of these books were any better or worse than others for teaching the method. What made each one work was that I was intrigued by it at the time.

Therefore, the best book of the Bible for teaching OIA Bible study is whichever book you are currently most interested in and excited about. It’s more important for you to be enthusiastic than for you to select the “right” book. Your enthusiasm will be infectious, and the people you teach are then most likely to experience firsthand the riches of the method.

3 Poor Reasons to Read the Bible

September 2, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

On this side of our glorified bodies, Christians have two natures that wrestle within. Our “old man” persists until we see the Lord, and as a result, even our good behavior can be laced with sin.

We rejoice at the opportunity to help our neighbor, but we recognize the pride of self-congratulation on the walk back home. We try to give money generously, but we catch ourselves scheming how to work our latest donation into a dinner conversation. Our hearts have graduate degrees in dusting sour, selfish powder on the wholesome bread of obedience and love.

Bad Reasons for Bible Reading

Reading the Bible is no exception. We can exploit even this act of devotion for selfish gain.

I’ve seen this in my life. The reasons I have for sitting down with God’s word are often mixed. The more we can identify and repent of our bad impulses, the better.

Read the Bible to Have a Great Day

Over the years, I’ve heard a lot of encouragement to exercise in the morning. I’m told this active start to the day will make me feel amazing and will set me up for success in every other area of my life.

Some people advocate Bible reading in the same manner. Fifteen minutes in the Psalms will give you the spiritual equivalent of endorphins. If you start your day with God, what could possibly bring you down?

This approach to the Bible is stained with the prosperity gospel. Yes, obedience to God brings blessing, but “blessing” does not mean a smooth path and a fat wallet. We must not tie our ease and comfort to God’s favor or our obedience.

Those who push the Bible as a vaccination against trouble also speak a lot about how “inspiring” the Scriptures are. Call me a downer, but we need this sobering truth: The Bible is not always inspiring. It isn’t supposed to be.

In the Bible we find the self-revelation of the holy God of the universe, and this revelation is not always intended to make us feel good. God has designed something much better.

Read the Bible so Others Know You’re Holy

Social media has multiplied our opportunities to broadcast our spiritual practices. And the dopamine hits from likes and shares can transform a posture of humble worship to one of gold-nugget hunting.

But Instagram did not create this temptation. From my earliest days as a Christian I have wanted others to praise me for my piety. I would read God’s word with an eye toward sharing my devotional discoveries with my friends.

Most people want others to think well of them, and in the church, this can take the insidious form of spoiling genuine time with God by an obsession with one’s reputation. Time set apart to think about and worship God becomes more time to focus on me.

Read the Bible to Earn God’s Love

Christians need to hear the gospel of grace over and over and over. The news is so stunningly good, we have trouble believing and remembering it.

We doubt that God’s love is as deep and steady and present as he says. We know the devotion God desires, and we think his love for us must be proportional to our obedience. We pick up the Bible either in the fear that we have sinned too much or in the hope that God might, finally, be pleased with our latest offering of worship.

This thinking is pervasive, but it is nowhere in the Bible itself. For Christians, God is a good father whose love cannot be improved. Our accounts are at maximum capacity. Whether we read the Bible, or how well we read the Bible, does not change God’s affections toward us.

One Good Reason to Read

These poor reasons to read the Bible are focused on self. A great reason to read the Bible is to focus on God.

In the Bible, God shows us himself. He shows us his holiness and his law and his mercy. We see the background and setting for the life of Jesus, the central act of history. We hear the cosmos-rocking implications of his death, resurrection, and ascension.

We read the Bible because God commands we love him with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. But the transformed people of God long to worship their loving father and hear from him.

Behind the Scenes: My Bible Study Tools and Process

July 22, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Studying the Bible is hard, holy work.

The tools we use for this work are not holy, but neither are they incidental. As we grow and mature we find different Bibles, different processes, and different translations that offer just the help we need at that time.

At the risk of navel gazing, my goal in this post is to let you into my Bible study workshop. I’ll describe the tools and process I use to prepare a small group Bible study.

This is one workshop among many. (My co-blogger Peter has written about this too.) My example is not meant for blind imitation, but I hope some readers may find some inspiration here. I should also note that my personal preferences are in flux. I have adopted some of my work flow within the past four months.

Tools

I use six main tools when studying the Bible and preparing for my small group.

An audio Bible. In my early exposure to the passage I’m studying, I like to listen to the Bible. A lot.
A markup Bible. My current markup Bible is a template of my own design. I copy the text from Bible Gateway into a Word document with fat margins (three inches on each side and two inches on the bottom). This gives me plenty of room for notes, arrows, and symbols.
Colored pencils. I use cheap colored pencils to mark up the Bible text. Color coordination helps me locate repetition and connections.
A Bible commentary. This one’s fairly self-explanatory.
A journal and pen. I need to write in order to understand a Bible passage. I grab a nearby notebook or journal.
Multiple Bible translations. I read the passage in multiple translations at Bible Gateway before my small group meets. (I make a point to consult the translations that my small group members prefer.)

My Process

With my tools in hand, these are the eight steps I take to prepare a small group Bible study lesson.

Before I do anything, I pray. I am weak and full of sin, and I am approaching God’s holy word. I need his help!
My first step is to print out my markup Bible. Simple enough.
Next, I listen to and read the Bible passage a bunch. My goal is to discover and understand the structure of the passage. (I recently wrote about how helpful it was to read a passage 25 times.) I listen to or read the Bible passage at least ten times before I make a single mark on the page.
Now it’s time for Bible study. Using the markup Bible, colored pencils, and a pen, I dive into the Observe-Interpret-Apply (OIA) Bible study method. I make a ton of observations on the paper, and these lead me to interpretive questions, which I also write next to the text. I use the right-hand margin of the paper for these notes.
At this point I try to answer the interpretive questions from the text. I outline the passage according to the central ideas of each paragraph and land on an overall main point. I force myself to make notes about the passage before reading any commentaries. I also write down the primary questions I’d like to learn from the commentary.
Next, I read the commentary. If I found the passage confusing, I’ll spend a lot of time interacting with the commentary. If it was an easier passage, I might skim the commentary or skip it altogether. I write notes from the commentary in the left-hand margin of my markup Bible.
It’s time for more writing. I try to identify the main point of each section of the passage and then the overall main point. (This will use my work from step 5 as well as what I learned in step 6.) I list how my interpretation of the passage connects to Jesus and I think through application. Finally, I write a launching question for my small group.
The last step is to create my leader’s notes for the small group meeting. This is a list of questions to help my friends discover the main point of the passage and discuss application. This is also when I read the passage in different translations, although I may do this earlier if the passage is especially thorny.

One Model Among Many

What I’ve outlined above is just one model among many. Some of it may work for you and some may not. And if what you’re doing already is working for you, you shouldn’t feel any need to change.

Don’t focus on the tools. Get and use the tools that will help you focus on the Bible.

Why I Don’t Like Inductive Bible Study

July 19, 2019 By Peter Krol

You’ve probably heard of Inductive Bible Study. I don’t like it.

Anders Sandburg (2003), Creative Commons

I think the thing itself is just fine. My criticism is for the label. “Inductive” is just not the right term for it.

Harvey Bluedorn summarizes the common perception well when he states:

A deductive approach moves from the rule to the example, and an inductive approach moves from the example to the rule.

Bluedorn’s article is quite excellent, apart from this near-fatal assumption that drives his use of terminology. But Bluedorn’s terminology faithfully represents the popular wisdom. So “inductive” Bible study often gets billed as the way to allow the details of Scripture to shape our thinking, since we eliminate preconceptions, begin with the details of a passage, and build a belief system from there.

The problem is that inductive reasoning does not work this way. The difference between induction and deduction has little to do with whether one begins with particulars or with generalities.

From my college logic textbook (Patrick J. Hurley, A Concise Introduction to Logic, 6th Ed., Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1997):

The distinction between inductive and deductive arguments lies in the strength of an argument’s inferential claim. In other words, the distinction lies in how strongly the conclusion is claimed to follow from the premises (p. 32).
Deductive arguments are those that involve necessary reasoning, and inductive arguments are those that involve probabilistic reasoning (31).
There is a tradition extending back to the time of Aristotle which holds that inductive arguments are those that proceed from the particular to the general, while deductive arguments are those that proceed from the general to the particular…It is true, of course, that many inductive and deductive arguments do work in this way; but this fact should not be used as a criterion for distinguishing induction from deduction. As a matter of fact, there are deductive arguments that proceed from the general to the general, from the particular to the particular, and from the particular to the general, as well as from the general to the particular; and there are inductive arguments that do the same (36-37).

Here’s another text for you:

The difference between inductively strong and deductively valid arguments is not to be found in the generality or particularity of premises and conclusion but rather in the definitions of deductive validity [certainty] and inductive strength [probability] (Brian Skyrms, Choice & Chance: An Introduction to Inductive Logic, 3rd Ed., Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1986, p. 15.).

And one more:

Some logicians have sought to distinguish between deductive and inductive arguments on the basis of the generality or particularity of their premisses and conclusions. Deductive inferences, it has been said, ‘move from the general to the particular,’ while inductive inferences ‘move from the particular to the general.’ But this way of distinguishing the two families of argument proves unsatisfactory, as a closer analysis will reveal (Irving M. Copi & Carl Cohen, Introduction to Logic, 10th Ed., Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998, p. 27.).

I’ll stop there. Suffice it to say, we’ve mistakenly co-opted a wonderful term from the realm of logic to describe a beautiful thing wrongly.

That’s why I don’t write about “inductive” Bible study. I prefer the term “OIA Bible study,” which stands for observation, interpretation, application.

My wife thinks I’m too much of a curmudgeon on this issue. Perhaps she’s right. I concede that usage determines meaning. But in this case, common usage is founded upon an ill-fated and mistaken assumption accompanied by a tantalizing facade of sophistication. Though “OIA Bible study” is both a more accurate and a less reproachable label than “Inductive Bible study,” my crusade likely remains destined to crash and burn. So I’ll just sit here weeping silently and exuding remorse for what might have been. Maranatha, come Lord Jesus!

Thanks for visiting Knowable Word! If you like this article, you might be interested in receiving regular updates from us. You can sign up for our email list (enter your address in the box on the upper right of this page), follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Recommended Commentaries that Model Good Bible Study

June 14, 2019 By Peter Krol

A good commentary is like gasoline. If you possess a working engine, it will get you where you want to go. But if you’re prone to drinking it straight, you’re better off labeling it as poison.

Alin S (2013), Creative Commons

This is why I and others warn against common but dangerous mistakes when using commentaries. We urge you not to awaken or arouse your study Bibles until the time is right. We’re committed to helping you break the addiction. We’d like to see our generation less dependent on so many Bible curricula and discipleship materials. We’re delighted when others promote the same cause.

However, please don’t think I’m against commentaries. Sure, I occasionally use strong language, but it’s because I care about you. I blog to help you build a good Bible study engine, and I want to help you see the connection between your unquenchable thirst and your choice of beverage. Don’t drink the gasoline!

I devour commentaries. I read them for the same reason I attend Bible studies: I can’t do this by myself, and I need the Christian community to help me know God better. The right commentaries stimulate me, provoking a fanatical compulsion to investigate the text.

The wrong commentaries make me feel like my 6-year-old daughter, who, on a 3-mile bike ride around town, despaired at every uphill stretch. Before long, she was calling down imprecations on herself and all she held dear: “I wish I didn’t even have a bike!” Substitute “a bike” with “this volume,” and you’ve got my sense when I spend good money on something that offers little more than word histories, cross references, and catalogues of debates between older commentators.

An excellent commentary, who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. And many websites and book lists and blog series exist to help you pluck the gems from the sediment. But it’s still hard to find a good match without consistent criteria to help you decide.

So I’ve created a page on the resources section of this site, recommending commentaries that model good Bible study. By “good Bible study,” I mean the following:

observing the text carefully (not merely telling us what others have said about the text)
taking note of literary devices
making interpretive decisions primarily from the text and not merely by scholarly consensus
showing, not merely telling, their conclusions
spelling out the author’s train of thought (focusing more on logic and meaning than on words, etymology, or cross references)
focusing on the author’s main points (without getting distracted by every possible debate on isolated words or phrases)
showing a conviction that the text will change our lives, both individually and corporately

Not every commentary I recommend will do all 7 things well, but I’ll look for a preponderance of evidence. And I award bonus points when the gospel of Jesus Christ takes center stage.

Now, before you click the button, please promise me you won’t misuse the list. Commit yourself to studying the text yourself. After you have guessed at the author’s main point and attempted to apply it, your engine will be thirsty and ready for a refill. You’ll get far more out of these commentaries if you don’t rely on them to do the work for you.

Are you ready? Do you promise? Take me to the page!

Keep Rereading the Passage

May 27, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Susan Yin (2018), public domain

What’s the key to understanding a Bible passage? Ten different people may give you ten different answers to that question, all of them helpful.

Today I’ll share the best advice I know on this topic. It’s not complicated or sophisticated or newsworthy. It’s difficult but extremely effective. Are you ready?

To understand a Bible passage, you need to read it. A lot.

Read to See the Structure

This advice is not ground-breaking, but I’ve recognized its value on several occasions since a discussion with my co-blogger Peter back in February.

We were talking about the way we prepare Bible studies, and he mentioned that his main practice is to read a passage as much as possible to determine its structure. Peter is convinced of the value of structure in understanding a passage’s train of thought and main point. He tries to understand the structure by listening for the rhythm, repetition, and other literary markers that occur in the Bible.

The more we read a passage—and this is especially true for longer passages—the more we understand the author’s intent. We notice words and phrases and themes that show up in neighboring chapters of a narrative. We see a character’s description change throughout an extended story. We observe the way a Gospel writer groups parables together to make a common point.

Peter has already written a great deal on structure. I encourage you to read his posts, starting here or here.

Advice for Rereading

Rereading a passage may be challenging. But the hard work will pay large dividends. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Allow yourself time. It may take 10 or 20 or more readings before you get a grip on a passage’s structure. That’s ok! We are fallible and finite, so we should not expect instant understanding of divine truth.
Approach the passage from multiple angles. Read the passage from at least two translations. Listen to an audio version of the passage for a change of pace.
Make an outline. After five or ten readings, sketch your own outline of the text. Don’t worry about trying to be perfect! Since we often think as we write, forcing yourself to diagram and label the various parts of a passage will help you think through the big picture.
Adjust your outline. Change your outline as you go. Your first version will rarely be your last. As we continue to read, God often reveals more to us, so be willing to modify your work.

An Upcoming Case Study

In my next article, I’ll explain how this rereading strategy helped me prepare a Bible study on Luke 16.

If you’re unfamiliar with the chapter, it contains some confusing verses. (See especially Luke 16:9.) Heading into my preparation, I knew this might be the case, so I decided to put Peter’s advice into practice. I read the passage as much as I could before my small group meeting, and while I won’t pretend to have a definitive interpretation to offer, the repeated readings were immensely helpful.

I’ll share it all next time.

A Sermon Notes Sheet for Older Children

May 13, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Timothy L Brock (2018), public domain

They’re growing up so fast!

If you’re a parent, you’ve heard this refrain, perhaps from an older friend in your life. And there’s a reason you hear it so often—it’s true!

As children mature, they move through learning stages and require different aids along the way. On this blog we’ve devoted many posts to teaching children how to study the Bible, and we’ve given attention to the nuances of different developmental stages. Today we’ll do the same for helping children follow along during the sermon.

A Resource for Older Children

I’ve previously shared the sermon notes sheet I use for my 8-year-old daughter. The space for both writing and drawing helps her to follow along and enjoy the sermon time.

My older daughter is 12, and today I’m sharing the sermon sheet I made for her. It bears many similarities to the earlier document but with a few strategic differences.

I’ve taken away the instructions for drawing. My 12-year-old is mature enough, for the most part, to process the sermon in writing. (Although she occasionally does include a drawing on her notes!)

I’ve also added a few items to help her follow along with the preacher and process the sermon.

In the instructions that open the area for sermon notes, I encourage my daughter to follow along with the sermon outline in the church bulletin (if one is provided). I also ask her to record the other Scripture references she hears so she can look them up and think through the relationship between different parts of the Bible.
The middle of the sermon sheet is blank, allowing for as many notes as my daughter needs. But the back of the sheet asks her to write down one or two of the most important things to take away from the sermon. I want my daughter to think about the sermon as a whole and try to summarize what the preacher said. This skill requires some maturity that I don’t expect from my younger child.
Also on the back page I point my daughter toward application. I remind her of the three spheres of application (head, heart, and hands) and I ask her to think of some applications that naturally flow from the sermon.

Fuel for Good Discussion

The last two items on this sermon notes sheet have been great discussion-starters for our family. If we are able, we will talk about my daughter’s responses to these questions over lunch or dinner on Sunday. The point here is not to grill her or put her on the spot, but her understanding of and reaction to the sermon helps each of us think about the teaching from the Bible we heard that morning. It can make for good discussions as well as good opportunities to train and disciple our children. Of course, the adults often learn much during these discussions too!

Take it and Use it!

Here is the document my 12-year-old is using. You are free to make a digital copy of your own and adjust it in any way you find helpful. (Instructions for doing this are on the third page of the file.)

The document is landscape oriented and is designed to be printed two-sided and folded in half. (You will likely have to choose “two-sided printing” and then “flip on short edge/side” when printing, though your computer may label these options differently.)

We hope this sermon notes sheet is helpful for you and your children as you carry on the task of reading and studying the Bible.

Can You Tell the Difference?

March 29, 2019 By Peter Krol

At the prodding of my co-blogger Ryan, I’ve recently been pondering the centuries-old practice of citing Bible verses to support theological statements (theological proof-texting). We’ve done our fair share of it on this blog. But perhaps you can help me further think this practice through.

Please read the excerpts below, and let me know (comments, contacts, or emails are fine): What is the difference in how they use the Scripture?

I’m not asking about the difference in theology; that will be clear enough. My question is one of methodology. How does one excerpt’s manner of using proof texts differ from another’s? I believe they do, in fact, differ. The question for us to consider is: How?

Excerpt #1:

The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man’s nature, [John 1:1, 14; 1 John 5:20; Phil 2:6; Gal 4:4] with all the essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; [Heb 2:14, 16-17; 4:15] being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. [Luke 1:27, 31, 35; Gal 4:4] So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. [Luke 1:35; Col 2:9; Rom 9:5; 1 Pet 3:18; 1 Tim 3:16] Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man. [Rom 1:3-4; 1 Tim 2:5]Source VIII.II.

Excerpt #2:

Jesus’ opposers accused him of making himself equal to God. (John 5:18; 10:30-33) However, Jesus never claimed to be on the same level as Almighty God. He said: “The Father is greater than I am.”—John 14:28.

Jesus’ early followers did not view him as being equal to Almighty God. For example, the apostle Paul wrote that after Jesus was resurrected, God “exalted him [Jesus] to a superior position.” Obviously, Paul did not believe that Jesus was Almighty God. Otherwise, how could God exalt Jesus to a superior position? —Philippians 2:9.
Source

Excerpt #3:

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'”
Source

Excerpt #4:

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
Source

You’ll see that excerpts 1 and 2 form a pair, and excerpts 3 and 4 form a pair. Each excerpt makes a point and uses one or more Bible verses to support that point. Each pair uses the same Bible to make contradictory points.

But I ask: What is different about about how the quoter in each pair uses the Scripture? How is their methodology for proof-texting distinct from one another?

If we’re not careful with our methodology for proof-texting, we run the risk of using the Bible to serve our own ideas, rather than conforming our ideas to those of the Bible. Or, as I believe English preacher Dick Lucas has said, we use the Bible the way a drunk uses a lamppost: more for support than illumination.

Can we identify a methodology for proof-texting that assists conformity of our ideas to the text rather than conformity of the text to our ideas?

Take the Obvious Step

March 18, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Mahkeo (2017), public domain

If you need refreshment or encouragement, schedule some time with a new Christian. The recently-reborn often have a clarity and passion lacking in those who are older in the faith.

A friend was recently telling me about a new Christian he knows. I was thrilled to hear the steps this young man was taking! He heard biblical teaching on stewardship and finances, and he asked for helping making a budget. He was convicted about church membership, so he looked for a local body to join. He read the Great Commission and began inviting his unbelieving friends to an evangelistic Bible study.

For this young man, there is great power in recognizing and submitting to Jesus as Lord. When the master’s commands are clear, there is no room to argue.

How We Mangle Application

As we study the Bible, we often come up short when it comes to application. This is both understandable and regrettable.

Our flesh is fiercely resistant to the Spirit, so it is natural to omit application. It’s the hardest step in the Bible study process precisely because it is the most personal. Application requires repentance and faith and change, all of which are hard.

But stopping short of application is also a great tragedy. In fact, many unbelievers would be comfortable observing and interpreting the Bible. We show and pursue the fruit of the Holy Spirit when we apply God’s truth personally and corporately.

Even those familiar with solid Bible study principles may wriggle out of applying God’s word. Seasoned Christians, tired of “read more, pray more” mantras, may dig and brainstorm instead. They end up distracted by a countryside hunt when the treasure was sitting on their doorstep.

Different Kinds of Application

In an effort to seem original or deep, our chase for applications can dodge the undeniable thrust of a passage of Scripture. We approach the gold mine with a shovel and end up buried under a pile of nuance.

It’s worth re-orienting ourselves. Peter has urged us to consider two directions (inward and outward) as well as three spheres of application (head, hands, and heart). Though this makes six total combinations (our worksheet can help), not every passage will land on every person or group in all six ways.

However, dividing possible applications into these categories may lead you away from actually applying the main point of a passage. Resist this temptation! Sometimes the next steps are obvious, and instead of spending time checking boxes, we should direct our prayer and planning toward the clear application.

There may be something obvious we should believe (head application).

There may be something obvious we should embrace or love (heart application).

There may be something obvious we should do (hands application).

A Recent Example

My small group is studying Luke, and at a recent meeting we read Luke 14:1–24. In part of this passage (verses 7–11), Jesus tells a parable about a wedding feast. Jesus insists that his followers should not assume a place of honor but rather the “lowest place.” This way, if anyone is in the wrong chair, the public re-seating would be honoring instead of shameful. Jesus ends the parable with his main point: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

In our meeting, we talked about humbling ourselves. How can we remember our standing before God on a regular basis?

In the moment, I thought of an obvious application: confessing my sins. In remembering my sins and taking them to God, seeking and receiving his forgiveness because of Jesus’ work, I have a plain application of this passage. I have been trying to work this into my regular devotional life.

Find the Next Step

Not all passages have obvious applications, but some do. If you have been following Christ for many years, you may instinctively resist what seems easy and obvious. However, these applications are abundant in Scripture for a reason: We need to hear them. Often.

And, as always, remember Jesus as you apply his word. Walk toward that application in the Spirit’s power and with the understanding that—as a Christian—you are already loved and forgiven.

« Previous Page