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Application & Bible Basics

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Knowable Word LogoCheck out these great posts:

Learning the Art of Sermon Application – Jeramie Rinne explains how to go about applying a text to your audience. Even if you’re not a preacher, you’ll find his suggestions useful in your own study, or as you lead discussions.

What is the Bible? – Mark Driscoll just began a series of posts on how the Bible has been transmitted, translated, and trusted by Christians. This first post addresses what the Bible is, what Christians believe about it, and what it says about itself. It’s a great intro to these issues.

When Bible Study Stops Short

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StensonThis is a guest post by Brian Stenson, a graduate of Bloomsburg University and collegiate missionary with DiscipleMakers. You can find him on Facebook.

We know that in Bible study we must seek truth. But what happens if we stop there?

In Daniel 5, King Belshazzar shows the folly of finding truth without applying it to our lives. His story goes like this.
Belshazzar throws a great party. It’s just getting good, when a human hand appears out of nowhere and writes on the wall. King Belshazzar becomes greatly alarmed at this, just as any of us would. Since he cannot read what the hand is writing, he seeks out the best magicians, enchanters, and astrologers in his kingdom to interpret the words. None is able to, until Daniel shows up. The king hears of Daniel because of the sterling reputation he had with Belshazzar’s father. Daniel agrees to interpret the message; however, the news is not good for Belshazzar. Daniel tells him that God has numbered the days of his kingdom, that he has not measured up, and that his kingdom will be divided and given away.

David Fisher (2009), Creative Commons

David Fisher (2009), Creative Commons

At this point in the story, things aren’t so great for Belshazzar. But they can still get worse. Belshazzar immediately rewards Daniel for his efforts and makes him the third ruler in the kingdom. Then comes the punch line.

“That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed” (Dan 5:30, ESV).

What? That’s it? Why the abrupt ending? Where is the part where King Belshazzar begs God for mercy? Why doesn’t he repent for his evil ways? Ho

w could he not try to do something to stop this impending judgment?

Unfortunately, I often act just like King Belshazzar. He sought the truth. He worked hard to find the message’s meaning. But in the end, he did nothing about it. And the consequences were devastating.

I’m like Belshazzar when I study the Bible and come up with great applications, only to forget them a few hours later. I’m like Belshazzar when I read about seeking wisdom as silver and searching for it as hidden treasure (Proverbs 2:3-4) but sit back and enjoy my laziness instead. I’m like Belshazzar when I read God’s promises but fail to believe them, being satisfied instead to chase my own earthly security.

James warns of such behavior.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

Being doers of the word goes beyond finding great applications in our Bible study. Being doers of the word means intentionally living out the truths that the Bible lays before us. We absolutely must seek the truth. But we must not stop there. After all, Jesus didn’t.

Jesus didn’t listen to the Father and then quickly forget what he said. Jesus didn’t decide to do things his own way. No, Jesus obeyed the Father, even to death on a cross, because he knew we would fall short in our obedience. Because of Jesus, there’s hope. So when our Bible study stops short, let’s get back up, trusting in the perfect work of Jesus Christ, and strive to be doers of the Word.

Theology is Never an Academic Exercise

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Knowable Word LogoMike Riccardi recently posted a great article at The Cripplegate on the book of Philippians. He shows how studying theology and growing in virtue are inseparable.

Although Riccardi’s point is well-made, I commend his article to you more for his excellent model of Bible study. He identifies the main point of Philippians, and he traces out Paul’s flow of thought effortlessly.

The Book of Philippians is about the Gospel. It’s not quite an exposition of the doctrinal content of the Gospel, like Romans is. And it’s not quite a defense of the Gospel in the face of heresy, like Galatians is. Philippians is more about the implications the Gospel has on the various aspects of our lives as believers. It’s about how we are to live in light of the Gospel. The thesis verse of the letter is Philippians 1:27, in which Paul commands his dear friends to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.”

Check it out!

My Application

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"Making Pottery" by Lennart Tange (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lennart Tange (2012), Creative Commons

Bible study profits you nothing unless it changes your life by pointing you to Jesus and conforming you to his image.  On this blog, we seek to help ordinary people learn to study the Bible.  We want you to be like Jesus and to love him more.

To that end, here’s one final post on the topic of application.  I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned through my study of Luke 2.  I don’t do this to communicate that my applications are in any way perfect.  I do this merely to give you an example of what it looks like to “fill in the boxes” of application.  You may want to consult the worksheet as you read this post to help you see what it could look like to fill it in.

Peter Krol’s application of LUKE 2:1-21

Main Point: God sent Jesus to be born so he might save the lowly and rule them graciously. This brings him highest glory.

Inward Application: The general idea is that I’m struggling to spend time with my children these days.  God has put a lot on my plate, and I’m tempted to let family time be the first thing to fall off my plate.  But they are some of the “lowly ones” in my life whom I’m called to care for.

  1. HEAD: I must reject the lie that I have better things to do than play catch, practice memory verses, or wipe little butts.  Jesus stooped down to rescue me; he wants me to do the same for the lowly ones in my family.
  2. HANDS: I will block out my daily schedule from 5-7pm for family time.  I won’t expect to have any “personal time” until the children are in bed.  In the next week, I will ask them to do stuff with me more times than they ask me to do stuff with them.
  3. HEART: I will put off selfishness and put on humility.  I will think of my children more than myself.  When a child asks me to play a game, I will think about how the Lord Jesus responds to my requests (HINT: he doesn’t make excuses to avoid having to answer me).  I will ask the Lord for help to be cheerful when my plan doesn’t work out.  I’ll exercise self-control when I feel disappointed or tired.

Outward Application:  There’s a guy I disciple who struggles with putting himself in other people’s shoes (in contrast to Jesus, who took on our nature so he could save us).  He gets stuck in his own perspective, and he loses influence with people when they feel misunderstood or ignored.  This passage can help me to help him.

  1. HEAD: I can point out specific situations where I see people either gaining or losing trust with this person (usually I’m too lazy to take note of specific instances).  I can help him to connect the dots between his actions and the consequences of those actions (increased or decreased trust).  We can celebrate the victories, and look to Jesus in the failures.
  2. HANDS: As we discuss specific situations, I can ask “what went well, and what could you have done differently?”  We can practice listening and conversation skills to help them become more natural.
  3. HEART: Next time we meet, I’ll ask him to label the issues with biblical terms (learning to be quick to listen and slow to speak, learning kindness and tenderheartedness, not thinking of himself too highly).  As the issues come to light, we’ll consider how Jesus lowered himself for our sake, and I’ll ask what desires keep him from doing the same.  In other words, why does he love his own perspective so much?  What does it give him that makes it so hard to give it up?

What do you think?  Was I specific enough?  Did I remember Jesus?

Be Specific in Your Application

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hidingBible study is perfect for people like me who fear exposure.  We who love to mince words and divert attention feel right at home in some churches because it’s easy to deceive spiritual people with high-minded platitudes.

“How are you today?”  “I’m too blessed to be stressed.”

“What did you think of the sermon?”  “It was pretty good.  I like the pastor.  He’s easy to listen to.”

“How would you like to grow this year?”  “I don’t pray enough.  I need to pray more.”

“I need to love my family.”

“I’d like to be a witness to my coworkers.”

And on and on and on.

We hear God’s Word all the time, but we often respond so generally that we rarely change.  But God wants to change specific people in specific ways.  So we must be specific in our application.

The Apostle John wrote a letter to churches infiltrated by false teachers.  These teachers were slick.  They were full of vague platitudes like “We know God” and “We love God’s people,” but something was seriously wrong beneath the surface.  True believers were second-guessing themselves and their assurance of eternal life because these teachers claimed to have critical inside knowledge unavailable to the masses.

John tackles the issue head-on at the beginning of the letter:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8, ESV).

In other words, anyone who refuses to acknowledge that he is a sinner is utterly deceived.  There is no fast-track with God that can eliminate sin this side of glory.  Anyone who claims otherwise does not live in reality.

But notice which error John exposes next:

If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:10).

In other words, when confronted with a specific sin, anyone who covers it up, shifts the blame, or denies it calls God a liar.  This person does not understand God’s Word.

What is the point?

John says that those who understand God’s Knowable Word will acknowledge two things:

  1. They have sin (as a general fact)
  2. They have sinned (in specific instances)

It’s not enough to trust in Christ to forgive your sin, if you are not willing to ‘fess up to the details.

This means that our application of Scripture must be specific.  Platitudes aren’t enough.  General principles will go only so far.

Skull detailsWhat does it mean to apply the Bible specifically?

  1. Point your finger at yourself before you point it at anybody else.  You’re not qualified to help others grow in Christ unless you are growing in Christ yourself.
  2. Focus on your heart more than on your behavior.  Don’t apply the Bible shallowly.  Figure out what you desire or believe, and work to change those desires and beliefs.  Don’t worry, your behavior will follow.
  3. Know your next steps.  Don’t be satisfied with your application until you’ve identified specific steps you can take to address the issue.  When you close the Bible and walk away, what will you do to put the application into practice?  How will you remember these lessons in the midst of temptation?
  4. Make progress measurable.  How will you know if you did the application or not?  “Pray more” is not measurable.  Next week, can I ask you if you prayed more?  Prayed more than what?  How?  When?
  5. Put off and put on.  Think of application as a process of stopping certain things and starting other things.  Put off the old self and put on the new self.  Don’t focus on stopping sin without actually replacing it with godliness.
  6. Don’t be lame.  It’s easy for application to become mechanical or to miss the point (“tomorrow I’ll set my alarm 10 minutes early and pray…”).  Ask others who know you, “what do you think I most need to grow in?”  Target those areas.  Don’t miss the point of what God wants to do in your life by focusing on irrelevant minutiae.

God’s Knowable Word is a piercing Word.  It rips us apart and puts us back together.  It identifies exactly what is wrong with the world: me and you.  It shows us the solution: Jesus.  It gives us hope that we can break the patterns of brokenness and replace them with more life-giving options.  Let it speak to the details of your life (Heb 4:12-13).

Remember Jesus in Your Application

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Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, was about to die.  He had fought the good fight; he had run the race; he had kept the faith.  The crown of righteousness was awaiting.

But he had a few final instructions to pass on to his main man Timothy.  One of the most important ones went as follows:

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains like a criminal.  But the word of God is not bound!  Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (2 Tim 2:8-10, ESV).

"At the cross I bow my knee" by Demi-Brooke (2009), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Demi-Brooke (2009), Creative Commons

It’s hard to imagine such a mature Christian needing to say something so apparently frivolous.  How could Timothy possibly forget about Jesus?  Isn’t Jesus the reason he became a pastor?  Isn’t Jesus the one who put the “Christ” in “Christianity”?

But Paul knows what we so often ignore, that one of our primary temptations as Christians is to forget Jesus.  Especially when it comes to studying the Bible.

Isn’t it so easy to think we needed Jesus before we become Christians, but now we need more discipline?  We delight in Jesus and his saving work that rescued us from our past sins, but now we live as though it’s up to us to please God.

We come to the Bible as a book of hope for sinners who can find eternal life by knowing Jesus.  But over the years, we change.  We begin treating the Bible as a book of rules, and we bludgeon ourselves and others into following those rules out of a sense of guilt or duty.  We bind the word of God, and we burden the elect with ethical or doctrinal chains.

I’ve already written about the importance of interpreting every Bible passage through the lens of Jesus.  Now, I highlight the importance of remembering Jesus even in our application.

When studying a Bible passage, you might make a theological connection to Jesus, but your work is not yet done.  Your application must also connect to and derive from Jesus and his saving work: “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them” (Heb 13:9).

In other words, nothing gets up your gumption for serving the Lord more than grace, grace, and more grace.  You can’t drum up more faithfulness from the inside.  You must be broken by God’s unbelievably high standard, and you must rest in Jesus’ death in your place and obedience on your behalf.  Every day.  Then, you’ll walk the straight and narrow.  And before you know it, you’ll be ready to pass the torch to a new generation.

Here’s what I mean.  Once I served as an elder in a church that hired a young new pastor.  This guy was a fine preacher, and he had been well-trained to preach Jesus.  He got in the pulpit his first week and preached with boldness and clarity.

But he made a few mistakes.  He stumbled over his words.  He got nervous and said a few things that, frankly, were pretty naïve.  After the service, he was discouraged by his failures, and he expected me to hammer him for them.  After all, preaching is important business.  You can’t mislead God’s sheep, or you’re in big trouble.

We evaluated the sermon together, and he braced himself for some well-earned criticism.

I did not ignore the mistakes.  I didn’t approve of them.  But I reminded him that Jesus had already died for them.  Because the gospel was true, this guy was free to make mistakes, even big ones.  I encouraged him to make more such mistakes in the future.  I preferred that he give it his all, making a few mistakes in the process, than that he hold back out of fear of imperfection.  He was free to live his calling as a preacher with confidence that he was accepted by God and already approved.

He had learned all about how to interpret the Bible with a focus on Jesus, but he had to practice applying it with a focus on Jesus.

So, let’s study (and especially apply) the Bible with such great confidence in Jesus that we can “sin boldly,” as Martin Luther advised his student Philip Melanchthon:

Martin LutherBe a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2 Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign.

How to Apply the Bible: Summary

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A few weeks ago I promised that anyone could learn how to apply the Bible to life.  Since then, I’ve given a several categories to help flex your application muscles.  Today I’d like to pull it all together.

We can apply the Bible in 2 directions and to 3 spheres.  Think of these things as a matrix, with the spheres (head, heart, hands) down the left side and the directions (inward, outward) across the top.  Here’s a worksheet to help you visualize it.

When you sit down to study the Bible, and you feel stuck in application, use this worksheet to help.  Just write a few ideas in each box, and see if you can fill all six.

Here are some tips to help you do so:

  1. Don’t fall into the trap of too much self-centered living.  Push your application outward, and consider how you can be more effective at influencing others to know Christ.
  2. Don’t fall into the trap of overly theological application (too much focus on your head).  God cares about what you think and believe, but he also cares about your character and obedience.
  3. Don’t fall into the trap of overly ethical application (too much focus on your hands).  God cares about what you do, but he also cares about your thinking and character.
  4. Don’t fall into the trap of overly pietistic application (too much focus on your heart).  God cares about who you are, but it should flow out to your thinking and obedience as well.

Finally, here are some positive suggestions:

  1. Remember Jesus Christ,risen from the dead (2 Tim 2:8).  Your application will fall to pieces if it’s about you and your strength to produce change.  Only the resurrection power of Jesus, put within you by his Holy Spirit, can make any difference in your life.
  2. Get specific.  Your application will flutter about in the wind of life if you don’t nail down details.  Don’t settle for broad principles; make concrete action steps.

I’ll expand on these last two tips in the next few weeks.

Apply the Bible to Your Heart

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"Lego Hearts" by Bill Ward (2009), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license

Bill Ward (2009), Creative Commons

It’s possible to apply the Bible vigorously to your head and hands and still not end up in the right place.  Just look at how many (ungodly) theologians and legalists abound in our day, and you’ll see what I mean.

So we must not miss the third sphere of application: the Heart.

In calling us to change, God’s ultimate purpose is to conform us to the image of Jesus (Rom 8:29).  That’s a fancy way of saying he wants us to be like him.

It’s not enough to believe the truth.  Unless you put it into practice, you remain only “not far from [but not yet in] the Kingdom of God” (Mark 12:32-34, ESV).

It’s not enough to do good things.  Unless you become a new person, your obedience remains filthy and worthless.  “For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation” (Gal 6:15).

Therefore, as you seek to apply the Bible to your life, you ought always ask the question: “what kind of person does God want me to be?”

You can tackle this question in a few different ways:

  1. What do you desire or value, and what should you desire or value instead?
  2. What ungodly character traits should you turn from, and what Christ-like character traits can you imitate instead?
  3. How might you be relying on your performance, and how can you rely more on Christ’s performance?
  4. What are your greatest hopes?  Is your bucket list too small compared to the Lord’s bucket list for you?
  5. Are the kind of person others should imitate?  Why or why not, and what will you do about it?

Let’s practice once again with Luke 2:21.  We’ve stated the main point as: “God sent Jesus to be born so he might save the lowly and rule them graciously. This brings him highest glory.”  In light of that point, what sort of people ought we, who have hoped in Christ, to be?

Some inward Heart applications might be:

  • I ought to live more for the God’s glory than my glory.
  • I don’t need to get defensive about… (whatever someone tried to confront me on).  It’s okay if my weakness is exposed.  I need to grow at being more approachable.
  • I can be honest about my struggles with my friends, spouse, church family and children.
  • I must not look down on others for any reason.  If God can save me, he can save anybody.
  • I should love non-Christians and desire their salvation.  Why do I struggle with this?

Some outward Heart applications might be:

  • I should speak of God’s glory often, and call others to do the same.
  • I’ll figure out why I’m ashamed to speak of Jesus in public.  What do I value more than his glory?
  • As I mentor younger Christians, I need to ask better questions to uncover what they value and desire in their sin struggles.  Then I can help point them to the cross so they can repent and be made new.
  • My children have a greater need to learn teachability than to learn any particular skill or behavior.  Am I modeling such teachability as a parent and calling the children to imitate me?
  • Since Jesus didn’t hide from his conflict with me, I will not run away from conflict with others.  I will pursue it with grace, intending real reconciliation.

What other Heart applications from Luke 2 can you think of?

Apply the Bible to Your Hands

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"Hands" by John Lambert Pearson (2007), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license

John Lambert Pearson (2007), Creative Commons

Christians should be at the top of every field.  They should be the best performers in the workplace.  They should be the most productive citizens.  They should be the most delightful neighbors and the most trustworthy companions.

But so often they’re not.  Outsiders often see them as lazy, condescending, irritable, and ignorant.

Why?  We’ve been bought with a price, and now get to honor God with our bodies (1 Cor 6:20).  We have a new Master, and we work for him – not for any human supervisors (Col 3:23-24).  Jesus plans to make all things new (Rev 21:5); surely this includes not only spiritual improvement but also technology, culture, the arts, and education.

Here’s the thing, though.  People don’t become Christians because they’re particularly useful to God or exemplary in some skill.  They’re not the sharpest knives in the drawer, nor the tops of their classes.  They’re not the most beautiful, engaging, or selfless people on the planet.  That’s why Christ died for them (1 Cor 1:26-30).

So there’s a reason Christians will never naturally gravitate to the upper levels of society in any generation.

But Jesus is in the business of making the unlovely lovely.  He takes the weak and infuses them with his strength.  He makes the poor rich in him, and he makes the ignorant wise in him.

In short, Jesus is taking over the world.  If you follow him, he’ll shape you into something useful.  He guarantees you a part in the drama.  You’re an executive in his company.

This means that your application of the Bible must hit your hands.  It must equip you in skills you didn’t think you could acquire.  The Bible will instruct you and train you in fresh ways, so you can become a skilled laborer for the kingdom of God.  This is the second sphere of application.

What does it look like to apply the Bible to your hands?  How does one develop new skills?

Let’s practice by using the main point of Luke 2:1-21: “God sent Jesus to be born so he might save the lowly and rule them graciously. This brings him highest glory.”

Some inward Hand applications might be:

  • I should freely acknowledge those areas of life where I am weak and unskilled (lowly).
  • I can speak about these issues often, requesting advice so I can improve.
  • I should praise God explicitly when I succeed.
  • I should praise God explicitly when I fail.
  • I ought to think and speak about Jesus, his saving work, and his gracious rule constantly.
  • I can learn to work Jesus into any conversation, without any hint of arrogance or condescension.  (This is not a matter of gifting.  God commands every Christian to learn this skill.  See Col 4:5-6.)
  • I can hear others out and seek to understand them, even if they don’t hear me out.

Some outward Hand applications might be:

  • I can train younger believers (including my children) in any of the items listed above.
  • I can encourage any and all progress I see.
  • I should graciously rebuke those who follow Christ, but who aren’t making any improvements in their lives (those who aren’t submitting to his gracious rule).
  • Whenever I learn a new skill, I should look for someone else to teach it to so God’s glory can keep spreading virally.

As you apply the Bible to your life, don’t stop with thinking true thoughts.  Make sure you continue to apply the Gospel by doing good things (Gal 6:9-10).

What other Hand applications from Luke 2 can you think of?

Apply the Bible to Your Head

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"Head" by Tinou Bao (2006), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license

Tinou Bao (2006), Creative Commons

Gobs of Christians – myself included – do dumb things.  We say dumb things and execute dumb decisions.

Every time I talk to someone who was offended by a hurtful, idiotic comment delivered in the name of Jesus, I feel like writing an official instruction manual for Christian growth.  It would go something like this:

Take Bible.  Read it; study it.  Apply with force to head.

The first sphere of application is the Head.  It’s critical in our day that we get this.  Knowing God through his Word will change your thinking.

Consider 1 Timothy 4:16, where Paul urged Timothy to keep a close watch on himself and on his teaching, for by so doing he would save both himself and his hearers.

Consider Ephesians 4:22-24, where Paul describes Christian growth as a 3-step process:

  1. Put off your old self.
  2. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
  3. Put on your new self.

Consider Romans 12:2, where transformation takes place when a Christian renews his mind.

Consider Matthew 22:46, where Jesus was so freaking smart that his opponents couldn’t muster the courage to ask any more sneaky questions.

But how, you ask, does one do this?

In our sin, we replace the truth of God with a lie (Rom 1:25).  Therefore, repentance involves doing the opposite.

Therefore, three steps will enable you to apply the Bible to your thinking.

  1. First, identify what you think.
  2. Second, identify what God wants you to think instead.
  3. Third, begin thinking the new thoughts.

For example, how might you apply the main point of Luke 2:1-21 (“God sent Jesus to be born so he might save the lowly and rule them graciously. This brings him highest glory.”) to your head?

  • I usually think I have to perform adequately before Jesus will take notice of me.  I ought to think more of his glorious rescue than my performance.
  • I usually think that it’s a bad thing for my weakness to be exposed.  Actually, it can be a very good thing.
  • I usually think I must have my act together in order to lead others.  It’s more important for them to see me trusting Jesus and giving him glory.

And don’t forget to take your application outward as well:

  • Do I express favor or disappointment toward others based only on their performance?  Or do I believe that, although God requires perfection, he provided it in Christ?
  • There are people in my life that I believe deep down are beyond salvation.  I must repent of such unbelief and act toward them out of a true faith in God’s mighty working through the lowly.
  • I generally think of myself as “not a people person,” “not gifted at evangelism,” or “witnessing to Christ through my example.”  Really, I am in love with my comfort and reputation.  I must learn to think of myself as “ambassador,” “witness,” or “mouthpiece” of the Lord Jesus.

What other Head applications can you think of from Luke 2?