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Application answer the question: What does it mean to me personally? What truths can I put into practice? What changes should I make in my life? You have observed and interpreted. You are now ready to do the final step of Bible study: application. Application is the goal of all Bible study because in the end the Scriptures demand a response and changed lives.
With observation and interpretation as the groundwork, you are now ready to ask the question: how does the basic truth(s) of this book or this passage relate to my life in the 21st century?
We have listed below four questions which are taken from Josh McDowell’s book, A Guide to Understanding Scripture. You may apply the questions to the overall truths of the whole book or to a specific passage. This may take some time waiting on God. Don’t take this step lightly.
1. What are the basic, timeless truths in this book or passage? 2. How does this truth apply to my life? Be specific. 3. In view of these truths, what changes should I make in my life? 4. How do I plan to carry out these changes? Be specific. 5. Commit these changes to the Lord in prayer.
In determining the basic truths, consider the following questions. Where is God specifically encouraging me? Where is He asking me to change? If it is a didactic (teaching) passage or book, then ask these questions: What am I to believe? Are there attitudes or actions that I need to change? What do I learn about my relationship with God, with people? What is the Good News for me?
If the book or passage is a narrative, then consider some of the following questions to get you thinking: What character do I identify with? What can I learn from that character’s life? What were his responses to God? Or perhaps a certain event in the book coincides with where you are in your walk with God.
Application is looking into the mirror of the Scriptures and walking away a changed person.
PITFALLS IN APPLICATIONAccording to Josh McDowell, there are some pitfalls in application that one needs to be aware of:
1. Mistaking interpretation for application. 2. Having an emotional response to a Biblical truth but not following through to put the truth into action . 3. Frustration may develop from not seeing quick results and changes in one’s life.
Bible Meditation“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39-40 Are You Eating Right? Just as the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil were found in the garden of Eden, life and death can be found within the boundary of reading God’s word (Rhema and logos). If we rely solely on our mental capacity in studying the Word of God, we are partaking the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Knowledge itself, though good, never imparts life. Rather, it is through the channel of knowledge that death crept in at first (Gen. 2:17). On the other hand, when we wait upon the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word of God for us, we will taste of the tree of life. How to Eat from the Tree of Life? The principle of the eating of the tree of life is simply dependence. Anything outside this principle belongs to the tree of knowledge. (John 15:5) As we have emphasized, application is the goal of all Bible study. How do we reach this goal? It is through meditation. Daily confession and meditation of God’s Word cultivate good thoughts. As time passes, these thoughts become pictures or visions in our imaginations. When these thoughts saturate the mind, a strong desire to fulfill them will spring forth from our hearts. In the Old Testament, there are two Hebrew words which are translated as ‘meditate’, namely ‘Siyach’ and ‘Hagah’. ‘Siyach’ means contemplating deep thoughts by pondering and turning them over in the mind verbally or non-verbally. ‘Hagah’ means purifying and clearing the mind to direct it towards one goal. Accordingly, meditation is the devotional practice of pondering the Scriptures either by musing or by conversing with oneself in a murmur, and/or in a loud manner. It’s a habit, an inclination of the mind towards confessing and musing over a particular Scripture until fresh illumination and insight dawn upon one’s soul. It can never be fruitful in a distracted mind or in a divided and anxious heart. To a receptive heart, the Holy Spirit illuminates the word as a revelatory rhema. To cultivate and nurture spiritual mindedness, one needs to exercise great diligence. There is no short cut to success in meditation. Real faith comes through this laborious process. The true meditator lives a life of separation. Holiness is a prerequisite for success in meditation. If the mind is holy so shall the person be holy too.
In meditation, it is not how much you READ the Bible but how much it REACHES you! Source: The Musing Mind, by Jedidiah Tham, Living Lilies
Insights on Applying the Scripture In applying Scripture to your life, the following questions may be helpful:
One of the apostle Paul' concerns for Timothy, his son in the faith, was that Timothy learn to dandle God's Word in a way that would please the Lord (2 Timothy 2:15). Someday we too will want to give a good account of our stewardship of God's Word. Did we handle it accurately? Were we gentle and reasonable about our faith, giving honor to those whom God has called to lead us, while at the same time searching Scripture ourselves to understand its truths? Did we allow God's living and active Word to change our lives? Observation, interpretation, and application to transformation. This is the goal of our study of the Word of God. Through it we are changed from glory to glory into the image of Jesus.
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