The Big Question 88: How Do You Apply The Bible In The Modern World?
Feb 22, 2022 1822
Radio Version:
How do you apply the Bible in the modern world?
This is a huge question! Most people out there would say that you can’t because it’s irrelevant. And there have been countless of people who have been turned off the Bible by Christians themselves who haven’t know how to apply the teachings of the Bible properly.
While Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by God, he still revealed himself through the Bible in ways and in language that were appropriate for the culture at the time. So, you can’t necessarily just pick up the Bible and just start quoting and applying bits in an entirely literal way to your situation.
So, here are just a few principles that we need to keep in mind when applying the Bible in the modern world.
1. Understand the Genre
The first principle is that you need to understand the genre. Because the Bible is the Word of God, many people treat all the parts of the Bible as if they are all to be read and understood in an identical manner. But it doesn’t work that way!
There are books of the Bible that are written as poetry. There are books of the Bible that are written as history, and as biography, and as spiritual teachings. Some books of the Bible are historical records, while others are letters.
2. Understand that Revelation is Progressive
The second principle is that revelation is progressive. Just as people try to understand every part of the Bible in exactly the same way, so too they think that God’s revelation has been complete and absolute at every point in history. But that’s not the case at all.
The New Testament tells us that before Jesus came, the salvation that would be come was revealed only through “shadows.” A shadow gives you the outline of a thing and not a full and proper understanding of the thing itself. Only Jesus is God’s full revelation to humanity.
3. Remember the Purpose of the Bible
The final principle is to remember the purpose of the Bible.
The fundamental purpose of the Bible is to point us to Jesus and to what he has done to save us by dying for our sins and rising from the grave to defeat death. Every part of the Bible ultimately serves this one grand purpose. That should be your focus, otherwise you might miss the point!
The Most Important Thing
The most important thing you need to know about the Bible is that it isn’t a normal book. It is a spiritual book that has been inspired by God.
The Bible is the only book in the world whose author has promised to be at your side to help you understand it. Ask Jesus to be with you as you read it, to help you see its vital principles, and to help you apply them to your life.
Then the Bible will open itself up to you and you can see how powerful and relevant its teachings really are.
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