How to Apply the Bible, Part 1: Why

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

Are you like me? I’m a great notetaker. I find interesting truths in a Bible study.

But I fall short of actually applying it. I fail to connect the dots. What I’m left with is a pile of notes with great information but no change in my life.

My guess is I’m not alone. Most of us fall short in the area of application.

What Application Is—and What it Isn’t

There are many ways to take in the Word: hearing solid preaching, reading devotionally, studying, meditation, etc. Application is yet another. It is aligning our internal thoughts and external words and actions with God’s truth as a response of worship and faith to the glory of God.

However, we often equate it to living by a set of rules or adding more actions to perform. I’m afraid that I’m going to end up being overwhelmed with all these new things that I have to do. So I stop before I get there to protect myself from getting overwhelmed. I don’t want to say things I can’t do—I don’t like the guilt I feel. It seems easier just not to expect it of myself.

While that may make sense, the result is an increasing gap between what I know and how I live. The good news is there are ways to apply the Bible—renewing our minds, exercising discernment, or turning to God in worship and adoration. These are inward applications that are equally valid. The goal of application is response, which includes—but does not always require—outward action.

The Importance of Application

Jesus describes hearing without application like building a house on sand. When trials come, they will reveal to us the reality of our faith. (Matt. 7:24-27) It is so easy to think that we are growing in Christ when we aren’t. The apostle James calls it self-deception (James 1:22). Howard Hendricks puts it more modern terms: “interpretation without application equals abortion. In other words, every time you observe and interpret but fail to apply, you perform an abortion on the Scriptures in terms of their purpose.”

Are we aborting God’s work in our lives by failing to apply His Word?

The Benefits of Application

When we do apply Scripture, there are both positive, protective, and ultimate benefits.

Positively, we become a certain kind of person that consistently can act with wisdom in the spur of the moment. Our everyday lives are not scripted. They are lived on the fly. Faithful application of the Word shapes our lives to the contours of His truth.

Protectively, actively putting God’s Word into action will keep us from pride, the temptations of the enemy, and stagnation in our growth. It keeps us from wandering off alone where it is easy to get picked off by the predators that lurk.  

Ultimately, our lives then become living testimonies that turn others to Christ (Matt. 5:16). In this way, we join the ranks of the faithful as we display His glory through creating and redeeming humans.

Why We Don’t Apply

There is no cookie-cutter methodology or set of rules. While we may have learned there is only one interpretation, there can be many applications. We cannot choose what the Bible’s original intent and message is, but we can vary in how we practice it in our lives. It’s a rather nuanced process and takes time.

If I’m honest, that’s probably why I don’t apply Scripture. It’s hard work! I want the fruits of being a believer but don’t want to invest the time to nurture it. We are tempted to find shortcuts to glory.

But that’s not the way it works. None of us will naturally drift into godliness. Just as there are no get-rich-quick schemes, there are no get-godly-fast schemes. Learning how to faithfully apply the Word takes effort.

How are you doing in applying the Word? Do you have a narrow view of application? Have you been deceiving yourself? Forgotten the benefits? Reluctant to put in the time?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re not alone. I hope you’ll join me in confessing our failure to be doers of the Word. Whatever the reason—immaturity, self-deception, forgetfulness, laziness—admit these to Him.

Our loving Father understands our frailty. He is patient with us and will stay faithful to His goal of transforming us into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). Our job is to respond to that truth, roll up our sleeves, and take the time to work with our Father in that process.