
If the Bible is the location of the truth and God’s will, then its application and appropriation to our lives is of the utmost importance. However, applying the Bible to our lives is not as simple as “the Bible says it, so I must do it,” which is what I often hear. The reality is that most Christians do not obey everything in the Bible and do not think they should obey everything in the Bible. So, how do we discern what to apply to our lives and what not to apply?
There are six primary methods and approaches for applying the Bible to the lives of modern Christians: (1) Scripture is not applicable, (2) all Scripture is occasional unless the text states otherwise, (3) implications of the Gospel, (4) all Scripture is normative unless the text states otherwise, (5) the principlization method, and (6) the salvation-historical method.
I argue in this article that the best and most consistent method is the salvation-historical method. This article presents the six methods in ascending order from the least helpful to the most helpful, concluding with the best and most consistent method for applying the Bible, the salvation-historical method.
The Importance of Applying the Bible
The Bible contains the information necessary for us to know (be in relationship with) Jesus in order to remove the wrath of God from upon us. But it also contains the information necessary for us, who are right with God through Jesus, to live lives that please God, to “walk [live] in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph 4:1).
I suspect that most people reading this article agree with what I have just said. I suspect that we all agree that the Bible is the Word of God and that we should live by it and obey it out of a love for God/Jesus and what God has done for us through Jesus.
But there is a problem. Although most Christians, pastors, and scholars know and agree with what the Bible says, we are in stark disagreement over which portions of the Bible apply to our lives. It is my contention that most disagreements between Christians, between churches, and between denominations do not occur over what the biblical text says or meant, but over whether or not the biblical text should be applied directly to our lives today. For example, Christians, churches, and denominations disagree with whether or not the following biblical commands should be applied today or not:
- The Sabbath (Ex 20:8-11; Deut 5:12-15). Scripture is clear that God’s people should rest from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Seventh Day Adventists adhere to this command, but other denominations do not.
- Homosexuality. The Christian church is split regarding whether or not homosexual sex is a sin or not, yet the Bible is clear it is a sin (Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Tim 1:8-11).
- Women teaching and having authority over men in the church (1 Tim 2:11-15; 3:14-15). Again, Scripture is clear that women should not teach and exercise authority over a man in the church, but most Protestant churches disregard this.
- Complementarianism (men and women are equal in worth, but have different God-given roles). Scripture is replete with this concept (1 Cor 11:2-3; Eph 5:21-6:9), but it is challenged by many Christians, churches, and denominations.
- Divorce. The New Testament is clear that they only permissible reason for divorce is sexual immorality or the non-believing spouse initiates divorce (Matt 5:31-32; 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor 7), but most churches and Christians allow and bless divorce for a myriad of reasons including “no-fault” divorce.
- Remarriage. The New Testament does not permit remarriage under any circumstance except where the spouse dies or the divorce occurred because of sexual immorality (Matt 5:31-32; 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor 7), but most churches bless remarriages instead of enforcing this biblical command.
On top of all the controversial issues about which Scripture is clear, there are many commands to which we simply do not adhere, such as
- Eating kosher food (Lev 11)
- Celebrating the various festivals and feasts (Lev 23)
- The test for a woman suspected of committing adultery (Num 5:11-31)
- Women not wearing men’s clothing and men not wearing women’s clothing (Deut 22:5)
- Building a fence/guardrail around the roof of your house (Deut 22:8)
- Giving away all our possessions (Mark 10:17-31)
- Women covering their heads when they pray of prophesy (1 Cor 11:2-16)
- The holy kiss (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thes 5:26)
- Plus a myriad of others
The point I am making is that applying the Bible to our lives is not as simple as “the Bible says it, so I must do it,” which is what I often hear. The reality is that most Christians do not obey everything in the Bible and do not think they should obey everything in the Bible. However, there is also the reality that many Christians, pastors, and churches simply apply the portions of Scripture they feel applies to them without any real biblically based method or consistent method. Application of Scripture is frequently pure subjectivism (whatever I think, I feel, I believe).
Approach/Method #1: Scripture Is Not Applicable to the Lives of Modern Christians
This approach argues that Scripture has no authority over the lives of modern Christians and, thus, none of it is applicable. Modern Christians may choose and apply whatever they want to their lives for whatever reason. Likewise, Christians may reject whatever they want for whatever reason. This position is held by many Critical Biblical Scholars.
The Flaw: The entire Bible becomes irrelevant for modern Christians. This approach relegates the Bible to a man-made book that offers no help to Christians.
Approach/Method #2: All Scripture Is Occasional (cultural and time bound) Unless the Text Specifically States Otherwise
This approach argues that unless the biblical text explicitly states that a passage teaches a timeless truth, it is not applicable to the lives of modern Christians. To state this concept in the positive, for any part of the Bible to be applicable to the lives of modern Christians, it must state that it is for all of God’s people for all times.
The Flaw: Most of the Bible becomes irrelevant to the modern Christian because it is bound to its own culture and time.
Approach/Method #3: Implications of the Gospel
This approach claims that the Bible has authority over the lives of modern Christians regarding how to get saved and get right with God. However, it claims that the Bible does not have authority over how modern Christians and churches should order (live) their lives. Rather, the individual determines how to live the Christian life based on the gospel, not the Bible. The argument is that this was how the New Testament authors determined how to live lives pleasing to God. The NT authors discerned the implications of the gospel and then lived out those implications. Modern Christians should do the same.
The Flaws:
- One’s understanding of the gospel will inevitably change one’s implications and how one lives one’s life.
- Application becomes almost completely subjective with very little controls. The gospel can be used to support almost anything ‘I’ want. In the end, this option eliminates the Bible as a source of authority for ordering the individual Christian’s life or the life of the church.
- It does not understand the apostles’ role in salvation history. Through their teaching and letters (the entire New Testament), the apostles were telling all of Jesus’ disciples (Christians) for all time how to live out the gospel.
Approach/Method #4: All Scripture Is Normative Unless the Text Specifically States Otherwise
This approach takes the opposite extreme from approach #2, advocating for all of Scripture to be normative and directly applicable to the modern Christian unless the text explicitly states otherwise.
The Flaw: It does not take the progressiveness of God’s salvation plan and revelation into account.
Approach/Method #5: Principlization
This approach seeks to find the spiritual, moral, and/or theological principles behind the text or command and then apply the principle to the modern Christian or the modern situation. The principlization method is the most common amongst evangelical Christians. Klein et al states, “Recent evangelical analysis has come to a modest consensus that the key to legitimate application involves what many writers call ‘principlizing.’ This may be defined as ‘an attempt to discover in a narrative [i.e., a text] the spiritual, moral, and/or theological principles that have relevance for the contemporary believer” (Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, 3rd ed., 610).
Klein et al also states that his method has more “general and workable guidelines” than being a list of foolproof principles (609). This method has four principles according to Klein et al:
- Determine the original application(s) intended by the passage (611).
- Evaluate the level of specificity of those applications to their original historical situations. If the original specific applications are transferable across time and space to other audiences and situations, apply them in culturally appropriate ways (613).
- If the original applications are not transferable, identify one or more broader cross-cultural principles that the specific elements of the text reflect (629).
- Find appropriate applications for today that implement those principles (632).
The Flaws:
- Focusing on the principle behind the text can be used to dismiss any command modern believers don’t like.
- It moralizes too much of the Bible that shouldn’t be moralized. For example, Abraham sacrificing Isaac in Genesis 22 is reduced to the moral “Trust in God’s sovereignty” in Klein et al (629) when the passage is not about ustrusting in God’s sovereignty, but is about (a) the line of Abraham needing to continue; (b) proving Abraham did believe God and was righteous; and (c) Abraham’s belief proven in action is the type of faith one needs to be justified. The principlization method wrongly reduces much of the Bible to a moral handbook.
Approach/Method #6: Salvation-Historical Method of Applying the Bible
The salvation-historical method is my own approach to applying Scripture that I have developed over the past few years. In essence, this approach seeks to determine the place in salvation history to which the biblical text refers and one’s own place in salvation history. If the two align, then whatever commands given should be obeyed as presented in the biblical text. Below is the step-by-step process.
Step 1: Determine the Text’s Place in Salvation History
Salvation history is the history of the progress of God’s saving work as it is set forth in the Old Testament and the New Testament. The OT begins the history and anticipates its climax in Christ and his saving work. The final aspect of salvation history is its consummation in the final and ultimate coming of the Kingdom of God (the New Jerusalem).
We first need to discern the place in salvation history to which the Bible refers. This is not always easy. For example, the prophets frequently address different periods in salvation history, which means each passage needs to have the salvation-history question asked. It cannot be assumed that because a book is in the Old Testament, that it never refers to my place in salvation history, a previous place, or a future place. Further, some books are difficult to classify such as Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes. Even further, just because the Gospels are located in the New Testament, it does not mean everything in them refers to our place in salvation history.
Step 2: Determine Your Place in Salvation History
We need to discern our own place in salvation history. For example, I am (a) a disciple of Jesus, (b) a person who has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him, (c) under the New Covenant, (d) a member of the Church, and (e) a citizen of the Kingdom of God, which Jesus ushered in, but has not yet come in its fulness.
Step 3: Does the Text Align with My Place in Salvation History?
Texts that align with your place in salvation history are more likely to be applicable. Texts that do not align with your place in salvation history are not directly applicable to you. Here are a few examples of what I mean.
Because the New Testament tells us that we are no longer under the Sinai Covenant, we should not apply the instructions, laws, precepts, and statutes of the Sinai Covenant (also known as Mosaic Covenant or Old Covenant) to ourselves because we are under the New Covenant. Thus, as a general rule, I do not believe we are beholden to any of the laws from Exodus–Deuteronomy.
The Gospels represent a special place in salvation history. When reading the Gospels, we must remember that they detail the life of Jesus before he died and rose from the dead, and before the Holy Spirit was given out as a seal for those in the new covenant. Thus, we cannot adopt everything in the Gospels to ourselves simply because they are in the New Testament. Many things Jesus says and does confirm the covenant he is under, which is the Sinai Covenant. However, Jesus frequently speaks about how one should act in the Kingdom of God/Heaven, such as the Sermon on the Mount. As such, we should adopt those practices that Jesus says apply to the citizens of the Kingdom of God/Heaven because Christians today are members of the KOG.
The book of Acts also represents a special place in salvation history. The Holy Spirit is given to confirm that the gospel is allowed to go to people groups outside of the Jews, so we need to ensure that when we apply texts from Acts that the text is not describing something relegated to that special time period. An example would be miracles accompanying every conversion.
Finally, because all of the New Testament letters are explaining Jesus’ death and resurrection, the new covenant, the KOG, as well as how we should live in light of Jesus’ death and resurrection (how to live in the KOG), I believe the best place for modern Christians to go in order to discern how to live in the KOG is the New Testament letters. Thus, I believe what is written in the NT letters is mostly for all Christians.
Step 4: Determine if the Text Is Indicative or Imperative
We must always remember that the biblical text has a variety of genres. Thus, it is very important to distinguish between what is indicative, a simple retelling of an event or a speech, and what is imperative, a command that is expected to be obeyed. We do not need to follow everything that everyone did in the Bible. Frequently, the Bible presents the bad things that people did; as such, we are not to imitate those people or actions. However, the New Testament letters frequently contain commands; it is to these that we should focus on first when beginning to discern how to live a righteous life according to God.
Step 5: Applying the Imperative
Step 5a: Universal Commands versus People/Time/Place Sensitive Ones
The New Testament contains many commands that are for all Christians for all time. However, there are times that commands are given in the Gospels or Letters when the command is for a specific person, a specific time, or a specific place. Take Paul’s commands to the Corinthian church regarding the offering for Jerusalem as an example (2 Cor 9:1–5). This is a one-time offering, not something to which all the churches throughout history are to contribute. How do we discern universal commands from people/time/place sensitive ones? I argue that the biblical text must put some kind of limiter on the command for it not to be universal.
Step 5b: The When of the Cultural Argument
Oftentimes, we hear pastors and those in the academy say a command is cultural and it does not need to (or should not) be obeyed. However, how do we discern when a command is culturally bound and when it applies to all Christians? We must turn to the biblical text. If the Bible clearly states something is relegated to a particular culture, then it can be taken as cultural for that culture. However, if the biblical text does not say a command is cultural, I do not believe we have the authority to say it does not apply to us because the command does not ‘fit’ our 21st-century culture.
Step 5c: Apply at a 1:1 Ratio
Finally, after wading through all of the above, I believe that any command given in the Bible to those who are part of the KOG and the new covenant should be applied at a 1:1 ratio. That means, it should be directly applied as given in the Bible.
Step 6: Applying the Indicative
In order to apply the indicative, we need to determine whether a text is descriptive or normative. That is (a) whether the text is simply telling us what happened and what was said, or (b) whether the text is describing something that should be normative (imitated and applied to Christians and the church) for some Christians or all Christians.
It should be noted that we only seek to apply the indicative for those texts that align with our place in salvation history. The issue is acutely felt in Acts because it is, essentially, a history. The book of Acts recounts how the gospel spread to all peoples; it is by nature descriptive. It is not a letter like 1 Corinthians that tells Christians what they should do and how they should behave. As such, it can be difficult to discern when Luke is commenting on normative practices of the church and Christians for all time and when he is simply describing what actually happened and what was actually said. So, how do we determine if the text is normative or not?
Step 6a: Look for Textual Indicators that Suggest or (preferably) State that What is Being Described is Extraordinary
“We can expect an all-powerful God to occasionally do things to glorify himself by breaking expected patterns. Similar to the call to a close inspection of the text, this suggests we look at the passage and the book as a whole to see whether an event is out of the ordinary. Here we look for overt statements and actions that are unusual.”
Klein et al, Cradle, Cross, and Crown, 420
Step 6b: Look for Textual Indicators that Suggest or (preferably) State that What is Being Described is Normative for Christians or the Church
Other than statements, a possible way to determine normativity is if Christians or the church always do something throughout the book (such as Acts).
Step 6c: Determine Whether We (modern Christians and/or the church) Are Able to Do the Things Being Described
For example, since there is no physical temple, worshipping in the temple is not normative for Christians, because modern Christians literally cannot go to the temple and worship there.
Step 6d: Do Jesus and the Letters of the NT Encourage Believers to Do These Things?
If Jesus and the New Testament letters encourage believers to act or behave a certain way that aligns with what is being described in a narrative or indicative text, then there is a good chance that it is normative for all Christians.
Step 6e: Apply at a 1:1 Ratio
If (a) the text suggests the event is normative, (b) we are able to do the things today, and (c) Jesus and/or the New Testament letters encourage believers to do the thing(s) described, then the text is normative and Christians and/or the church should adopt the practice and apply it at a 1:1 ratio.
The Flaw in the Salvation-Historical Method: It can take time and study to determine the place in salvation-history to which a text refers. Sometimes it is quick and easy, but other times it is difficult.
To see how the salvation-historical method in use, read my articles on head coverings and women pastors/elders.
Summary and Concluding Thoughts
Application Approach/Method | Brief Summary of Method | Key Flaw in Method |
---|---|---|
Scripture is not applicable | Scripture has no authority over the lives of modern Christians and does not apply to modern Christians | Relegates the Bible to a man-made book that does not tell modern Christians how to live lives that please God |
All Scripture is occasional unless the text states otherwise | Unless the biblical text explicitly states that a passage teaches a timeless truth, it is not applicable to the lives of modern Christians | Most of the Bible becomes irrelevant to modern Christians |
Implications of the Gospel | The implications of the gospel are discerned by the individual and then lived out | Application becomes almost completely subjective with very little controls |
All Scripture is normative unless the text states otherwise | All Scripture directly applies to the modern Christian unless the text explicitly states otherwise | The progressiveness of God’s salvation plan and revelation are not taken into account |
Principlization | The spiritual, moral, and/or theological principles behind the text or command are determined and then applied to the modern Christian or situation | It moralizes too much of the Bible and can be used to dismiss commands modern Christians don’t like |
Salvation History | Seeks to determine the place in salvation history to which the biblical text refers and one’s own place in salvation history. When the two align, Scripture is directly applied | The place in salvation history can be difficult to discern for some texts. |
As you can see, there are many ways to apply Scripture directly to our lives. I affirm 2 Timothy 3:16, which says,
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 TIMOTHY 3:16
2 Timothy 3:16 does not mean that every passage of Scripture is giving us a moral command to follow. Much of Scripture is revealing who God is and God’s work in the world and in our own lives. This information should affect what we believe, how we think, and how we live our lives.