Deuteronomy 4:2
“Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.”
My last series of posts was all about how we need to be actively pursuing objective, biblical truth both as individuals and with one another. The next topic I want to share about is how to apply God’s Word to our lives. Now of course my hope is that every newsletter I write or record displays ways we can be practically applying biblical truth. In this series, however, I want to look at specific verses from Scripture that will come across as very common commands you’ve probably heard on Sunday mornings or in Bible studies. I want to spend time evaluating very practical ways these verses should impact our lives, especially in the context of the whole biblical narrative.
Today I want to start this study on applying Scripture by talking about the balancing act of understanding God’s Word as a whole, understanding the specific contexts that the Bible was written in, and how that same Word can be applied in our lives now.
When we read the Bible, we can’t act like every single command was meant specifically for me in my current situation or context, but at the same time we can’t ignore the fact that all of God’s Word was meant to instruct every believer.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Therefore we must put intentional effort into our study of God’s Word to be able to discern how to apply Scripture without taking commands out of context. Only then can we heed the warning that Moses gave the Israelites at the end of their 40 years of wilderness wandering that I started this post with, to not add to or subtract from God’s Word while striving to obey all that He has commanded.
Have you ever been told that you “can do all things through Christ” (Philippians 4:13) while going through a difficult circumstance? Or have you ever comforted yourself with “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:11)? We love pulling out comforting truths about God’s goodness and control, like these popular passages, that make us feel good and “meet us where we are.” We are way less willing to seek out the verses that instruct us how we need to change our lives in order to glorify God more.
One danger in our Christian culture is to think we should only go to God’s Word with the purpose of finding something that applies specifically to my life and circumstance. Many people will flip through the Bible until they find a passage that speaks to them or what they’re going through. Or they’ll flip to a random page and interpret whatever they read as something meant for them in their particular situation. While I do believe God’s Word covers a variety of topics that deal with all areas of our lives, and I believe it often can be applied to our specific circumstances, we must be careful not to limit our Bible study to trying to find the right “word” for me, right here, right now. As I keep growing in my faith, I have personally felt the conviction of my need to be seeking to obey all the commands that God has given, even if they seem unhelpful in my current situation.
As children of God, we must recognize that all of the commands in Scripture apply to all of us who claim to follow Christ. That leads me to the second danger that can come from this balancing act—thinking that parts of Scripture don’t apply to me or our world now, simply because we are in a different time and context. If 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is true, and all of God’s Word is helpful for building us up, then we can’t ignore the parts that we deem as irrelevant or outdated. Jesus warns against disregarding any of God’s law in Matthew 5, instructing us that God doesn’t take it lightly when we choose to ignore parts of His Word!
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:17-19
Now, why am I choosing to start my series of how to apply specific Bible verses and commands in our lives with these warnings of ways we can apply God’s Word wrongly? Mainly because I want myself and you to be held accountable to diligently study God’s Word in light of the full biblical narrative. The common commands I plan to talk about will be great opportunities to see how they are consistent with God’s character and His plans throughout the entire Bible. I want to highlight the beautiful way that Scripture corroborates itself! I also want this study to emphasize the power and effectiveness of God’s Word in each of our lives.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
It’s incredibly important for the believer to equip oneself with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), and I’m so thankful that as I grow in my faith God continues to stretch me and move me to study His Word more. And the more I do, the more I see how good His commands are for my life, and I can truly see His Word as alive and active! This growth process makes me want to proactively seek to obey and love Him more. I pray this series will help inspire a deeper desire in you for our great God, and that these posts will be motivation for you to never stop going back to the gift of His Good Book.
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