Lifeway Research shows that 40% of Protestant Christians read their Bible less than one time per week.[1] Could this be due, in part, to people feeling ill-equipped for the task? When we pick up the Bible we are holding a core foundation of our faith in our hands. God has chosen to communicate with his creation through people, the church, and his word. His word is the ultimate authority with which the church and its people must bow in all applications of life. With such importance placed on the Bible, the question arises as to how applications should be made when the modern audience is separated by centuries, geography, and vast social differences.

For the Christian who wants to unpack the timeless contents of the Bible and apply it to our modern lives, five steps will be outlined to aid in this. Application speaks to how we apply the interpretations we arrive at in our study of the Scriptures. For steps to take to properly interpret text click here to read my previous blog Foundations for Interpretation. I would encourage you to always pray before reading Scripture. Ask God to open your eyes, heart, and mind to the illumination of the Holy Spirit as you read.

Bible teacher, Chip Ingram, suggests a 5-step method to reading and applying Scripture. First, he suggests reading, interpreting, and applying the passage.[2] This will be the basis for getting to your application. In this step, you want to ask what this passage means in its context. You want to apply the basic foundations for interpretation from the previous blog. Remember Scripture can never mean what it was never intended to mean. After arriving at the interpretation of the passage, then ask yourself considering this, what does it mean to me? Second, he suggests reading the passage repeatedly. Read first to get the big idea of what is being communicated by identifying the major ideas. I always like to circle repeated words, highlight things I may have a question about, and underline major ideas. I will then read it once more, slowly, to ponder and pray over what I am reading. Third, it is important to make observations. Identify who or what the passage is about, the circumstances of why it was written, and the audience for whom it was intended. The fourth step is to clarify relevant questions. Take the questions you have and research them. A concordance or commentary may help answer these questions. Finally, apply the truths you have learned to your life and context. One important truth that Chip leaves out of this step is that once you have drawn your application, make sure that the application is not contradicted by Scripture, and aligns with the whole of the Bible. For example, when reading in Exodus how God speaks to Moses from a burning bush, this does not mean that God will speak to all people in this manner.

            Applying these helpful steps during your Bible study will provide a good foundation for interpreting and applying Scripture.

[1] Aaron Earls, “Few Protestant Churchgoers Read the Bible Daily,” Lifeway Research, accessed November 24, 2024, https://research.lifeway.com/2019/07/02/few-protestant-churchgoers-read-the-bible-daily/.

[2] Chip Ingram, “How to Read the Bible: 5 Memorable Steps to Transformation,” Living on the Edge, accessed November 24, 2024, https://livingontheedge.org/2021/11/22/how-to-read-the-bible-5-steps/.