“The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
Our world and culture today are vastly different from two millennia ago, when the Bible was first written down. Sometimes situations change, and we must adapt. The best response to truth might not always look the same for different people or in different moments, and we need to take into account the nuances of human lies.
So how can we discern what applies to us personally?
Step Zero: Keep Everything in Context
Understanding context includes lots of different ideas, but it boils down to one thing: every part of Scripture has one interpretation but many possible applications. When we truly understand the interpretation, we can make good choices about application.
Does context negate anything?
No. The fact that the Bible is over 2,000 years old doesn't mean that sections of the Bible are meaningless, wrong, or can be ignored today. Every part of the Bible speaks to all people—everywhere, always. What changes is how it applies and what choices we’re supposed to make in order to follow what God intended.
How to Determine Context
When we read the biblical passages, we should take into account what was written both before and after the statement in question. We should also keep in mind who the first audience was and how they would have understood the message. Context can also involve examining the original language to see how words fit together.
This seems like a lot of trouble.
Yes, studying the Bible can be a really deep, involved process. But to misunderstand God's truth isn't helpful for anyone. This is one of the reasons why it's good to study the Bible together—not 100% alone. Faithful believers can pass along truth to others, supported by deeper ideas from those who can uncover them.
Step One: Interpret the Principles
Every part of Scripture means something—that is, what God originally meant when He inspired those words. That interpretation may be specific or vague, but it won't be meaningless. The interpretation of passages is where we get bigger biblical principles like don’t commit idolatry, all children must honor their parents, or that only belief in Christ results in salvation.
Don't Skip to Application
It can be tempting to just jump right to application. We want to know how this affects us right now—as if God’s Word is shallow or overly simple. But that’s exactly what Jesus criticized the Pharisees for. They'd take a command such as "honor the Sabbath," which is valid, but then they'd miss the broader, more important meaning that God desires mercy over sacrifice (Matthew 12:1-7).
Jesus Gives Us the Greatest Principles
When asked what was the "greatest" commandment, Jesus gave us the best possible measure against which we can compare any biblical interpretation: love God and love people (Matthew 22:36-40). If an interpretation goes against one of those principles, well...then examine it again.
“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Step Two: Apply the Principles (if Applicable)
“Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
Application is how we figure out how Scripture affects our own actions, attitudes, and choices in specific situations. This means that one interpretation may need to be applied in more than one way (John 7:24). That’s where the full, entire meaning of Scripture comes into play—beyond the literal interpretation.
Stages of Life
For example, Scripture makes a big deal about sexual sins, and adultery is clearly a sin. However, Scripture also speaks about our motivations (Proverbs 27:19; Psalm 94:11) as well as our thoughts and intentions (Matthew 5:27-30).
That means that to avoid adultery involves more than the physical nature of cheating on a spouse. Looking at or thinking about others in a sexually-charged way is also adultery. That applies equally to both married and single people.
That said, it's fair to say that a six-year-old’s life is unlikely to need an application for adultery. Some day it'll make a difference to that child though, because it will be just as true for them as an adult as it is for anyone else.
Israel-Only Commands
Some Old Testament laws aren’t requirements or promises for all people at all times. For example, God commanded the nation of Israel not to eat shellfish (Leviticus 11:10-20). Accurate interpretation proves the restriction was meant only for Israel as a way to set them apart from the world. By not eating shellfish, Israel showed how God is entirely disconnected from anything considered "unclean" at the time.
We don't see this restriction repeated in the New Testament, nor is there any further moral command connected to these Israelite restrictions. So for today's Christians, the restriction about shellfish does NOT apply.
That command still means something, and it still teaches us an important idea about God's purity. But the practical application, for today's Christian, doesn't mean anything literal or physical.
Remember: Scripture Doesn't Expire
The youngest books of the Bible were completed almost twenty centuries ago. The earliest books are fifteen centuries older than that. When Scripture says something we’d rather not be told, people like to jump to the excuse that those writings are old or obsolete, saying, “That doesn't apply to me.” But they leave at that—that it's "old" or they don't get it, so they just choose to ignore it.
We Can't Pick & Choose
However, those texts were given by God for a reason. Those who dismiss parts of the Bible aren't likely looking at it very in depth. Some approach the Bible with twisted, bizarre excuses to change the interpretation so they can pick something they like better.
There aren't always "blanket" ways to apply every biblical principle. We can't take one thing that doesn't apply today, such as “don’t wear clothes made of two different fibers” (Deuteronomy 22:11), and say that commands about sexual sin don't apply either. That’s not just incorrect, it’s spiritually immature, and extremely dishonest.
Learning from the Entirety of Scripture
The Bible that contains the history of Israel's commands from God is the same Bible that teaches the world to love all people, to be forgiving, and shows how God has mercy on us all. All parts of the Bible are meaningful, to all people, at all times (2 Timothy 3:16).
At the same time, those words apply differently in different situations and for different people. Sometimes, that application makes very little practical difference at that stage of life or for certain people. But no part of Scripture is obsolete, outdated, or something we can ignore.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”