How many times do we go to church, hear a preacher read a verse of scripture, and then want to tell us how to "apply" it to our lives? There is a lot to be said for wanting people to apply the Bible to their daily lives.
What if, instead of application, preachers and teachers started telling people what the Bible really says? The Bible teaches obedience and obedience alone. Because the Bible is of the nature that it is it does not allow for anything such as application. It allows, and demands, either obedience or disobedience. There are no other options. "This is love for God: to obey his commands" says 1 John. When a person obeys what the Bible teaches then that person is pushing far beyond application. It's all about obedience. It's all about reading the teachings of Jesus and simply acting upon them.
When a person wants to apply the Bible to one's life it becomes less about the command of God, which is where life comes from, and more about that individual. Application takes the focus off of God. Obedience to the commands of God keeps the individual in the right relation to Jesus and His cross.
Application of the teachings of God bring about a form of superficial religion. Obedience to the teachings of God brings forth life and more life. Obedience is the standard. We human beings will either obey or disobey. In being obedient to the Bible people grow in knowing God. Often times, when people try to teach others to apply the Bible, they are reduced to a religious formula. It is easy to apply a Hail Mary. It is far more difficult to obey the commands of a rigtheous Creator.
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