How do you apply the Bible to your life?
How do you apply the Bible to your life?
It’s a high-stakes question because the Scriptures are revealing the will of God!
And it’s a difficult question because there are so many different interpretations of how God wants us to live.
On the one hand, I’ve grieved with survivors of Christian cults who had everything taken from them in the name of God. Devious leaders coerced them to give up their bank accounts, jobs, families, and even their sense of self.
Each story is a heartbreaking tragedy.
On a more mundane level, I’ve sat through boring sermons that amounted to no more than “God wants you to learn some information today.”
(Regrettably, I’ve also given more than a few talks like this).
For every story of someone who looks back with gratitude for the decisions they made in the name of God, there's someone else who regrets how "God talk" led them to make foolish, even harmful decisions.
So how do we apply the Bible?
A wise approach requires asking this question one verse, chapter, or book at a time.
But sometimes, we forget how Jesus simplified and clarified God's will for our lives.
By studying how Jesus summarized God's will, we can keep the main thing the main thing.
For instance, in one of the most famous speeches of all time — the Sermon on the Mount — Jesus summed up not only the Law but also the Prophets.
He was saying, "After you've listened to everything God has said, there's one main point."
We know this as the Golden Rule. Jesus taught,
Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
So, no matter what challenge you face, you can fulfill God's commands by practicing the Golden Rule.
I know theologians will read this and think I’ve missed quite a bit!
Where’s “worship God,” “place your faith in Jesus,” and “participate in church”?
But that’s missing the forest for the trees.
As we read through the Scriptures, we come across all those important points and far more.
Yet the simplicity - and authority - of Jesus’ teaching remains.
Whatever Biblical text you’re evaluating, properly applying it to your life or community requires us to think through the Golden Rule.
What a gift. In a mere fifteen words, Jesus has given us a guide to help us navigate any decision!
As you make decisions this week, ask yourself this simple question: what would it look like for me to do to others as I would have them do to me?
It will get you moving in the right direction.
But there's one major way The Golden Rule is misunderstood - and I'll cover that in the next article.
Share Your Thoughts on The Golden Rule with the Uncommon Pursuit Community:
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