Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Chapter 6: How Does It Apply to Me?

R ATIONALISM HELPS THE individual make personal applications that can reduce the Bible to a “guide for what I need,” resulting in the ubiquitous phrase, “ How does it apply to me ?” Analytical Approaches to Bible Study Many Americans have been taught to focus on individual verses and chapters without reading for the larger context of Jesus’ redemptive work to defeat the enemy. Instead of seeing a composite picture of the cosmic battle, Christians are too busy looking for the details to notice God’s overall plan. An analytical approach to studying the Bible crops Jesus and his purposes out of the picture. For example, Michael Horton explained, “Apart from Christ, the Bible is a closed book. Read with him at the center, it is the greatest story ever told. The Bible is trivialized when it is reduced to life’s instruction manual. According the apostles—and Jesus himself—the Bible is an unfolding drama with Jesus Christ as its central character.” 39 Unfortunately, the purpose of Bible study is often geared to the accumulation of information about the Bible (information transfer). For example, if the truth were told, many Christians would confess that they find more satisfaction in learning about the three Greek words for love than they do in seeking to love difficult people.

These are some of the analytical approaches to Bible study: Look for verses that inspire.

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