8 Questions to Better Understand and Apply the Bible” by Matthew Harmon
1. What do I learn about God? - God is the main character of the Bible, so he should be our starting point. Every passage of Scripture reveals something about God, even if he’s not specifically mentioned. Look for his character (Rev. 4:8), his conduct (Ps. 23:1–6), and his concerns (Exod. 22:21–22). Also pay attention to all three persons of the Trinity (Matt. 28:18–20).
2. What do I learn about people? - As the pinnacle of God’s creation, humans are at the center of his purposes. Think through what the passage reveals about our identity as divine image-bearers (Eccl. 3:11). Look for the fallen condition—the sinful beliefs, attitudes, feelings, actions, or tendencies mentioned or implied in the text (Prov. 6:16–19). Consider what the passage reveals about living as those who’ve been redeemed through the work of Christ (Rom. 12:9–13).
3. What do I learn about relating to God? - Loving God with our whole being expresses itself in a variety of ways. Start by looking for reasons to praise God (1 Pet. 1:3–5). Consider what sin you need to confess and repent of (1 John 1:5–10). Identify any promises God calls us to believe (1 Pet. 2:4–12).
4. What do I learn about relating to others? - God created us to be in community with one another. When he saves us from our sins, he makes us part of the body of Christ. Start by considering what the passage shows about interacting with others—family, friends, roommates, coworkers, classmates, neighbors, fellow believers, non-Christians, etc. (Eph. 4:25–5:2). Look for what the passage teaches about pursuing reconciliation with others (Rom. 12:18). Reflect on what the passage teaches about loving, serving, and caring well for others (Luke 10:25–37).
5. What does God want me to understand/think? - God has given us the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16), but we are still tempted to think the way we did before we knew Christ (Eph. 4:17–19). Deep and lasting transformation begins with the renewal of our minds (Rom. 12:1–2). Reflect on any wrong ways of thinking that the passage exposes.
6. What does God want me to believe? - We may understand a truth at an intellectual level without letting it shape how we live. Jesus makes this distinction in the parable of the soils; those who initially receive God’s Word with joy but have no root will subsequently fall away from the gospel, since they fail to “hold it fast in an honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15). Consider what false beliefs the passage reveals and what gospel promises you need to believe.
7. What does God want me to desire? - This question targets the affections—the combination of desires, inclinations, feelings, and will that are the spring of our actions. God calls us to desire him above all else (Ps. 42:1–2), but apart from the work of the gospel we will desire what’s evil (Prov. 24:1–2). Reflect on how you see the sinful desires mentioned or implied in the passage show up in your own life, as well as the kind of godly desires you should be cultivating.
8. What does God want me to do? - When God’s Word changes how we think, what we functionally believe, and what we desire, it will produce tangible change in what we do and don’t do. Sometimes a passage gives us direct commands (Rom. 12:9–17). But many are far less straightforward, requiring us to think carefully about specific actions in light of our current place in redemptive history. Think through what sinful actions the passage exposes in your own life as well as what godly actions you should pursue.
Recommended Resource— The Insanity of God by Nik Ripkin
The Insanity of God is the personal and lifelong journey of an ordinary couple from rural Kentucky who thought they were going on just your ordinary missionary pilgrimage, but discovered it would be anything but. After spending over six hard years doing relief work in Somalia, and experiencing life where it looked like God had turned away completely and He was clueless about the tragedies of life, the couple had a crisis of faith and left Africa asking God, "Does the gospel work anywhere when it is really a hard place? From Their perspective, it sure didn't work in Somalia. The Insanity of God tells a story—a remarkable and unique story to be sure, yet at heart a very human story—of the Ripkens’ own spiritual and emotional odyssey. The gripping, narrative account of a personal pilgrimage into some of the toughest places on earth, combined with sobering and insightful stories of the remarkable people of faith Nik and Ruth encountered on their journeys, will serve as a powerful course of revelation, growth, and challenge for anyone who wants to know whether God truly is enough.
