Finding the application

Now, we all know that simply having an academic understanding of Scripture is not enough. Unless we can make it practical to our lives and allow it to change us, we're really only getting part of the story. This is where applying Scripture comes into play.

People are generally eager to apply Scripture. Don't we all often want someone to just tell us what to do? Isn't it easier to have someone spoon feed us rather than muddle through ourselves? Perhaps I'm revealing my weakness, but sometimes that's what I'd like. But applying Scripture isn't always easy. Obviously, some passages are easier than others. Direct commands and exhortations are pretty easy to apply because they're doing exactly what we often like: telling us what to do. I think we all tend to want to apply Scripture too quickly. Often, we don't want to read it and just let it soak in.

I was thinking about this today as I was studying Hebrews chapter 1. I bought myself a study of Hebrews from Precept Ministries. I used to teach Precept classes. One of the things I like about Precept studies is that the book of the bible one studies is reproduced onto regular sized paper and with very wide margins. There are instructions to guide the study of the book, and I don't always follow them, but I don't mind paying the price of the study book just to get the bible passage on that nice big paper. It makes it easier for making notes. I used to have an actual bible with really wide margins, but it was very cumbersome to take to church.

Today, there was a question in the study book that asks the student to apply in a practical way the truths of Chapter 1. Here are some of the truths I found. The chapter is about Jesus' supremacy over angels.

1. Jesus is heir of all things (v.2)
2. The world was made through Jesus (v.2)
3. He is the radiance of the Father's glory (v.3)
4. He is the exact representation of the Father's nature (v.3)
5. He upholds all things by the word of His power (v.3)
6. He made purification for sins (v.3)
7. He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (v.3)
8. He is better than angels (v.4)
9. He has inherited a more excellent name than angels (v.4)
10. His throne is forever (v.8)
11. The righteous scepter is the scepter of His Kingdom (v.8)
12. He has loved righteousness and hated lawlessness (v.9)
13. God has anoionted Him with oil of gladness above his companions (v.9)
14. He laid the foundation of the earth (v.10)
15. The heavens are the work of His hands (v.10)
16. Others will perish, but He will remain (v.11)
17. He will remain the same (v.12)
18. His years will not come to an end (v.12)
19. His enemies will be made a footstood for his feet (v.13)

I'm sure I've missed something, but you get the picture here. Nothing on this list tells us what to do. There is no "flee immorality" or "rejoice in the Lord always." How do we flesh out the practical from such passages? I'm thinking that the application here is one of those long-term applications. We need to let these truths about Christ sink into us. We need to dwell on this person of Christ so that we know who He is. And this isn't even the whole picture of who Christ is as depicted by the writer of the Hebrews. There's more to come.

I suppose one very practical application for this passage would be to remember that if this is who Christ is, we had better not be fooled into thinking that anyone or anything else deserves our loyalty.