Bruce Wilkinson 7 Laws of the Learner: Law 3 Application

The Law of Application
Pages 135-164
Tuesday 26 October 2010

The essence of the Law of
Application is these four
words:
“Apply for life change”
The teacher should always
teach for the purpose of life
change

Like teenagers revving
up their cars for show
whilst not moving
forward at all - much
teaching makes a lot of
‘sound’ whilst producing
no movement.
Teachers get so tied
up in their content
that they forget the
purpose of content
is life change.

Three points, seven principles, alliteration, good
titles, outlines, illustrations are simply content. The
problem is when you look at the life of students
graduating from seminaries and of church
members you see more and more problems:
Drug and alcohol abuse, immorality, divorce,
rebellious children, eating disorders, wrong
priorities - the truth doesn’t seem to get us
anywhere.
This section is about teaching for application - so
that lives are changed.

An Application Mindset
The prevailing opinion is that we
teach to ‘cover the material’ - all
about content. Students
frequently ask questions about
knowledge - knowing is seen as
the essence of being educated
Should the goal be much deeper
for a Christian teacher?
Wilkinson suggests that no
merely knowledge but also
application is what we should be
interested in.

Application relates to wisdom,
transformation and maturity
If content is “what” application is
“so what”, if content is
“knowing” application is “doing”
All Scripture is God-breathed and
is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man
of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work.
[NASB complete, equipped]

Application Model
Taking 2 Tim 3:16-17 a little further and
developing the application model

All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of
God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work.
NASB: Doctrine, Correction,
Instructing in righteousness, Reproof

The Resource: God’s Inspired
Revelation for Believers
The Bible is the Word of God - inspired by Him -
it is the standard by which we measure all of life
and all of learning.
The Scriptures are the primary resource for the
Christian teacher to develop complete,
equipped students

The Methodology: How to
apply the Bible to the Believer
How do you teach the Bible so that the man of
God may be changed, equipped and made
complete? There are 4 methods in 2 Tim 3:16-17
- two relate primarily to belief (teaching and
correction), and two to behaviour (instructing
and reproof)

Teaching - doctrine
Didaskalian That which is to be learned, kept
pure, defended against heresies. Often
involves explaining and showing truths to
believe.
Also 1 Tim 4:13, 16

Teaching - doctrine
Didaskalian That which is to be learned, kept
pure, defended against heresies. Often
involves explaining and showing truths to
believe.
Also 1 Tim 4:13, 16
Doctrine
explains the
truth - it is
positive side of
what you believe

Correction
epanorthosin made of 3
words meaning ‘to make
straight again’. Its goal is
to set right, raise up those
who fall, correct those in
error. Only place found in
NT. Means to correct false
doctrines or beliefs one
may hold in error

Correction
epanorthosin made of 3
words meaning ‘to make
straight again’. Its goal is
to set right, raise up those
who fall, correct those in
error. Only place found in
NT. Means to correct false
doctrines or beliefs one
may hold in error
Correction is the
opposite of
doctrine - what
you believe is
not in line with
Scripture

Instruction in righteousness
paideian - upbringing, child
training. Emphasis on guiding
believers in the way of God
including chastening and
discipline.
“The whole training and
education of
children...cultivation of mind,
morals, commands,
admonitions, punishment etc.”
Eph 6:4, Heb 12:5, 8

Reproof - Rebuking
elegmos - conviction
or punishment of a
sinner.
A rebuke to a person in
sin, or convincing a
man of his error and
setting on the right
path. Only time used in
the NT.

Reproof - Rebuking
elegmos - conviction
or punishment of a
sinner.
A rebuke to a person in
sin, or convincing a
man of his error and
setting on the right
path. Only time used in
the NT.
Instruction(+ve) and
reproof(-ve) relate to
behaviour - instruction trains
you how to live for Christ on
a daily basis, reproof stops
you acting in wrong ways
and tries to bring you back
in line with Christ

As the Bible is given for life change the books of
the Bible fit into these four methods of
application - they are universal. E.g.
1 Cor = reproof
Rom 1-11 = doctrine
Php = instruction in righteousness
Gal = correction
Even within these we see that the WOG is for life
change - to make us more like change
Most teachers aim for understanding and
wonder why life change does not take place.

The Result: Mature and
Equipped Christians
...that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Complete = artios - fit, complete, sufficient, able
to meet all demands. This usually relates to
character - who you are. You should be
transformed to look like Jesus

Thoroughly equipped = exertismenos - related
to the same root word as artios, meaning
completely outfitted, fully furnished, fully
equipped - for what? - every good work - the
conduct of a believer is appropriate in serving
the Lord
We have the bible to change our character, who
I am - and our conduct, what I do

Word of God
Given by God
Inspired by God
Belief
Behaviour
Resource

Method
Word of God
Given by God
Inspired by God
instruction
reproof
doctrine
correction
Belief
Behaviour
Resource

Method Result
Man of God
Character :
who he is
Conduct: what
he does
Word of God
Given by God
Inspired by God
instruction
reproof
doctrine
correction
Belief
Behaviour
Resource

Wilkinson says that this truth has changed his
life - the fact that you never simply teach a
passage by explaining, but you have to have
application. Learning and implementing the
following teaching has given him great joy in
seeing lasting life change in the lives of
students.

Application Maxims

“The Bible was not given
to increase our knowledge
but to change our lives”
DL Moody

Maxim 1: Application is the central
reason for God’s revelation
When you stand before God in heaven will he
test you on the books of the Bible - in correct
order?
Do your Sunday school teachers simply tell
Bible stories to the children?
Do they teach children how to become like the
characters they read of?
What will God be interested in when you stand
before him?

Maxim 2: application is the
responsibility of the teacher
As the Bible is given by God for
application it has to be the
teachers responsibility to
honour and fulfill that purpose.
Content teacher covers and
explains the facts - application
teacher applies facts for a
lasting life change in students

Col 1:28-29 We proclaim him,
admonishing and teaching
everyone with all wisdom, so
that we may present
everyone perfect in Christ.
29To this end I labor, struggling
with all his energy, which so
powerfully works in me.
Matt 28:18-20 - teach them to
do...
When you teach are you an
informer or a transformer?

Maxim 3: application and
information should be balanced
If you want application when you teach how
much time should be devoted to it?
Wilkinson suggests on average 90% (or even
95%) of sermon time is devoted to content.
He looked at famous preachers - Charles
Swindoll, Hendricks, Charles Stanley all of
whom had over 50% application.

He looked at church history -
Moody, Edwards, Finney,
Spurgeon, Wesley, Tozer - all
had 45-47% application.

He looked at the epistles as a
form of sermon - what of
Romans:

Romans:
Chapter 1-5 content

Romans:
Chapter 1-5 content
Chapters 6-8 application

Romans:
Chapter 1-5 content
Chapters 10-11 content

Ephesians:
Chapters 1-3 doctrine
James 80% application
1 Peter >60% application
Matt 5-7 65% application

So will you aim to teach with an appropriate
balance of application and content - maybe 50:50?
Note this is not a law simply a guiding principle -
the aim should be for balance

So will you aim to teach with an appropriate
balance of application and content - maybe 50:50?
Note this is not a law simply a guiding principle -
the aim should be for balance
Remember though
if you want to
teach like Jesus
application needs
to be over 60%

Maxim 4: application focusses
Scripture on the students’ needs
How do you know where to focus your
application?
[This is discussed fully in the Law of the Need -
law 5]
Application has to be appropriate for the
audience - consider, age, purpose of speaking.
If content is primary its needs are most
important - if application then students needs
are most important.

Maxim 5: application has
maximum influence when the
student sees its biblical basis
There needs to be a witness of “God says this”
for good application. It needs the Bibles
authority in, underneath, around and behind it.
Application asks, “What does God say you
should do” - it is not the voice of a man.

Let people encounter God
in His Word - not think our
words, our illustrations, our
ideas are enough.
[After all we are convinced
of the power of the WOG]
Tell the people what God
has commanded.
Our students need to be
convinced they have heard
form God not from a man.

Maxim 6: application that has
impacted the teacher tends to
impact the student
The teacher is the
intermediary of the message
- standing between the
people and God - “the
teacher of God is the living
link between the Word of
God and the people of God”

Teachers do not improve Scripture - they simply
communicate it.
However there is a danger of the teacher blocking
communication of the WOG:
1. The character of the communicator - if the
teacher does not have integrity you are phony -
and the people will hear a ‘dull’ message.
Who you are speaks so loudly that I cannot hear
what you say.

2. The conduct of the communicator - if
they are guilty of carnal behaviour, they are
sinning - this quenches the Spirit of God,
and the spirit of the people hearing the
message.
3. The communication of the teacher -
poor delivery diminishes a message.

4. The degree of change in the life of the
communicator due to their obedience to the WOG
- this can liberate or limit the power of the truth in
the lives of people. Truth that has transformed a
teacher is more likely to have the same effect on
the students.
Do you practice what you preach?
Do you live the truth?
Rom 15:8 -

Character is God’s major prerequisite for
communicating His content - what and how is
important, but who is of greatest importance.
3 practical steps to ensure you have lived the truth
you teach.
[There is an old adage of many things being caught
not taught]

1. Prepare your lessons during the
whole week before you teach
Forget the late night,
last minute
preparation - give God
ample time to work in
us and to work
through us.

2. Ask the Lord to apply the specific
truth you are going to teach to your
own life during the week
It needs to be real to you -
we need to teach in our own
lives first. Then you can
teach out of your own life -
look at Paul’s amazing
example here, Php 3:17,
Titus 2:7-8.
Life & Lips in harmony!

3. Communicate with all of your mind,
will and emotions the applications the
Lord has taught you from the Bible
Content from Scripture - communication from
your life. Communicate it with passion and
fervency.
“Break free from the bondage of ‘thinking only’
approach to teaching. Involve all of your life to
touch their lives. Laugh, weep, mourn, rejoice.
Be fully human when you teach”.
Christ came to reach the whole man - not only
one part

Maxim 7: application must ultimately
lead the student from studying the
Bible to obeying the Lord
This requires two major
transitions.
1. Lead them from
studying to obeying.
2. Change their focus
from the Bible to the
Lord.

Ultimately Christianity is
not facts or theology - it is
a relationship with the Lord.
Students must move
beyond truth to the one
who is Truth. Each week
we should meet the Lord
afresh as we study.

“Somehow we have settled for dead
sacrifices rather than the living
Saviour. Isn’t that at least one reason
why we have such masses of
Christians who languish week after
week hoping that somehow, someone
will arise to call down fire from the
heavens?”
Bruce Wilkinson, page 161

Bruce Wilkinson 7 Laws of the Learner: Law 3 Application

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