6 Application Questions Used by the Puritans

6 Application Questions Used by the Puritans

It can be difficult to apply a Biblical text to your life. Oftentimes, at the end of a Bible study or personal Bible reading, the question becomes: “So now what?” These Puritan application questions will help you answer that question.

I found these questions listening to an excellent lecture series by J. I. Packer on the Puritans. Packer also wrote several good books on the topic (See here and here).

One of the main points that stuck with me was the Puritans measured a great preacher not only by his skill in exposition. For the Puritans, being a great preacher meant you drew great application from the text.

Even more helpful, Packer discussed the Puritan application questions preachers would use. I immediately took notes because I most often hear people in the Church struggling with application.

I discussed how important it is for your Bible study to change your life in a previous post where I gave a simple method to study Scripture. In this post, I will give you the Puritan application questions and discuss how to answer them.

I have attached a visual aid to remember the questions below if you want something to help you remember them. Print on a 5 x 7 and stick it in the cover of your Bible for easy reference.

Summarize the main point

The first step in Puritan preaching is always to extract the doctrinal truth from your text. This takes careful study of all the components of the passage.

You can’t begin to apply a text you have only begun to study.

Once you have extracted all the details from a text, one of the most useful things you can do is summarize the main idea, main truth, or primary reality of the text. If you can’t distill a text of Scripture down into one sentence, you have one of two problems:

  1. You chose to long a passage of Scripture
  2. You don’t yet understand the passage and its significance

The Puritans would often take only a few verses at a time in their sermons. This would guarantee each sermon dealt with only one main doctrinal truth at a time.

Now, certain types of Biblical literature (such as Narrative) might benefit from studying larger chunks. I have discussed elsewhere some of the particular difficulties with Narrative. However, even when teaching a longer passage, you should know how all the details fit together to serve the main goal of the passage.

What is the essential truth of the passage? If someone asked you “what is this passage about,” what is the first sentence that comes to mind?

The reason you can’t neglect this step is the Puritans used “if-then” logic in their application of texts. All the questions I will go through take the form of “if (this truth from the text) is true, then what else follows?”

Some of the questions I used in my sermon meditation workbook can be helpful on this step if you are having trouble seeing the main truth of a passage. Once you have the main truth, idea, doctrine, or reality written out in your own words, you are ready to start using the Puritan application questions.

What following truths does this imply?

This first question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what further truths are implied?” It is simply connecting your current passage’s truth with a further truth. The Westminster Confession of Faith puts it this way:

VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647), Emphasis added

The bold section in the text above is what you are trying to do with this first application question. It doesn’t mean you pontificate on the text or introduce human reason only. Rather, you look at your text’s truth and ask “in light of the rest of Scripture, what other truths must also be true if this is true?”

Think of this question as “connecting the dots”. When you complete a “connect the dots” puzzle, you draw connections which together make up a larger picture. That is what this question is trying to do. By connecting your current text with other truths and passages of Scripture, you get a larger picture of what God is calling you to do and be.

For example, if you were studying Psalm 2 and summarized the main idea as “God has set up Jesus as His anointed King to judge the nations,” you could reason from this: “Therefore, Jesus has all authority in your life and in mine.”

In other words, “Jesus is King” is the truth from Psalm 2 and “Therefore, submit your life to Him” is a necessary further truth from Psalm 2.

Of all the Puritan application questions, this one relies most heavily on logic, and deduction. It also requires an ability to connect your text with other texts in Scripture.

In fact, that is how you check to see if the further truth you deduced is valid: check it with other Scripture. In the Psalm 2 example above, you find in the rest of the Bible calls to submit to Jesus’ authority. Therefore, you can be confidence your reasoning is valid.

Logic and reason are tools to understand the Bible, but they must be submitted to the text.

I think that one of the great lessons I have learned from reading the Puritans is how to think well and think carefully but still conform your conclusions and reasoning to the Biblical text itself.

This question is the most difficult Puritan application question. It will take practice to use it effectively. But one of the great skills for every Christian to develop is to fit particular truths in context with other truths in Scripture.

Oftentimes, it is seeing multiple truths together that gives you a clear picture of how you need to live out a particular text.

What errors does this contradict?

The second question is easier to understand. It takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what errors does this contradict?”

Or to put it another way: “if what this passage says is true, what cannot also be true? What must be false? Are there any beliefs that can’t exist alongside this truth?”

This application question targets wrong thinking and wrong belief. You can compare the truth of the passage to your own personal beliefs, the beliefs of the culture, or other philosophies. If you are preaching, this is an excellent opportunity to address how your text corrects common wrong thinking in your congregation.

Compare the culture’s deeply held beliefs to your text. Then, let your text expose any errors that exist.

For example, if you were studying the text “Everyone who desires to live a godly life will be persecuted,” an error that this passage contradicts might be the prosperity Gospel. Or it could be America’s idolization of comfort. In fact, your own heart might be holding erroneous beliefs that Scripture calls you to repent of.

A key part of application is simply letting Scripture expose your own heart. Let the Bible correct you and lead you to repentance from wrong thinking and wrong belief.

What good works does this require?

This third question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what good works are required?” This is simply calling you to meditate on how your passage calls you to righteous action.

If you are studying a passage that gives a command, sometimes this question is easy to answer. But oftentimes, the more you meditate on a passage, the more good actions or behaviors you realize are required by your text.

What commands must be obeyed in this passage? What actions glorify God or exalt Christ in the passage?

The key is to not only look at the good works you must do. You must also remind yourself of the power the Holy Spirit gives you to accomplish them. This will keep this application question from becoming moralism or self-empowered works.

Bible study isn’t about mere behavior modification. But a good Bible study will conform your behavior to Christ.

For passages that don’t have an explicit good work, sometimes it will take some thought to answer this question. Sometimes, the good work required is simply worship of God, praise for Christ, or thankfulness for the Gospel.

Generally, however, even in descriptive passages there are examples or implicit calls to proper behavior. That is why it is crucial to study the text deeply before trying to apply it. The deeper your study, the more profound the application.

What should you stop doing because the passage forbids it?

This next question is the opposite of the last one. This fourth question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what should I stop doing because this passage forbids it?” In other words, what actions, behaviors, or lifestyles are revealed as sinful in your passage?

This is the “put off” application questions. It helps you identify what behaviors should not be part of your identity in Christ. If you answered the previous question, you should already know what behaviors your passage calls you to “put on.”

Your Bible study is not complete without repentance. Put off what the passage declares as sin and put on what the passage reveals as right

Oftentimes, if you can’t think of what good works a passage requires, you can identify the wrong behaviors the passage condemns first. Then, think of the opposite of that wrong behavior, and you have the good work.

The Bible gives commands both negatively and positively. Your application should therefore include things to stop doing, and things to start doing.

What encouragement does this passage offer?

This fifth question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then what encouragement does this offer?” It is one of my favorite questions in this list. The question is pointing to “how does this passage increase my hope in God? My faith in His future mercy and provision?”

Take Hebrews 11 as an example. Certainly their are behaviors to correct based on the passage. But fundamentally, the passage is an encouragement to its readers to develop enduring faith. And each example given is part of a “cloud of witnesses”.

Don’t only leave your Bible study depressed. See what encouragement and hope the text gives you.

Now, there are some sobering texts in Scripture. Texts that deal directly with sin and rebellion. But that is another reason to always read the Bible with Christ in mind. Sometimes, the text’s encouragement is nothing more than a reminder of how great a Savior Jesus is.

I would say of all the Puritan application questions, I found this one most helpful. It is generally easier to see what behavior or thinking must be modified after studying a text. But sometimes it is easy to miss the encouragement the Holy Spirit is giving you through a Bible study.

Where do you stand spiritually in light of this passage?

This sixth and final question takes the form of “if this is true from my text, then where do I stand spiritually in light of this?” This question is very all-encompassing and I take it as a way to make sure you didn’t miss anything from the other questions.

This question turns the mirror squarely on you. You see the way you should think, act, and be encouraged by the passage. Now the question is: are you presently conforming to all these?

This is the most personal and oftentimes convicting parts of applying a text. It takes you out of the abstract and calls you to take stock of your spiritual state.

Ask yourself is my life today reflective of these truths? If not, how can I repent so tomorrow my life conforms to this text?

And this isn’t about mere behavior modification. It is self-examination based on Scripture. After this question, much prayer should happen because God alone can transform your life.

Notice: this is the only question that has the word “you” in it. The other questions help you work out a texts application. This question calls you to act on what you have learned.

Puritan Application Questions: Conclusion

Bible application can be difficult. Oftentimes, it comes down to simply asking the right questions. The Puritan application questions are some of the best you can use in your personal Bible study or sermon preparation.

If you want a reminder of these questions, scroll up to the top of the post to get a visual aid.

As a final note, one of the best ways to understand how to use these Puritan application questions is to read Puritan sermons. You will start to see patterns in how Puritan preachers apply a wide variety of texts.

I personally recommend reading some of John Flavel’s sermons. I have been reading through his sermons on Jesus Christ which are part of his compiled works. The sermons are a masterclass in how to apply Scripture to your listeners.

Visit the “Tools” page for more helpful resources for you and your Church’s Bible study and application. Do you have any application questions you use? I would love to hear them!

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