“Faith is not an achievement, it is a gift. Yet it comes only through the hearing and study of the Word.” – Martin Luther
In teaching public speaking, I tend to reiterate one question to my students: “So why should we listen to you? So what about your topic?” This question gets to the heart of their speeches. It informs the audience why it is important to listen, to interact, and to use the information that is being presented.
Studying the Bible is exactly the same. We can listen to a sermon, read a devotional, and read the Bible, but our hearts ask one question: “So what?” Answering this question is key for growing as a Christian. We can know the “whats” of the Bible, but we go deeper when we know the “whys.”
This is where The Life Application Study Bible (3rd Edition) can help.
Clarity in Language
In dealing with the “why,” we need to be able to understand the Bible in order to answer that question. The Life Application Study Bible has taken on the task to make every verse, note, and application understandable. The theology is beautifully woven into simple notes. You do not need a theology degree to understand this study Bible. What you do need is an open heart to read the Bible and be changed by it.
Clarity for understanding and application can only come from when the language of the material is comprehensible. This study Bible (in all its aspects) makes that possible.
Guiding Us to the Heart
One of the best features of The Life Application Study Bible are the many opportunities to get to the heart of every passage. The notes and character sketches guide us to answering the “so what” that plagues our minds. It isn’t enough just to know a passage in-depth. There has to be application. These features point us in that direction.
Guidance in Bible study is beneficial as we wade the waters of life with the Word as our guide. The Life Application Study Bible is an excellent guide into knowing, interacting, and living out God’s Word.
Make Sure to Check the Back
One thing that sets this study Bible apart from the others, is what can be found in the back. Not only are the notes and other features inside the Bible helpful, but the items found in the back are a gem. We can study and apply the Bible to our lives; however, being a disciple of Jesus does not end there. We need to know how to make disciples of all nations; as Jesus commanded us in Matthew 28:19-20. If we did not make disciples, our faith and Christian life would be like the Dead Sea. It does not go anywhere. It does not pour into another body of water. A good body of water feeds into another.
The articles in the back of The Life Application Study Bible put us on a good course for fulfilling the Great Commission. “How to become a Christian,” “How to Follow Up with a New Believer,” and “So You’ve Been Asked to Speak…” are some of the articles found in the back. Each of these can develop the skills to make disciples. This does not say church and the fellowship of the believers are not important. But, these tools can help in this process.
Check the back. There are great articles and tools to help you individually, and help others know Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him.
So What’s the Difference?
There are many changes to The Life Application Study Bible. Has the Scripture itself changed? No. What has changed is the culture in which we live. The first edition came out in the 1980’s. Today, in 2019, there have been many changes culturally, linguistically, and societally. This study Bible has done a great job of updating the user friendliness of the Bible, as well as the notes to reflect a Biblically-based way of applying the Bible to our lives today. Some of the issues that we face are wrote about more and provide better answers to walk with.
Here is a short video to help you understand the changes in this edition:
The Life Application Study Bible – 3rd Edition Changes
Studying the Bible and Applying to Life
The Life Application Study Bible is one I have used for many years. I go back to it with every project, paper, sermon, or lesson I am working on. The third edition has helped me in applying the Bible to issues around us that were not around or as prevalent compared to ten years ago. This study Bible is a tool that should be on your shelf. Studying the Bible is how we grow in Christ. Living out the Bible is how faith is put into practice. The Life Application Study Bible helps us walk each step in that process as we navigate each issue from a Biblical worldview.
Purchase The Life Application Study Bible here
*I received a free copy of this study Bible from BibleGateway to review as I am a member of their Blogger Grid
Braced By Truth 