One of the disappointments and discouragements in much of today's preaching remains the deficient use and neglect of solid application. It rarely takes much of the 'study' time of the preacher as he thinks that it will 1) naturally follow from the truths presented or will 2) naturally come to the mind of the preacher during the exposition. Both of these leave the truth far short of its intended use. Applications today remain at the "read your bible", "pray", and "come to church" level. They prove repetitious, tiresome, and boring. They disregard the true heart issues that lie behind the biblical truths.


The Puritans can teach us otherwise. Though they are highly regarded for their doctrinal depth, they are as well known for their use of application. It has been stated that as much as fifty percent of their sermons were application. The grounds for such depth of application lies in the fact that they studied application and spent time in the study considering the applicable 'uses', as they would say, of the truth they would be presenting.


The following was given by J.I. Packer as a diagram by which the Puritans were taught to consider applying their material. Once the truth found itself in the mind of the preacher he would use the following:


1- Instruction: 'if x is true, then we must also believe x1, x2, and x3'
2- Confutation: 'if x is true, then we can believe that x1 or x2 are false' (popular ideas, carnal desires, et. al.)
3- Exhortation: 'if x is true, then we should do x1, x2, and x3'
4- Admonition: 'if x is true, then we should stop doing x1, x2, and x3'
5- Comfort: 'if x is true, then we ought to take heart in x1, x2, and x3 situations'
6- Notes on trial: 'if x is true, where do we stand in relation to x or do we realistically acknowledge x in our lives or do we show the marks of x in our lives?'

In addition, the Puritans would divide the congregation into six various groups of people ranging from complacent unbelievers to mature believers. They took the six previous applications and applied them to the six kinds of people present, leaving them with 36 direct applications for their congregation. Though they would not give all of them in one sermon, the Puritans would endeavor to touch each person with each point of application in a two to three month period.

This was all a part of their 'counseling from the pulpit'. True, heart-felt, convicting application must be a part of today's preaching. Without it, our people grow calloused to our repetition and lack of depth. With it, our people leave with a plate full of occasions and events by which they can consider the deep truths of Scripture. This is where the rubber meets the road.