If Someone Says—‘The Bible Is Not Practical for Our Day’
- Edward D. Andrews
- 12 minutes ago
- 9 min read
When individuals dismiss Scripture as outdated or irrelevant, the Christian apologist must respond with careful exegesis and historical awareness grounded in the authority of the inspired Word. Assertions that the Bible lacks practical application reflect a misunderstanding of its nature, purpose, and continual relevance for humanity living in a morally confused world. Because the Bible is the inerrant revelation from Jehovah, preserved with extraordinary accuracy and given for instruction in righteous living, it speaks directly to the enduring needs of human beings regardless of the century in which they live. The charge of impracticality collapses when one examines what Scripture teaches about human conduct, relationships, work, morality, government, spiritual warfare, and the hope of eternal life.
The foundation of a proper response must begin with the recognition that Jehovah created mankind in His image, not granting humanity autonomous moral standards but revealing His will through the written Word. When the apostle Paul wrote that “all Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17), he established the permanency of biblical usefulness. Paul did not restrict the term Scripture to earlier eras; rather, he affirmed its enduring value for equipping God’s servants in all periods of human history until the return of Christ. Scripture is, by definition, the standard by which life is to be measured.
The Bible’s Practicality Flows From Its Divine Origin
If the Bible were merely the reflections of ancient men, one might dismiss it as limited to its cultural context. But Scripture is the product of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, producing a text both historically grounded and eternally relevant. The practical power of biblical instruction arises from the character of Jehovah Himself. Because He is immutable and His moral standards do not shift with cultural or societal trends, His written Word maintains abiding authority.
The modern person often assumes that the complexities of contemporary life require new ethical structures. Yet the essential struggles of humanity have never changed. Human imperfection, the influence of Satan and the demons, and the corruption of this wicked world ensure that every generation experiences the same moral tensions. The Bible is not impractical because the human condition is not fundamentally different from what it was thousands of years ago. Scripture addresses lust, pride, injustice, greed, violence, envy, dishonesty, marital conflict, idolatry, false religion, governmental corruption, and spiritual deception—issues as present today as they were in any ancient civilization.
The Bible Addresses Core Human Realities That Transcend Time
The claim that Scripture is outdated typically arises from a misunderstanding of its aims. The Bible does not attempt to instruct humanity in the mechanics of modern technology; rather, it reveals the will of Jehovah for human conduct, worship, relationships, worldview, and eternal destiny. The Bible is practical because it addresses the essential questions every person must face: Who created me? What is my purpose? How should I live? What happens after death? How can I be counted righteous before God? These questions are timeless, and Scripture gives the only authoritative answers.
When Jesus taught on marriage, anger, forgiveness, purity, humility, stewardship, neighbor-love, and obedience, His words were grounded not in cultural custom but in the unchanging moral nature of Jehovah. When He confronted the religious leaders for elevating human tradition above divine revelation, He demonstrated that no generation has the right to reshape truth according to its preferences. The practical effect of His teaching remains remarkable because He addressed the deepest motives of the human heart, exposing sin and directing humanity to righteousness.
The Moral Clarity of Scripture Confronts Modern Confusion
The practicality of the Bible is evident when one compares its clear ethical standards to the conflicting moral philosophies of the modern age. Human societies regularly redefine what is considered acceptable, often celebrating practices that Scripture identifies as destructive. In contrast, the Bible presents an unwavering framework for righteous living.
When Scripture commands fidelity in marriage, it provides a standard that protects families and societies. When Scripture condemns sexual immorality, it shields individuals from emotional and physical harm. When Scripture demands honesty in speech, integrity in business, and fairness in judgment, it establishes the foundation for stable communities. When Scripture requires honor for parents, respect for governing authorities, and compassionate concern for the poor, it produces societies marked by justice and peace.
Many who declare the Bible impractical do so because they resist its moral demands. Its practicality is not diminished by rejection. The standard remains the standard whether or not humanity acknowledges it.
The Bible Provides Practical Guidance for Personal Conduct
Scripture contains teaching that shapes daily living in profound ways. The wisdom literature of the Old Testament, for example, remains unmatched in its ability to form character. The book of Proverbs instructs the reader on avoiding bad associations, controlling speech, conducting business with integrity, exercising humility, disciplining children, honoring one’s spouse, and avoiding the path of the wicked. None of these matters has lost relevance in the modern era.
The Psalms guide believers in prayer, reflection, worship, and trust in Jehovah amid suffering caused by human imperfection or the influence of demonic forces. The Gospels show Jesus engaging real people with compassion, truth, and moral authority. His interactions with outcasts, His exposure of hypocrisy, His confrontations with demons, and His teaching on righteousness provide patterns for Christian conduct in every social setting.
The apostolic writings are filled with extensive instruction on personal holiness. Paul commands Christians to “put away the old personality” and to “clothe” themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, mildness, and patience (Colossians 3:9–12). He teaches believers to flee immorality, refuse greed, discipline their minds, reject anger, and speak graciously. These practical commands do not lose relevance because human nature does not evolve into righteousness on its own.
The Bible Provides Practical Guidance for Family Life
Claims that the biblical family structure is outdated ignore the observable consequences of abandoning God’s design. When Scripture teaches that marriage is a lifelong union between one man and one woman, it protects society from relational instability. When Scripture assigns husbands the role of loving leadership patterned after Christ’s self-sacrificial love and instructs wives to respect their husbands and manage their households with wisdom, it establishes order that produces harmony rather than chaos.
Children are commanded to honor their parents, learning obedience to authority and respect for moral boundaries. Parents are instructed to raise children in the discipline and instruction of Jehovah, shaping their worldview and guiding them away from destructive influences. None of these principles rely on ancient culture; they arise from the Creator’s understanding of human flourishing.
The Bible Provides Practical Guidance for Work and Stewardship
In a world filled with economic upheaval, Scripture speaks clearly to the attitude believers must adopt toward labor, money, and possessions. Paul commands Christians to work with diligence, avoiding laziness and dishonesty. He instructs believers to live quietly, mind their own affairs, and labor with their hands so they will lack nothing and bring no reproach on the Christian congregation.
The Bible’s approach to stewardship guards against both greed and wastefulness. Believers are to use their resources responsibly, avoid excessive debt, care for those in genuine need, and remain ready to assist the Christian congregation. These are practical principles that produce stability and protect individuals from impulsive financial decisions that lead to hardship.
The Bible Provides Practical Guidance for Conflict Resolution
Society promotes retaliation, self-defense rooted in pride, and vindictive behavior. Scripture instead teaches forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace. When Jesus commanded His followers to forgive repeatedly, He established the pathway to relational restoration. When Paul urged Christians to settle their differences without appealing to secular courts, he defended the unity of the congregation. When Scripture commands believers to speak truthfully yet graciously, it preserves relationships from unnecessary damage.
The Bible’s instructions concerning anger, bitterness, and grudges are essential for emotional and spiritual health. Numerous interpersonal conflicts in the modern world would dissolve if individuals applied Christ’s teachings on humility and forgiveness.
The Bible Provides Practical Guidance for Navigating a Wicked World
The Bible explains why the world is filled with violence, deception, immorality, and corruption. It identifies Satan as “the god of this world” who blinds minds and manipulates systems for the ruin of humanity. This insight is deeply practical because it equips Christians to perceive reality accurately and resist the pressures of a society opposed to divine truth.
Scripture instructs believers to remain separate from the world’s harmful influences, refusing associations and activities that corrupt morals. It warns against false teachers, counterfeit spirituality, and deceptive philosophies that appear enlightened but contradict the Word of God. This guidance is urgently needed in an age saturated with confusion.
The Bible Provides Practical Hope Rooted in Resurrection and Kingdom Rule
One of the greatest evidences of Scripture’s practicality is its message of hope. Human solutions cannot resolve death or the despair caused by wickedness. Scripture addresses death truthfully, revealing that man is a soul and that death is the cessation of personhood. Yet Jehovah promises resurrection and offers eternal life through Christ’s ransom sacrifice.
Jesus taught extensively about the coming Kingdom, which will restore the earth to righteousness under His thousand-year reign. This eschatological hope produces practical perseverance, steady faith, and clear direction for daily life. The teachings of Christ concerning the Kingdom remain indispensable for shaping worldview, priorities, and moral decisions.
The Bible’s Historical Reliability Enhances Its Practical Authority
A book cannot be practical if it is untrustworthy. One of the strengths of Christian apologetics is the extraordinary manuscript accuracy of both the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament, preserved with 99.99 percent reliability. The chronological structure of biblical history, including major dates such as the Flood in 2348 B.C.E., the Exodus in 1446 B.C.E., and the execution and resurrection of Jesus in 33 C.E., provides a coherent framework anchored in real events. The teachings derived from this historical record carry enduring authority because they are rooted in actual acts of God.
The Bible’s practical value is not diminished by its ancient origins. Rather, its antiquity underscores its continuity and reliability. A book that accurately describes human nature, explains the origin of moral law, reveals divine redemption, and equips believers for every good work is intensely practical for every generation.
The Testimony of Transformed Lives Demonstrates Scripture’s Practical Power
Throughout history, those who have submitted themselves to the authority of Scripture have experienced transformation that testifies to its enduring practicality. Men and women bound by sinful habits, broken relationships, despair, or confusion have found clarity, strength, and purpose through the teachings of God’s Word. The gospel has reformed societies, shaped laws, elevated moral behavior, and established charitable institutions that care for the oppressed. Such effects cannot be attributed to an impractical or irrelevant text.
Christians have overcome destructive desires, restored marriages, reconciled with enemies, abandoned dishonesty, and found peace amid suffering because Scripture provided divine instruction. The Bible does not merely speak about lofty ideas; it shapes behavior, character, and daily decisions.
The Perceived Impracticality Stems From Misinterpretation, Not Defect
When individuals claim the Bible is impractical, the problem is not with Scripture but with the interpreter. Misinterpretation arises from unfamiliarity with the historical-grammatical method, failure to distinguish between descriptive passages and prescriptive commands, or a refusal to submit to Jehovah’s moral authority. To read Scripture accurately requires recognizing genre, context, authorial intent, and the unified message of redemption that runs from Genesis to Revelation.
The Bible becomes intensely practical when interpreted correctly. Its commands are clear, its doctrines coherent, and its applications pervasive. The supposed impracticality evaporates when one reads the text with humility and a desire to obey.
Scripture Speaks Authoritatively in the Digital Age
Modern technology has altered communication, social interaction, and information access, but it has not changed the human heart. The temptations of lust, pride, envy, materialism, anger, and idolatry are magnified rather than reduced by digital platforms. The Bible’s teachings on purity, self-control, discernment, and stewardship apply with renewed urgency in this environment.
The call to guard one’s eyes, discipline one’s thoughts, measure one’s words, avoid foolish controversies, and pursue righteousness is more relevant than ever. The Bible remains the only reliable compass in a culture driven by rapid change and moral instability.
The Bible Is Practical Because It Calls Humanity to Salvation
More than offering advice for daily living, Scripture proclaims the only path to reconciliation with Jehovah. It reveals the identity of Jesus Christ, the necessity of faith, repentance, and immersion, and the journey of sanctification required of every believer. This is not abstract theology; it is practical truth that determines one’s eternal destiny.
A book that shows humanity how to be forgiven, how to walk in righteousness, how to resist Satan, how to endure suffering, and how to inherit eternal life cannot be dismissed as irrelevant. It is the very foundation of practical guidance.
Final Affirmation of Scripture’s Enduring Practicality
The charge that the Bible is no longer practical misunderstands both Scripture and the human condition. The Bible speaks with divine authority to the deepest needs of mankind. It explains our origin, exposes our sin, instructs our conduct, transforms our character, stabilizes our families, directs our work, guides our relationships, protects us from deception, and secures our hope. Its wisdom does not erode with time because it reflects the eternal nature of Jehovah Himself.
To reject the practicality of Scripture is to reject the only reliable foundation upon which a person may build a life of righteousness and hope. The Bible remains, in every age, the most practical guide ever given to humanity.
About the Author
EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
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