NGRK 505 Application Essay Instructions Each Student Will Wr

NGRK 505 application Essay Instructions each Student Will Write A 400 50

Each student will write a 400-500 word exegetical essay discussing how to faithfully apply their selected passage in a contemporary setting. The essay should be in 12 point, Times New Roman font. Format per the Turabian guidelines. Resources for Turabian formatting may be found in the Online Writing Center. Your paper should follow the footnote method of citation.

Philippians 2:1-11

After completing the assigned reading for this week, follow the guidance below to construct your essay:

1. Your goal in this essay is to explain how Christians today should faithfully apply the ancient passage of inspired Scripture that you have been working with throughout the course. Applications must arise from your prior analysis of the meaning of the passage in its original context. Now, you need to carefully shift from asking “what did the text mean in its ancient context?” to “what does the text mean in my context today?” Imagine that Paul, as the ancient human author of this text, will be reading your proposed contemporary applications. You want to remain true to what he intended for the passage, but you also want to best represent what you think he would say about the same topic today.

2. Go back to your Discussion Board Forum 2 post and read through your classmates’ replies to you and to others who wrote about the same passage. Their feedback should give you a sense of the range of concerns, questions, and application areas that your passage might mesh with in our contemporary settings. These are likely the same things that a congregation would think about when listening to a sermon on this passage. You want to avoid suggesting simplistic or broad applications that overlook or dismiss the complexities or scenarios that people hope you will address.

Although you will never be able to anticipate and address every question, the point is that you need to include enough detail to sufficiently address the major questions that your passage will bring to mind amongst an audience.

3. Remember that application of Scripture is not always behavioral – do and do not. Sometimes the application can be intellectual, social, and emotional. If the application is about holding a correct belief rather than an incorrect one, how should that impact our thought life, our social interaction, our emotional health, and our behavior?

4. When exploring how to apply your selected passage, it might be helpful to determine which aspect of our fallen human condition the passage offers redemptive hope for.

Paper For Above instruction

In this exegetical essay, I will explore how Philippians 2:1-11 can be faithfully applied in contemporary Christian life, reflecting on its original meaning and seeking practical applications for today’s believers. This passage, often regarded as one of Paul’s most profound articulations of humility and Christlike attitude, offers valuable principles that remain relevant amid the complexities of modern society.

Understanding the original context is crucial. Philippians 2:1-11 addresses unity, humility, and the exaltation of Christ. In the original setting, Paul encourages believers in Philippi to imitate Christ's humility by considering others more significant than themselves, leading to unity and mutual love within the community. Christ’s humility manifests in his incarnation, obedience, and ultimate glorification—examples meant to inspire believers to embody similar virtues. The passage underscores that true humility involves self-emptying and servanthood, which are central to Christ's mission and should characterize Christian conduct.

When shifting from the ancient to the modern context, the core question is how Christian humility and unity can be expressed amidst today’s societal challenges—individualism, social division, and materialism. To faithfully interpret Paul’s intent, modern application must emphasize that humility is not merely a personal virtue but a communal necessity. For instance, believers can apply this passage by fostering genuine humility that overcomes pride and fosters reconciliation, especially in polarized social environments. This involves active listening, sacrificial service, and promoting social justice—countercultural actions that reflect Christ’s attitude.

Furthermore, the application extends beyond behavioral acts to include intellectual, social, and emotional dimensions. Intellectually, believers are called to hold correct beliefs about Christ’s humility and lordship, shaping their worldview. Socially, humility calls for dismantling barriers—race, class, ideology—that divide communities, promoting inclusivity and mutual respect. Emotionally, embracing humility combats arrogance and fosters inner peace rooted in Christ’s sacrifice and exaltation. Such holistic application ensures that faith impacts thought, emotion, social behavior, and conduct.

Addressing the fallen human condition, this passage offers redemptive hope for overcoming pride, ego, and social fragmentation. Sin distorts human self-perception and social relationships, but Christ’s example provides a pathway toward humility and reconciliation. The redemptive message is that believers can partake in Christ’s humility, transforming internal dispositions and external relationships. This transformation is not rapid but requires ongoing dependence on the Holy Spirit to cultivate Christlike attitudes in believers’ daily lives.

Contemporary application must also consider the complexities and real-life scenarios faced by believers. For example, applying Philippians 2:1-11 in a corporate or political context involves promoting servant leadership and humility amidst competition and power struggles. In personal relationships, it encourages forgiving, sacrificial love that mirrors Christ’s self-emptying. These applications must be nuanced, acknowledging diversity of situations, yet rooted in the unchanging truth of Christ’s example.

In conclusion, Philippians 2:1-11 remains a profound blueprint for Christian humility and unity in any era. Its application in today’s context involves a careful balance of theological understanding and practical action. As believers embody Christ’s humility, they participate in God’s redemptive work, transforming individual lives and society at large. Through humility, believers reflect Christ’s exaltation and exemplify the Gospel’s power to reconcile and bring peace amidst division and pride.

References

• Barnett, Paul. The Second Letter to the Philippians. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.
• Hayne, David. Philippians. Baptist Theology, Volume 24. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1998.
• McKnight, Scot. Pontius Pilate: Portraits of a Roman Governor. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2017.
• Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Philippians. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980.
• Schreiner, Thomas R. Paul, the Law, and the Gospel: How the New Testament Shaped the Old. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.
• Witherington, Ben. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011.
• Wright, N. T. Paul and the Faithfulness of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2013.
• Hays, Richard B. Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul. Yale University Press, 1989.
• Fee, Gordon D. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A New Interpretation. Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1995.
• Dunn, James D. G. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.