Dr. John MacArthur (source):

More than once I have been asked why my sermons focus so much on biblical interpretation and not as much on personal application. In a similar vein, verse-by-verse Bible teaching and an emphasis on doctrine are sometimes criticized as being irrelevant and impractical.

My response to that is simple—and may sound familiar to you because I communicate the principle at every opportunity. The meaning of Scripture is the Scripture. If you don’t have the true meaning of the text, you don’t have the Word of God. That’s why exegesis (a linguistically and historically sound interpretation of the text) is the absolute and primary essential in every sermon.

So my priority and driving passion is to make the truth of Scripture known. I want to help people know what God’s Word says. I’m confident that if I can help men and women understand the implications of the Bible―to feel the full weight and meaning of divine truth―the Holy Spirit will guide them in the application of that truth to their individual lives and circumstances.

Yes, some biblical principles may seem more practical or more immediately applicable than others. But all Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Teaching people what the Bible means is inherently practical. In fact, until a person understands the implications of a verse or passage, no sound application can be made.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to make the most personal, individual applications of the truth of Scripture in the heart of the hearer—and He does that infallibly, in a way that I as a preacher cannot. He instructs and directs us in how to put God’s Word to work in our lives.

We see the evidence of that in the responses we receive from the people Grace to You is reaching. Every day we hear from men and women around the world, describing how the Lord is working in their lives through His Word and thanking us for our doctrinally focused resources. They bear witness to the practical value and universal relevance of the doctrine we teach. In fact, not long ago we received a long letter from a woman named Sandra. Here’s a portion of what she had to say:

I grew up in a home with loving Christian parents, but I rebelled against Christ during my teenage years. I took pride in my academic accomplishments and was generally a very proud individual. I was confident that I would become a successful attorney someday and live a life of affluence. My childhood upbringing kept me from rejecting God’s existence, but although I knew He existed, I did not have a relationship with Him.

God’s mercy and grace were poured on me one day as I drove from school to my afternoon job during the first year of my undergraduate studies. I switched my car radio from one station to another, searching for something fun, when I tuned in to a Christian station my father had preset. I had made a habit to simply skip over that station, but on this particular day I heard your familiar voice before I had the chance to change it. You were teaching on the subject of predestination. I continued listening with the sole intent of finding weaknesses in the argument, but the Lord used that message to bring me to repentance. That message was not sugarcoated. You did not mince words—you did not make me feel good. No, instead your message brought me to tears. The Lord used you through your faithful teaching of the Word of God to humble an angry, ungrateful, and proud sinner and to bring me to repentance and eternal life.

While I know that your service is not for the praise of anyone, I simply hope you are encouraged in knowing that the Lord has used you, through the teaching of His Word, to save souls and minister to people you were not even aware existed.

Every day, people like Sandra are tuning in on radio or looking to our website and finding biblical truth that speaks directly to their spiritual needs and circumstances. The Lord puts the teaching of His Word in a position to convict, rebuke, instruct, comfort, and encourage His people when and where He chooses.

And while we affirm God’s sovereignty over whom He reaches and how He works in lives, there is still a significant, human component. You and I have roles to fulfill, responsibilities to discharge, and blessings of a spiritual harvest in which to share.