Correct me if I am wrong here .. in the question it is implied that most/all the application is made in connection with the Pastor's own life and walk. And if this is so, the question becomes slightly different .. should we have application with or without reference to the pastor's life and walk.

Firstly, I would say that I am not at all in favour of sermons that make no application, under the guise that the Holy Spirit will work it out. It is the job of the preacher to apply the teaching of Scriptures to the heart of his hearers. Generally speaking Christians are lazy thinkers and the notion that they will take something and work out the implications at home is just not realistic.

As to the point raised about personal references by the Pastor, I would agree that these should be kept to the bare minimum and only introduced if the man is really struggling to find an application without reference to a particular incident in his life.

BTW I have known very good preachers include appropriate personal references without it detracting in the slightest from the text under consideration, and so the inference in the question that all personal references must detract in some way from the considerations of God or His word is built on a false premise.

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Satch Chikhlia, Reformed Baptist, Surrey, England

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." Colossians 3.1

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