It is the application that stirs the hearer because it addresses real concerns. It is the application that brings the hearer face to face with God's demands on his life and the implications of calling Christ Lord. It is in the application that that which is first perceived as the preacher's voice is discerned as the voice of God calling upon the hearer to respond to God's claim. As important as application is, however, there are dangers associated with it which, if ignored, either detract from the gospel or lead to the proclamation of something other than the gospel. First, confidences are betrayed for the sake of application.
Preachers often provide private counseling to individuals.
Recognizing that more than one person may face the same struggle, the private revelation, poorly disguised, becomes a sermon illustration. Application has led away from the gospel, not to it. Second, some assume that just talking about a problem will solve it. Third, some substitute psychology for the gospel. Application drives biblical content out of the sermon.