Biblical Fellowship: Live Together or Die Alone (6)
Questioning Questions
There is no one way to do fellowship. The Bible presents many approaches to personal care for each other’s souls. One very effective method relies heavily on the use of questions. Now you may find yourself questioning the use of questions: “Is there a biblical precedent for this? How is this helpful? Will this feel oppressive and intrusive for the one being questioned?”
“Where Are You” Adam?
In the first ever personal ministry and counseling time (Genesis 3:9-13), we find God searching for Adam following Adam’s act of disobedience. As God approaches this hiding sinner (which describes all of us to some extent), He approaches him with questions, questions the answers for which God already knew.
God asks Adam a series of questions in order to give Adam an opportunity to come out of hiding and to see issues of his heart in ways more helpful than if God had simply come to Adam with a series of corrections or pieces of advice.
The use of questions to help people see the needs and issues of their hearts is a common biblical approach to personal care and correction.* It is not the only valid approach but it is an extremely effective one. One of its advantages (in contrast to a more informational and advice-giving approach) is that it allows people to hear their own thoughts and attitudes without having to be told them by others. In this way, under the blessing of the Holy Spirit, the process of conviction goes on more personally and directly.**
If you obtain my full booklet on this topic (Live Together or Die Alone: a Call to Radical Fellowship), you will see an example from my own life of when I was led into seeing my own heart through a brother’s effective use of questions. In that situation, I do not think I would have seen my heart as clearly if I had been approached by someone loaded with observations and words of wisdom or correction to bring to my attention. The use of gentle questions was effective in opening my heart to see my own issues without proud defensiveness or argument.
Here is a list of questions that can be useful for our conversations/fellowship together:
1. What evidences of grace are you experiencing these days (i.e.-clear signs of growth in Christ and joy in the gospel)?
2. What is one specific truth you gained from that sermon or study or book?
3. What is one specific application of it that you plan to make in your life?
4. What are you struggling with these days?
5. What are biblical terms for this struggle?
6. Why do you think you are struggling with it?
7. How might your view of God affect this struggle?
8. How does the gospel affect you in this battle?
* For a sampling of other examples see God’s questioning of Cain in Genesis 4:6, 9, 10 and of Job in Job 38-41; Samuel’s probing of Saul in 1 Samuel 15:14; Jesus’ use of questions in John 6:5, 6; Luke 24:17, 19; apostolic deployment of questions in James 4:1f; 1 Corinthians 4:7.
** Another fruit of the practiced use of specific questions is an ability to self-assess and self-counsel. Individuals can ask themselves questions which aid in their awareness of the issues and state of their own hearts, so that even when others are not present, the work of sanctification can proceed at full speed.
There is no one way to do fellowship. The Bible presents many approaches to personal care for each other’s souls. One very effective method relies heavily on the use of questions. Now you may find yourself questioning the use of questions: “Is there a biblical precedent for this? How is this helpful? Will this feel oppressive and intrusive for the one being questioned?”
“Where Are You” Adam?
In the first ever personal ministry and counseling time (Genesis 3:9-13), we find God searching for Adam following Adam’s act of disobedience. As God approaches this hiding sinner (which describes all of us to some extent), He approaches him with questions, questions the answers for which God already knew.
God asks Adam a series of questions in order to give Adam an opportunity to come out of hiding and to see issues of his heart in ways more helpful than if God had simply come to Adam with a series of corrections or pieces of advice.
The use of questions to help people see the needs and issues of their hearts is a common biblical approach to personal care and correction.* It is not the only valid approach but it is an extremely effective one. One of its advantages (in contrast to a more informational and advice-giving approach) is that it allows people to hear their own thoughts and attitudes without having to be told them by others. In this way, under the blessing of the Holy Spirit, the process of conviction goes on more personally and directly.**
If you obtain my full booklet on this topic (Live Together or Die Alone: a Call to Radical Fellowship), you will see an example from my own life of when I was led into seeing my own heart through a brother’s effective use of questions. In that situation, I do not think I would have seen my heart as clearly if I had been approached by someone loaded with observations and words of wisdom or correction to bring to my attention. The use of gentle questions was effective in opening my heart to see my own issues without proud defensiveness or argument.
Here is a list of questions that can be useful for our conversations/fellowship together:
1. What evidences of grace are you experiencing these days (i.e.-clear signs of growth in Christ and joy in the gospel)?
2. What is one specific truth you gained from that sermon or study or book?
3. What is one specific application of it that you plan to make in your life?
4. What are you struggling with these days?
5. What are biblical terms for this struggle?
6. Why do you think you are struggling with it?
7. How might your view of God affect this struggle?
8. How does the gospel affect you in this battle?
* For a sampling of other examples see God’s questioning of Cain in Genesis 4:6, 9, 10 and of Job in Job 38-41; Samuel’s probing of Saul in 1 Samuel 15:14; Jesus’ use of questions in John 6:5, 6; Luke 24:17, 19; apostolic deployment of questions in James 4:1f; 1 Corinthians 4:7.
** Another fruit of the practiced use of specific questions is an ability to self-assess and self-counsel. Individuals can ask themselves questions which aid in their awareness of the issues and state of their own hearts, so that even when others are not present, the work of sanctification can proceed at full speed.
Labels: christian life, Church, Fellowship, Spiritual disciplines
posted by Tim Shorey at
1:00 AM
3 Comments:
Thanks Tim! This makes good sense. I'm going to use more questions on my children. Sometimes I do all the talking, and this makes it too easy for them not to think, and not to commit.
i read the blog and then started to do things but the questions listed kept coming back to me - i decided to copy them and put them in my Bible for a daily check up - thanks Tim for such a tool to aid my Christ like growth - cealy
Ah, the freedom to answer honestly in front of my heavenly Father, and secondly, in front of my brothers(sisters), without fear of condemnation, and in expectation of the purchased grace of Christ, ministered to the soul. Let a few courageous individuals step up their transparency,and thereby grow in their humility, and the river of God's abundant grace will satisfy the soul.
Thank you pastor.
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