Five Questions to Ask God

On my sixteenth birthday, my mom and dad gave me the Christian Worker's New Testament. I was so excited to get this little black book. It was just like my dad's.

Inside the front cover, Pop wrote this brief message:

To Todd: One of God's son's by new birth! The Word of God contains facts to be believed, warnings to be heeded, promises to be received, commands to be obeyed! May you find pleasant and not impossible to follow. Pop and Mom

Little did I know it at 16, but Pop's little inscription was a classic outline-aid for studying the Bible, used by many Christians, including scholars and pastors.

With some adaptation to the outline, I try to keep five questions in mind whenever I'm reading a Bible passage. The questions I ask God are:

Question 1: Are there any facts to be understood and believed?

Question 2: Are there any warnings to be considered and followed?

Question 3: Are there any promises to be anticipated and received?

Question 4: Are there any commands to be acknowledged and obeyed?

Question 5: Are there any examples to be imitated or avoided?

The five-question model is a simple, yet powerful, way to draw meaning from any biblical text. Try it for yourself with 1 Corinthians 10:6-14