God' s Use of the Rhetorical Question

Have you sinned and wondered what God is saying to you in your failure?

God will “speak” to you through his written Word—the Holy Bible with the illuminating aid of the Holy Spirit. However, when you fall short of God’s holy standards, you may hear a cacophony of voices in your head.

Some words will build up. Others will tear down. I heard a pastor say years ago that God only “convicts,” but Satan always “condemns.” Thus, when you fail and are wracked with guilt, don’t listen to the condemning voices in your own head and through the less-loving people around you.

Listen to the gentle non-condemning voice of God that simply asks you to confess your sin (i.e., agreeing with him that your sinful words, thoughts, and actions were contrary to the moral imperatives he gives us in Scripture) and find forgiveness.

Jesus said that his people “know” his voice.

So how can you discern God’s voice in these circumstances? To be sure, if it’s a harsh voice of damnation that suggests you’ve fallen too far from God’s grace, you can be sure that’s a damnable lie from Satan (our adversary and accuser). If it leads to life, joy, peace and restoration, you can likewise be sure that what you’re hearing is from the God who grants mercy to the repentant.

However, I have found in Scripture another clue that God is speaking to you. When gently disciplining his children, he often employs the use of the rhetorical question.

When Adam and Eve said they were naked after the Fall, God asks, “Who told you that you were naked?”

When Sara laughed at God’s promise of a promised child in her old age, the Angel of the Lord asked, “Why did Sara laugh?”

When Joseph wrestled with God all night, God asked, “What is your name?”

When Peter sunk in the stormy water out of fear, Jesus asked, “Why is your faith so small?”

When you fall, tune in to that gentle voice of a loving paternal God who will simply ask you about your behavior: “Why did you do that?”

It calls for honest introspection that leads to confession and restoration.