Grice's Quality Maxim Series

Using Grice’s Maxims for Optimal Evangelism

1 - Grice’s Quality Maxim

Though Paul Grice was a philosopher and not a theologian, he had principles that can apply in sharing our Faith with others seeking and curious about Christianity. ’Grice’s Maxims’ were his ideas for effective communication, which usually prove true in daily communication.

Today we’ll discuss the Quality Maxim and see how the Holy Spirit can help us be bold in telling the truth of the Gospel to those who have not seen the Beautiful Light of the Lord.

Quality - Providing accurate information - true and accurate, with the degree of accuracy stated in the message.

How do we provide accurate information about the Bible? By both what we have been taught and what we have learned from reading the Bible. The more you read, the more you lead, and the more you know about the Bible, the more you grow in your Christian walk!

Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and we must be exposed to it in order to know what it actually SAYS. How can you know what a hot shower feels like unless you are exposed to its hot water? That hot water can relax your muscles and relieve tension, just as reading the Bible can put your Spirit in the Peace of God from the God of Peace and relieve tension. Time alone with God is great for any stressful situation. When the going gets tough, the righteous get going into their prayer closet! Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up! (James 4:10)

Providing the true message of Jesus Christ - His death on the cross for the payment of our sins, His resurrection to conquer death and hell, His Deity -but fully man on earth, but also Fully God, and His offer for Salvation - while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), and forgiveness of sins - He is faithful and just to forgive us of ALL our sins and cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness (I John 1:9). All this is within guidelines of good Biblical doctrine.

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." - 2 Timothy 4:2

The Bible is our ultimate source of Good Doctrine. If it doesn’t fit the profile of the Bible’s teachings, it doesn’t pass the test. If you remember in Acts, the Bereans (from Acts 17), they checked everything that they were taught. Even in church situations (hehe, and Bible studies), we all know that humans make mistakes. Check the message with the Bible and prove this message for yourself.

"And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few." - Acts 17:10-12

Longer exposure of your mind to the Word also has great benefits, and the more you allow it to take effect in your life, the more fulfillment you will have in daily life. The Joy of the Lord will be your strength and you will see a drastic change even with a slight increase to time spent in the Bible.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

When telling others the wonderful message of Jesus Christ, don’t be surprised to hear the unexpected. A great deal of people believe their ’own religions’ due to their wanting to be ’individual,’ which in this case could be used as ’rebellious’ or ’lost.’ Christianity is definitely about conforming to the image of God’s Son, but you don’t have to be a conformist to join. Each person has been given individual talents and characteristics, but the commonality among Christians is the Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Gentleness, Meekness, Faithfulness, and Self-Control that has been placed in their life by the Holy Spirit’s Awesome Power!

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." - 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Sometimes you will be so astounded at what people believe that you could previously only imagine a similar belief system to be from a comic book. However, remember to have compassion on them, as we all had to have compassion on our own heads, because like sheep we all have gone astray. Yet if we are Christians, we were lost, but now are found, and are set free indeed by the Son of God, Jesus Christ.