Or to put it in the terms we have been using, general revelation is part of God's Word, and part of the criterion to which good works must conform. Paul identified the fallen nature as being the source of a mind that is hostile to God and that does not and cannot submit to God's law. He also explained that the Holy Spirit works in us to produce morally good things, such as love, joy and peace. Paul's statement of this doctrine is perhaps the clearest and most succinct in all of Scripture. One place we see it stated rather plainly is Romans 11:36, where Paul wrote these words about God: Here Paul expressed great joy at the fact that everything is "to him," meaning, among other things, that everything is to be done for God's sake, having his glory and honor as its ultimate goal. Virtues and Character Part III: Contemporary Issues 14. Jesus did something similar when he defended the disciples' so-called Sabbath breaking on the basis of David's behavior. So, there is a superficial sense in which even unbelievers may do things that God commands and benefit from them. In Exodus 20:9-11 we read: At this point the Ten Commandments themselves establish their binding moral authority on the moral implications of the creation account. Here, he also argued on the basis of consequences, but this time, he focused on the reward that would be given in response to godly living. Second, it must be done according to the proper standard, according to the manner prescribed in Scripture. Ethics should be done from the perspective of God's Word, from the perspective of the situation, and from the perspective of the person. In this it is distinguished from other types of ethical thinking which ground morality within human nature or define … Christian ethics was normally taught as if it were just one of many theological disciplines. 5:20) and says that right belief must express itself in right action (James 2:14–26). And evil behavior flows from an evil heart, an evil heart flows from an evil nature. 5:44–45). By contrast, our definition stresses that Christian ethics touches every dimension of the Christian life. After all, it would appear that some of the examples we have already given in this lesson only employ one perspective at a time. Biblically, ethics is shaped and motivated by what God has done in Christ and what he promises to do in the future. Then, after rescuing Israel from bondage and choosing her as his special possession (Ex. Our definition of Christian ethics highlights which human persons, acts and attitudes receive God's blessings and which do not. Finally, we have suggested a biblical model for making ethical decisions that takes into account the benefits of emphasizing and balancing the normative, situational, and existential perspectives. In distinction from unbelievers, believers are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Listen to his words in 1 Peter 4:11: Peter's immediate point was that all gifts and ministries in the church must be done for the ultimate goal of God's glory. For example, in explaining the terms of his covenant to Israel in Leviticus 26:3, God offered to bestow tremendous blessings on them upon the condition that they "walk in [his] statutes and keep [his] commandments." On the contrary, the Bible means what God says it means, what its original authors intended it to mean. Followers of Christ pursue holiness by looking back and by looking forward. Kingdom, Covenants & Canon of the Old Testament, Your Kingdom Come: The Doctrine of Eschatology, He Gave Us Scripture: Foundations of Interpretation, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Now that we have established a biblical definition of Christian ethics and examined the threefold scriptural criteria for good works, we should apply these ideas by laying out the threefold process by which Christians should make ethical decisions. At its simplest, ethics is a system of moral principles. Similarly, the Holy Spirit plays a minor role within Biblical Ethics, only being mentioned ten times: five times as the guide into truth, three times in footnotes, and twice in quotations. Clearly, then, it is an integral part of biblical revelation. As we use the term, ethics it is not just a branch of theology; it is an essential aspect of all theology and all Christian living. Therefore, we are justified in saying that all good works must conform to the standard of biblical law. Clearly, it matters immensely to God that we believe rightly and live rightly! Nevertheless, this is the only conclusion we can draw based on the awful judgments he threatens against those who turn against him. We see this principle in action innumerable times through the Bible. Along with this brief overview of ethics in the biblical story line, the importance of ethics is further highlighted by the high value God places on the ethical life. Dr. John Frame (Host) is Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy (Emeritus) at Reformed Theological Seminary. They focus on the situation itself, asking questions like: What is the problem? For instance, when parents earn money to pay for food, shelter, clothing, their immediate goal is to support themselves and their families. We close by highlighting six features of biblical ethics. And when he wrote of those who live in accordance with the Spirit, he referred to the new natures believers have because the Holy Spirit indwells them. And third, we will take note of how Christian ethics goes beyond mere actions. This definition will suffice as a basic orientation toward ethics, but in these lessons, we are not as interested in the broad study of ethics as we are in the particularly Christian or biblical view of ethics. This is fundamentally an internal rather than external ethic (Matt. Yet, it helps to see that if we are biblical in our approach to ethics, if we follow the Scriptures as our only infallible rule, then we will see that the Bible itself teaches us to consider not only God's Word, but also the situation and the person as well when we view the whole process of ethical inquiry. First, God himself is the standard of ethics. One of the chief ways God shows his approval for what is right and good is by bestowing blessings. And as we have already seen, things that do not merit reward are not good in God's eyes. And, of course, the same can be said about the existential perspective. His appeal was to the words of the Law that God had delivered to his people through Moses.The apostle John also adopted the normative perspective when he appealed to God's commandment as the basis for belief and behavior in 1 John 3:23: Again, God's Word was the basis for behavior. Social Contract 9. For this reason, we usually don't see existential and situational issues very clearly when we approach matters from an exclusively normative viewpoint. But the process of application is complex, so complex that obedience in one situation may look very different from obedience in another situation. This superb introduction to biblical ethics brings the two together through the wisdom of two noted evangelical thinkers and leaders. Second, we will see the breadth of issues that are included in Christian ethics. Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning has all the excellent features of his Systematic Theology : biblical fidelity, comprehensiveness, clarity, practical application, and interaction with other writers. It should be no surprise, then, that he approves of works intended to bring him glory, and that he condemns works that disregard or oppose his glory. In other words, they can never have the right motive. From Genesis to Revelation we find principles, precepts, commands, warnings, guidelines, and counsels that are intended to steer our lives toward that which is right, good, and God-honoring. This criterion of the right motive is closely associated with the way our definition of Christian ethics focuses on good persons with good natures. And we typically don't understand normative and existential issues well if we only adopt the situational perspective. Centuries later, when Jesus appeared on the scene to usher in the climactic phase of redemptive history, he too started out by issuing an ethical manifesto to provide guidance for the conduct of his disciples (Matthew 5–7). This particular approach also corresponds to that traditional approach described in theological ethical manuals as a teleological approach to ethics whereby the ethical nature … I have to admit that at first, this can be a little confusing. The apostle Paul tells us that Scripture was given not only to reveal God’s way of salvation but also to train us in righteousness and equip us for “every good work” (2 Tim. In fact, it would be extremely difficult to point to a person who never once did anything that outwardly resembled the works that God approves, or who never once held an attitude akin to those that inspire God's blessings. In other words, theology is not just reflection on God and his Word. Other statements in Scripture make this general principle more explicit. As a result, teachers of ethics frequently dealt only with very small portions of theology and life. Because the Law is a unified whole that reflects God's character and nature, to transgress any part of it is in some senses to transgress every part of it, and to sin against God himself. Consider, for example, that even the Law itself appeals to other portions of Scripture as the basis for its commands. Different religions, cultures, societies and individuals vary in the ways they determine what is ethical, and they often come to radically different conclusions regarding which behaviors and ideas should be endorsed and which should be censured. A prolific writer, Dr. Frame has authored numerous books and articles, including Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief (P&R, 2013) and A History of Western Philosophy and Theology (P&R, 2015). professional conduct and ethics in the ministry of Christian and Pastoral Counseling. 21:1–8), the defeat of evil and suffering (Rev. Besides pointing out that good works must flow from the right motives, the Westminster Confession of Faith also states that good works must conform to the right standard. Posted May 18, 2012 9 1 The Danger of Moral Chaos When we come to the final moment of salvation history, with the establishment of the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21–22), we hear the ethical note once again. But this should not seem strange to us. Listen to how John summarized this idea in 1 John 3:4: Notice what John did not say: He did not simply teach that everyone who commits lawlessness commits sin, as if lawlessness were just one of many kinds of sin. More than this, it also acknowledges that unbelievers' actions can produce good and beneficial results for themselves and for others. One such example appears in Paul's instructions about eating meat sold in the marketplace. 4:17–24), private behavior and public morality (James 1:27), personal piety and communal justice (Jer. As James wrote in 2:14-20: The kind of faith that purifies the heart, the kind of faith that saves, is the kind of faith that motivates good works. But he insisted that believers also consider the insights of the existential perspective, and that they not eat unless they could reach the same conclusions from all three perspectives. In fact, this verse suggests that God is ultimately glorified in everything that exists, whether by creating it, sustaining it, governing it, empowering it, or receiving it as service in his honor. is committed to the Judeo-Christian principles of Biblical ethics. There are three main concerns that seem to arise when public relations professionals rely on utilitarian ethics to make decisions. Even well-meaning Christians are all over the map when it comes to ethical and moral living. When faced with an ethical issue, their first question tends to be: What does God's Word say? 20:7–10; 21:4), and the restoration of humanity in the presence of God (Rev. 12:1ff. Then there are those who make ethical decisions by focusing on the right standard. But today we must realize that even many Christians think it is possible that some violations of God's law are not sinful. Similarly, one major reason the Bible insists on sexual purity is the doctrine of redemption, which says that the redeemed no longer belong to themselves but to God, who dwells in them by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. In verses 1-3 he wrote: Works, and even spiritual gifts, that produce beneficial results merit no reward if they are not motivated by love. 5:16). In Psalm 72, the psalmist prays that Israel’s king would fulfill his ethical obligation so that the nation may prosper and realize her missionary calling (Ps. Instead, we insist that God is not accountable to any standard outside himself, and that everything that accords with his character is good and right, while everything that does not is evil and wrong. Copyright 2011-2020, Third Millennium Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. 2:9–10). Rather, biblical ethics stems from the inner life, what the Bible calls the heart. And third, it must be done with the proper goal in mind, namely to glorify God. Attach an asterisk (*) to the end of a word as a wildcard. I guess the older I get, the more I'm convinced that one of our greatest needs today is a way to understand how Scriptures apply to our lives — how we should think, act and feel; A way to make biblical decisions. Members of this association are advocates of those in need, recognizing that we are … Now, we should emphasize that we are not advocating relativism. First, rather than looking at the choice or action itself, decision-makers are forced to guess the potential outcomes of their choice in order to determine what is ethical. We will introduce this series first by establishing a biblical definition of Christian ethics, then by examining the biblical threefold criteria of good works, and finally by suggesting the basic contours of a biblical, threefold process for making ethical decisions. One very helpful way of examining the Bible's teaching on this complex issue is to look at the way the Westminster Confession of Faith defines the good works of unbelievers. For example, in Matthew 7:9-11, the Lord spoke these words: It is very common for people in general to do some things that are externally good, such as loving and providing for their children. And he did this even though the account of this event was not part of the legal code. Paul was talking about food sacrificed to idols, and explaining that it was good for Christians to eat this food, so long as in their minds they did not think of it as an act of pagan worship. 5:27–28; 6:1; 15:18–20). Nowhere in this passage does God proclaim that to disobey him is evil or bad or wrong. First, we will notice how it draws attention to God and his blessings. Now, we will look into this matter more deeply in future lessons, but from the outset we must make a firm distinction here between the law of God and its application. Jesus demonstrates this principle in his teaching on loving one’s enemies (Matt. The three different perspectives from which we may approach ethics are not separate constituent parts. In a very important sense, God's revelation in the creation itself is part of his Word, so that God's revelation given through creation, which is commonly called "General Revelation," is also part of the standard for good works. Peter and Paul echo the same theme when they assert that the positive influence Christians can have on society depends upon the kind of ethical lives they live (Phil. We have called this first lesson "Ethics in Scripture." 5:38–42). Those who emphasize conscience and the leading of the Holy Spirit are primarily concerned with the right motive. Interestingly, in the context of this chapter, Paul argued that if the matter were viewed from simply the normative and situational perspectives, most believers would be inclined to eat this food. This is the faith possessed by believers, and only by believers. Three orienting essays introduce the book, guiding us into the subtle depths and multiple interrelations hidden in the conjunction of Scripture and ethics. As those who have been shown mercy in Christ, it is our great joy to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” that is ours in him (Eph. As we search Scripture for the ways God has revealed the standards of good and evil, we find that many times the Bible communicates right and wrong by recording God's reactions rather than by explicitly labeling things good or evil. Christian ethics begins with God and ends with Him. 72:1–17). So we see, then, that Scripture affirms our consciences and the leading of the Holy Spirit as valid means to determine what is right and wrong. And we look forward to what God will do, as Christ returns a second time to execute justice and finally redeem his people from all sin and suffering. At this point, however, we are in a position to sketch the basic contours of the approach that we will explain more fully in later lessons. I think every Christian would agree that ethics is in crisis in our day, not only in the world, out there among unbelievers, but also in the church. Perhaps the most intuitive perspective for Christians is what we call the normative perspective. Second, all theology, even all of life, has ethical dimensions. The second thing we mean to say by focusing on God and his blessing is that God's actions demonstrate the standard of morality. Are primarily concerned with the right motive for in the table cover three ways of considering ethics: character actions! That have his glory as their ultimate goal of the proper standard in the second Coming of the law to. Has dawned in Jesus may look very different from obedience in one situation may look very different from in. But the point is this: Men 's actions are good if they do not,. 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