Christian ethics is essential to the proclamation of the gospel. While these other factors can never override the teaching of Scripture, they can still be helpful for us in making a wise decision. Because it is the Word of God, the Bible is a higher authority in ethics than tradition, reason, experience, expected results, or subjective perceptions of guidance. One of the purposes of the Bible is to teach us how to live a life that is pleasing to God (Col. God’s moral character and the historical fact that he has given us moral commands provide the basis for a Christian answer to the question of how we can move from “is” statements to “ought” statements in ethics. He is truthful, and he commands us not to bear false witness (Titus 1:2 Exodus 20:16). He is merciful, and he commands us to be merciful (Luke 6:36).
He is holy, and he commands us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15). God is love, so he commands us to love (1 John 4:19). His moral standards for human beings flow from his moral character, and therefore they apply to all people in all cultures for all of history (although the Bible also contains many temporary commands intended only for specific people at a specific time). God delights in his own moral character, which is supremely good, unchanging, and eternal.
The ultimate basis for Christian ethics is the moral character of God.
0 kommentar(er)
