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Christian Ethics: Principles & Obligations

Christian ethics is based on applying the moral teachings of Jesus Christ to address contemporary issues. While the Gospels may not provide a perfect record of Jesus' life, they offer adequate and reliable guidance for Christian living. The greatest commandments are to love God and others. For Christians, the Bible is the ultimate source and standard for ethics, as it reveals God's good nature. While other philosophies can inform Christian thinking, Scripture must have final authority. Even where it does not directly address modern concerns, biblical principles can guide moral judgments. Loving God and others are the highest ethical obligations, requiring submission to God's word and virtuous living that glorifies God and benefits humanity.

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105 views2 pages

Christian Ethics: Principles & Obligations

Christian ethics is based on applying the moral teachings of Jesus Christ to address contemporary issues. While the Gospels may not provide a perfect record of Jesus' life, they offer adequate and reliable guidance for Christian living. The greatest commandments are to love God and others. For Christians, the Bible is the ultimate source and standard for ethics, as it reveals God's good nature. While other philosophies can inform Christian thinking, Scripture must have final authority. Even where it does not directly address modern concerns, biblical principles can guide moral judgments. Loving God and others are the highest ethical obligations, requiring submission to God's word and virtuous living that glorifies God and benefits humanity.

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Heart Eunice
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Christian Ethics

Christian ethics is a systematic study of the way of life exemplified and taught by Jesus, applied
to the manifold problems and decisions of human existence. It therefore finds its base in the
last of these frames of reference, and in the other five only as they are consistent with the sixth
and exist as applications or implications of the moral insights of Jesus. This is not to claim that
we have a perfect record of the life and teachings of Jesus, for historical scholarship has made it
clear that the records we have in the Gospels reflect not only what Jesus was and did and said,
but also what the early Church believed about him. Still less is it to claim that any fallible human
mind can enter so fully into the divine-human consciousness of Jesus as to say without error
what his judgment would be in every concrete case of contemporary decision, It is only to
affirm that we have an adequate, a dependable, and an indispensable guide to Christian action
in what we know of Jesus and in what through him we know of God. No other guide, however
important and useful, is either adequate, or so dependable, or so indispensable.
The greatest commandment—to love God and your neighbor—is the highest ethical obligation
a Christian has. As it is for theology, Scripture is the source of Christian ethics. This is due to the
fact that God, who is goodness in and of himself, is our highest authority and standard. While
non-believers can only partially and inadequately comprehend what is good through the
created order and their consciences, Christians can learn about God's nature through studying
Scripture. Although Christians ultimately get their moral principles from the Bible, particular
passages of the Bible—such as the Mosaic legal code—must be viewed in the context of
redemptive history rather than being simply translated from one far-off society to another.
Philosophical systems that make an effort to establish ethical standards can be beneficial for
Christians considering ethical issues, but Scripture must always be the final word in any
Christian ethical endeavor. Finally, even if the Bible does not directly address many
contemporary concerns, there are biblical principles that can be relied upon to establish sound
moral judgments.
Loving God with all of one's heart, mind, soul, and strength is the highest ethical obligation a
person may have. The obligation to love one's neighbor as oneself is their second highest
ethical obligation. In order for a Christian to fulfill these moral commitments, they must be
submitted to the principles of God's Word and the Law of Christ. The ultimate aim of anything
that is spoken, done, thought, and felt is to glorify God. Being a blessing to others and being a
more virtuous person are two more overarching ethical objectives.
It is rather disappointing that many people—both Christians and non-Christians—tend to view
believers as legalistic and condemning in light of this positive perspective. Those who uphold
God's moral standards will have to shine light into darkness and protest against wicked acts
that may be widely accepted in society in a world that is in rebellion against God. Yes, there are
things to avoid, but the Bible also demands a number of positive moral obligations. It does not
simply give a set of limits and "thou shalt nots" as its moral code. We should avoid evil and
carry out good deeds, according to the Bible, if we are to appropriately construct our ethical
beliefs from it. The Christian life can be a joyful experience of doing good; Christian ethics
should be a delight. There is a categorical distinction between good and evil, as well as between
right and wrong.

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