Ethics
Moral corruption in our time…
Always characteristic of the worldly
Religious people (Protestant & Catholic)
are defending corruption too!
Bible examples: Israel, Corinth
Teaching is needed concerning Ethics!
Definition: Ethics
• A system of moral principles
• The rightness or wrongness of actions
(dictionary.com)
Note: A study of ethics is dominated by various
philosophical schools of thought originating in
the minds of men.
The Standards of Men
Examples of Humanly Derived Ethics
• The Greeks (Acts 17:16-21)
Examples of Humanly Derived Ethics
• The Greeks (Acts 17:16-21)
• Epicureans – A hedonistic philosophy
Examples of Humanly Derived Ethics
• The Greeks (Acts 17:16-21)
• Epicureans – A hedonistic philosophy
• Stoics – A perverted view of temperance
Examples of Humanly Derived Ethics
• The Greeks (Acts 17:16-21)
• Epicureans – A hedonistic philosophy
• Stoics – A perverted view of temperance
• Modern Day Ethical Philosophies
Examples of Humanly Derived Ethics
• The Greeks (Acts 17:16-21)
• Epicureans – A hedonistic philosophy
• Stoics – A perverted view of temperance
• Modern Day Ethical Philosophies
• Consequentialism – Situation Ethics
Examples of Humanly Derived Ethics
• The Greeks (Acts 17:16-21)
• Epicureans – A hedonistic philosophy
• Stoics – A perverted view of temperance
• Modern Day Ethical Philosophies
• Consequentialism – Situation Ethics
• Postmodern ethic – No intrinsic right or wrong
Wikipedia article on Ethics
“Zygmunt Bauman says Postmodernity is best
described as Modernity without illusion. The illusion being
the belief that humanity can be repaired by some ethic
principle. Postmodernity can be seen in this light as
accepting the messy nature of humanity as
unchangeable
Well known Polish sociologist and theorist (1925-present)
John 15:18-19
“If the world hates you, you know that it
hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were
of the world, the world would love its own.
Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out
of the world, therefore the world hates you”
The Divine Standard
The Greatest Peril of Modern Man
The greatest peril of modern man is his rejection of
absolute authority. The rejection of authority, and the
failure to respect it, is the primary cause for the problems
being experienced in our homes, schools, and in our
nation. In the spiritual realm, it is the source of disaster for
multitudes.
Bob Dickey
(Guardian of Truth, 3/17/94, page 6)
Right or Wrong? God’s Word has the answers…
Sexual Morality
Sanctity of Life
Corporal Punishment
War, slavery, deceit, drug use/legalization,
self-defense, civil resp., political involv., etc.
1 Timothy 4:6
“Take heed to yourself and to the
doctrine. Continue in them, for in
doing this you will save both yourself and
those who hear you”
The Man of God Must Be Careful!
“…rightly dividing the word of truth”
(2 Timothy 2:15)
Not allowing bias to color understanding
(cf. 2 Peter 3:16)
Accept the reality of Bible inspiration
(cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Keep away from evil paths (cf. Psalm 17:4-5)
Applications
The Sanctity of Life
• Abortion
• Embryonic stem cell
research
• Euthanasia
• Death Penalty
“Deeply Troubling”
“This is a stifling decision for
American women. It’s a decision
that blocks women from being
able to make their own health care
decisions,” she said. “This is deeply troubling, because
you have organized religions that oppose health care,
period.”
Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chairwoman/Democratic National Committee
msnbc interview, June 30, 2014
“Vague Moral Objections”
“Can't believe we live in a world
where we'd even consider letting
big corps deny women access to
basic care based on vague moral
objections. The current
Supreme Court has headed in a very scary direction.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts)
Twitter Post
Who has the right to determine when life begins?
NOT man! (cf. Genesis 1:27)
(1-3), “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
and said: ‘Who is this who darkens counsel by words
without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I
will question you, and you shall answer Me.’”
(17-18), “Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have
you comprehended the bread of the earth? Tell Me, if you
know all this.” (Job 38:1-3, 17-18)
“Whenever WE define…”
“Number one, whenever we define a previable fetus as a
person that is protected by the equal protection clause or the
other elements in the Constitution, that are what we’re really
saying is, in fact, that they are persons entitled to the kinds of
protections that would be provided to a – a child, a ninemonth-old – child that was delivered to term. That
determination then, essentially, if it was accepted by a court,
would forbid abortions to take place. I mean, it – it would
essentially bar abortions, because the equal protection clause
does not allow somebody to kill a child, and if this is a child,
then this would be an antiabortion statute.”
State Senator Barack Obama (Illinois) Senate Floor, 2001
Psalm 139:13-14
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my
soul knows very well.
Luke 1:41
And it happened, when Elizabeth heard
the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped
in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled
with the Holy Spirit.
Sexual Morality
• Homosexuality
• Gay Marriage
• Divorce & Remarriage
• Polygamy
“Marriage offers little benefit”
We've heard married people are happier, but that might not
be a reason to rush to the altar, according to a new study.
In terms of health, self-esteem, and psychological well-being,
marriage offers little benefit over simply living together
without wedding rings, the study found.
It's the relationship itself, rather than its official status, that's
key to its benefits, said study researcher Kelly Musick, an
associate professor of policy analysis and management at
Cornell University's College of Human Ecology.
"Being in a romantic relationship, irrespective of the legal
form, does provide benefits over remaining single," Musick
said.
Today.com (Health), January 19, 2012
What is Infidelity?
“Infidelity is breaking a promise to remain faithful to a
sexual partner. That promise can take many forms, from
marriage vows sanctified by the state to privately uttered
verbal agreements between lovers. As unthinkable as the
notion of breaking such bonds may be, infidelity is
common—and when it does happen, it raises thorny and
painful questions. Should you stay? Can trust be rebuilt?
Can you and should you forgive and move on?.”
http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/infidelity
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is honorable among all,
and the bed undefiled; but fornicators
and adulterers God will judge.
Fornication (porneia, πορνεία)
– “illicit sexual intercourse” (Vine’s)
Note: God defines what intercourse is illicit, not man!
Colossians 3:5-7
Therefore put to death your members
which are on the earth: fornication,
uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things
the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of
disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when
you lived in them.
Corporal Punishment
• Adrian Peterson
controversy
• Two separate
indictments for child
abuse
“Avoid physical punishment altogether”
“There is a good deal of research that has already been
conducted that shows that anything beyond very mild
physical punishment does not work in the long term and
has negative consequences. While not all child
development experts agree, my advice to parents is to
avoid physical punishment altogether; there are simply
more effective ways to teach and discipline your child.”
Alan E. Kazdin, PhD
via American Psychological Association website, May 5, 2012
Make Spanking Illegal?
“It's 2014, not 1814. It's time for
violence against children to be
illegal, in all forms and all forums,
regardless of the ‘culture’
you were raised in.”
Mel Robbins
CNN commentator and legal analyst
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/15/opinion/robbins-spanking-adrian-peterson-case/
Proverbs 13:24, 20:30, 22:15
(13:24), “He who spares his rod hates
his son, But he who loves him disciplines
him promptly.
(20:30), “Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes
the inner depths of the heart.
(22:15), “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
Slavery
• All types of prejudice is
sinful (incl. Racism)
• Are all types of bond
service equally evil?
Slavery is immoral
“Except for murder, slavery has got to be one of the
most immoral things a person can do. Yet slavery is
rampant throughout the Bible in both the Old and New
Testaments. The Bible clearly approves of slavery in many
passages…”
http://www.evilbible.com
Slavery is immoral
“Apparently, God never figured out that slavery was
wrong. Or, He does have a moral issue with slavery, it is
just that He is a terrible communicator. If you think that
God condemns the institution of slavery, you have to
wonder why God is worse than the UN at communicating
that idea.
Not a pretty dilemma.”
conversationalatheist.com
Bible does not outlaw, but regulates slavery
• Old Testament
• Anti-harm laws (Ex. 21:20, 26-27)
• Anti-Kidnapping laws (Ex. 21:16; Deut. 24:7)
• Anti-Return laws (Deut. 23:15-16)
• New Testament
• All men are equal (Jas. 3:9; Gal. 3:28)
• “liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:17-21, spiritual)
• Fair treatment (Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1)
Philemon 8-16
(15-16), For perhaps he departed
for a while for this purpose, that you
might receive him forever, 16 no longer
as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother,
especially to me but how much more to you, both in the
flesh and in the Lord.
Conclusion
“And so we have the prophetic word
confirmed, which you do well to heed
as a light that shines in a dark place,
until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your
hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture
is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never
came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
(2 Peter 1:19-21)
Other Issues and Resources
http://tinyurl.com/m3bkjkr
http://tinyurl.com/pd94tkm
http://tinyurl.com/lueegut
http://tinyurl.com/kuqbvx4
http://tinyurl.com/ln29hxz
http://tinyurl.com/mfkluqk
http://bibleanswer.com/wives.htm
http://bibleanswer.com/lying.htm
http://tinyurl.com/myspghd
http://tinyurl.com/lropg54