Hey Andy, what are Christian ethics all about?
Hi, First off, Christian ethics are not about morals, doing the right thing, or doing right or wrong.
Christian Ethics In the Church
The Christian church doesn’t have ethics, it is ethics. When we try to acknowledge good from evil on our own, we’re trying to do God’s work–that’s sin. Instead, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into becoming like Christ, allowing God to inform us of the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, we’re overstepping our boundaries and pushing God off to the side.
Adam and Eve were originally without sin. The temptation put upon them was tempting them to become like God–to be able to discern good from evil, just as God can. They were basically saying that they wanted to do things on their own and didn’t want God to help them with it. Some may say they wanted to be equal with God when it came to knowledge. Therefore, knowing what to do morally is not Christian ethics, it’s sin, or what leads us to sin.
Christian Ethics Is the Church
Christian ethics is the church as a whole, becoming like Christ. We as Christians are not to be of the world, but in the world. This means that we are to be noticeably separate from the world, attempting to not become world-like, but Christ-like. But how do we become Christ-like without trying to be morally correct?
First of all, morals are not a church value, they’re a cultural value. We learn our morals from what the world expects from us. We become more like Christ by means of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, which is within each of us who have accepted Christ, is what changes us to become like Christ, from the inside-out.
WWJD?
In 1907, there was a novel written that started up the popular saying, “WWJD?”, or “What Would Jesus Do?” This was based on a voluntary survey, or experiment if you will, that lasted for a whole year. The participants were to live life as usual, only now, whenever they encountered a tough situation in their lives, they were to ask themselves first, “What would Jesus Do in this situation?”
At face value, this would appear to be a good idea. If you want to be morally sound in your daily actions, try to react in the ways that you think Jesus would. But there was more to it deep down beneath the skin. “WWJD?” was all about morals and trying to do what’s right, according to what you think Jesus would actually do in a particular situation.
Why WWJD Failed
The basis of WWJD didn’t focus so much on the fact that Jesus died and was resurrected, but on what He might have done during His time of walking around on the earth. They didn’t look at Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but as a good, moral man who walked the earth, doing the right things.
Participants began to see Jesus as somebody who would have strived for the more powerful positions of a job in order that He may help more people from that position. Jesus was no longer seen as the Son of God who redeemed us, but instead, as a Buddha-like man.
Christian Ethics: Doing vs. Being
This is not an example of Christian ethics. Christian ethics are not about doing, but about being. Not being good, but being in the body of Christ, letting the Holy Spirit transform you into becoming Christ-like. Yes, we are to stand out among the world, but not because of our good deeds and moral decisions, but because we are representing Jesus Christ.
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