Untitled Sermon (8)

ethics

Basis of ethics

Synopsis

The ultimate foundation of ethics is the character and will of God, which is made known supremely through Jesus Christ and in Scripture.

The foundation of ethics is the revealed righteousness of God

(NIV) — 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

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(NIV) — 6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.

(NIV) — 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)

The basis of ethics revealed in Scripture

All Scripture

(NIV) — 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The word of God

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(NIV) — 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

(NIV) — 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

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(NIV) — 20 Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

(NIV) — 17 Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word.

(NIV) — 6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.

(NIV) — 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

The commandments of God

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(NIV) — 26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; 28 the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.

(NIV) — 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.

(NIV) — 29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. 31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.

The will of God

(NIV) — 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

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(NIV) — 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

(NIV) — 12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

The commandments of Jesus Christ

(NIV) — 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

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(NIV) — 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

(NIV) — 15 “If you love me, keep my commands.

(NIV) — 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

(NIV) — 37 If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

The example of Jesus Christ

(NIV) — 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

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(NIV) — 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”

(NIV) — 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

(NIV) — 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

(NIV) — 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

(NIV) — 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

(NIV) — 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

(NIV) — 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

(NIV) — 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

The ethical teaching of Jesus Christ

In the Sermon on the Mount:

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(NIV) — 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

(NIV) — 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

(NIV) — 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

(NIV) — 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

(NIV) — 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

(NIV) — 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

(NIV) — 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

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(NIV) — 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

(NIV) — 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

(NIV) — 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

(NIV) — 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.

(NIV) — 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

(NIV) — 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

(NIV) — 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.

(NIV) — 6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.

Areas of life in which ethical conduct is expected of believers

In sexual behaviour

(NIV) — 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

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(NIV) — 22 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable. 23 “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.

(NIV) — 1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.

In government

(NIV) — 1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

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(NIV) — 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

(NIV) — 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

(NIV) — 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

(NIV) — 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

In rewarding individuals

(NIV) — 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?

In punishing individuals

(NIV) — 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.