"SITUATIONAL" ETHICS

I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Genesis 6:5 NIV

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

INTRODUCTION

The Bible does not cover each and every issue in the Christian’s walk and so we must use wisdom to discern the will of God and whether something is right or something is wrong. If we can understand the basic principles laid down by God Almighty, then we can know whether something is right or … wrong — Jack Wellman

The Bible should define right and wrong for us, correct? However, it doesn’t specifically address the myriad of situations people face in life. How can we make biblical decisions within those grey areas not specifically addressed in the Good Book?

For example, there are no passages in the Bible that say “Thou shalt not kill unborn babies”. However, the Bible clearly demonstrates God’s steadfast standard — He breathed the breath of life into Adam. His instructions in scripture speak over and over again about sanctity of life and the sin of murder. We could use the same approach with regard to: cheating on one’s taxes, same-sex marriage, adultery, questionable life-styles, questionable entertainment or addictive behavior, to name a few.

Here’s a litmus test, of sorts, to help Christians decide what they should or should not do:

ü Vital advice for followers of Christ:

When you find yourself questioning whether something is right or wrong, go to the principles of the Bible. Even if you don’t find a passage that address the specifics of your question, you will find over-arching principles to clearly guide you. God’s word is a bright light in a dark world — C. Pryor

Here’s a litmus test, of sorts, to help Christians decide what they should or should not do:

“Do your actions line up with the Great Command given by Jesus Himself?”

‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” NIV

To truly love God and experience the fullness of His love, you must know Him. To know Him you must accept Christ as Savior, believe that He died for you and arose from the grave, and confess your sins to Him. The Holy Spirit brings us to Jesus and when we surrender our lives to Him we become brand new.

Romans 6:23 NIV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In order to truly love God and experience the fullness of His love, you have to know Him. To know Him means you have accepted Christ as Savior, believed that He died for you and arose from the grave, and confess your sins to Him. The Holy Spirit brings us to Jesus and when we surrender our lives to Him we become brand new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Genesis 8:21 NIV

The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

Romans 6:23 NIV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ironically, many Christians struggle with right and wrong almost as much as unbelievers. I think it is because we are human and, if we don’t guard our relationship with Christ by seeking Him and His truth daily, it’s easy to slip into the pattern of the world. That pattern, when it comes to right and wrong, is what we call “situational ethics”.

Webster’s defines situational ethics as “a system of ethics by which acts are judged within their contexts instead of by categorical principles”.

Ethics — “Ethos” (Greek): having to do with one’s character and integrity

Big Idea: Since situational ethics leads to chaos, passionately love God and His Word: allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to live each day to honor Him.

Jeremiah 17:9 NIV

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Matthew 7:9 NIV

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

Matthew 15:9 NIV

They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’”

Big Idea: Since situational ethics leads to chaos, passionately love God and His Word: allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to live each day to honor Him.

Big Idea: Since situational ethics leads to chaos, passionately love God and His Word: allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to live each day in His light.

Transitional: One “constant” this series will come back to regularly is the fact that motivation matters when it comes to right and wrong. Specifically, the actions and lifestyle of followers of Christ should reflect His love for them and their love for Him above and beyond simply following rules.

Romans 3:23 NIV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Transitional: One “constant” series will come back to regularly is the fact that motivation matters when it comes to right and wrong. Specifically, the actions and lifestyle of followers of Christ should reflect His love for them and their love for Him above and beyond simply following rules.

LOVE: MEASURING STICK FOR RIGHT AND WRONG

Some love is incomplete, because Jesus is not the foundation

“Love” that leads to chaos

Situational

Jeremiah 17:9 NIV

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

A popular aspect of situational ethics is that the true test of a person’s actions depend upon one thing: love. If they make judgment calls based upon love, then their decision are right…

Our world is the poster child for situational ethics that lead to chaos

Illustrations:

Cain and Abel — Cain convinced himself that he should murder his brother because God unfairly favored Abel’s sacrifice. The situation? Cain loved himself so much that he hated his brother — we are still experiencing the chaos of such thinking.

Ananias and Sapphira — — People in the early church sacrificed much for the sake of the poor among them, often selling property, etc. to meet the need. Ananias and his wife Sapphira engaged in “situational ethics” when they sold their property and told the Apostles that they gave the entire proceeds to the church, but, in reality, they kept back a portion for themselves. Why? They convinced themselves that they were doing a good thing for God....but they wanted to keep some of the proceeds without anyone knowing, so that they would still look good. Their misguided selfishness and self-”Love” led them down a slippery slope — they both ended up dying because they dared to try and deceive the Lord.

Cultural shifts in the name of “love” and respect for “human dignity”. Here’s an idea of what it looks like, using the contentious subject of abortion as an example:

One side of the spectrum says “abortion is wrong — it’s common sense — an unborn baby is a human being — God gives life — humans have no right to snuff out a life just because it causes inconvenience.”

The other side says “We love all people, and women deserve to be respected in decisions regarding their own bodies. Therefore, nobody has the right to tell them that they are not allowed to have an abortion. Only haters try to control women’s personal health care.”

On the one hand, it is very good and right too love all people and to respect them — not interfering with the choices they make, as long as they don’t hurt anyone else.

However, this “love” can become distorted and turn into a slippery slope if we take away the simple principle of the sanctity of human life. What is the result in our culture? Chaos and tragedy

Love that flows out of relationship

A natural outflow

It is not unusual for children to obey because they fear their parent’s punishment, for example. But the real stuff of deep, legitimate love between people is that they delight in pleasing those they love. Even on the most difficult of days, they will defer to their love. Why? Because they have developed a relationship of trust, mutual respect, and a desire to seek the very best for the one they love...because they want to, not because the have to.

My desire is that my love for God grows deeper and deeper, not because of all the things I do “right” but because I become more and more aware of His great love for me

Transitional: There is a “love” (call it self-centered love, selfishness, or fear) that only leads to chaos because it is not grounded in truth — and there is a love that is a natural thing that flows out of deep relationship. In addition, “law” or “rules (standards)” can be a measuring stick to determine right from wrong.

LAW: MEASURING STICK FOR RIGHT AND WRONG

When we think of law, sometimes we think of it in terms of obedience. If we lay down the law for our children…we expect and hope that they will obey

“Obedience” motivated by fear

…fear of failure

…fear of not being good enough to “make the cut”

…is not really obedience…it is “jumping through the hoops,” “dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s,” “covering all the bases,” etc. The whole point of obedience is lost in blind religious activity.

…is not really obedience…it is basically “jumping through the hoops,” “dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s,” “covering all the bases,” etc. In the process, the whole point of obedience is lost in blind religious activity.

Situational ethics…this time motivated by...

Self-preservation

Concern for what people think

The need to avoid consequences

Ignorance (Devoid of a true, transformational relationship with Jesus

Devoid of a true, transformational relationship with Jesus

It can be very sincere

But it is never enough to feel like you are good enough

It is an alluring trap

Matthew 15:9 NIV

They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’”

Obedience motivated by sincere love

Possible because of Jesus’ sacrifice of love for you

Enabled by the Holy Spirit

A natural outflow of relationship with our Holy God

1 Samuel 15:22 NIV

But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

In other words…pursue the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law

We can become tempted to perform certain religious looking duties rather than simply obeying God because of His love for us.

His Word is not a rule book…it is a road map…a love letter…a lighthouse…a schematic…the living breath Word of God…the source of truth that leads to life in Christ.

CHALLENGE

Since situational ethics leads to chaos, passionately love God and His Word: allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to live each day in His light.

What kind of love motivates your actions?

love for self

misguided love that leads you to compromise the truth in order to please others?

love for Jesus?

Why is the right kind of obedience so important

Legalistic obedience of rules and regulation without a relationship with the Lawgiver is an exercise in futility

Obedience motivated by your relationship with the Lord is not a burden or a source of stress and fear