10:30 – Moral Issues Affecting the Family

Ode to Post-modernism It all depends on where you are, It all depends on what you are, It all depends on what you feel, It all depends on how you feel, It all depends on how you’re raised, It all depends on what is praised What’s right today is wrong tomorrow, Joy in France, in England sorrow. It all depends on the point of view. Australia or Timbuctoo, In Rome do as the Romans do, If tastes just happen to agree, Then you have morality. But where there are conflicting trends. It all depends, it all depends…. Ode to Post-modernism

BASIC ARGUMENT FOR CHRISTIAN ETHICS, i.e. “WHAT IS RIGHT”

BASIC ARGUMENT FOR CHRISTIAN ETHICS If God exists, and If the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and If the Bible teaches that certain ethics are from God, THEN 4. We can know (or be sure) that these ethics are from God.

Truth is Absolute and Attainable 1. The truth, the Gospel, can be transferred to others (1 Cor. 15:1-4). 2. The church supports the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). 3. We must not preach what is not the gospel (Gal. 1.6-9). 4. The truth frees us from sin (Jn. 8.32). 5. Not obeying the gospel is tragic (2 Th. 1.7-9). 6. We must choose between truth and error (Mt. 7.13-14). 7. God’s Word is truth (Jn. 17.17, 2 Tim. 4:1-5).

CONTEMPORARY MORAL QUESTIONS

Whose Values?

ALL ETHICS ARE VALUES, BUT NOT ALL VALUES ARE ETHICS. VALUES versus ETHICS? VALUES are anything to which is attached Worth, Significance, or Importance. ETHICS are values that you would prescribe on others or think that others should do also. ALL ETHICS ARE VALUES, BUT NOT ALL VALUES ARE ETHICS.

THREE FOCAL POINTS OF ETHICS Gal. 5.19-23; Rev. 21.8 The Action Itself (x): Intrinsic value The Consequences of action (x): instrumental value The Character of the Person who does action (x): instrumental value 1 Cor. 8.13; Rom. 14.23 Amos 5.12; Phil. 1.15-17

THREE DOMINANT THEORIES OF NORMATIVE ETHICS DEONTOLOGICAL TELEOLOGICAL ARETAIC “Deontos”-“essence” EMPHASIS: The Act Itself ILLUSTRATIONS: “Honesty is the best policy” “Tell the truth regardless” RESULT: INTRINSIC VALUE X is good because of the nature of X. BIBLICAL APPLICATION: MATTERS OF FAITH Eph. 4.1-4; Gal. 5.19-22; Universals II Pet. 1.5-8 UNITY IS DEMANDED “Teleos”-“end, goal, consequences” EMPHASIS: The Consequences of the Act ILLUSTRATIONS: “Some situations demand dis-honesty” “Dishonesty can bring about good” RESULT: INSTRUMENTAL VALUE X is right because it maximizes the good. BIBLICAL APPLICATION: MATTERS OF EXPEDIENCY 1Cor. 8.13; Rom. 14.23 DIVERSITY IS ALLOWED “Arete”-“virtue” EMPHASIS:The Character of the One Performing the Act ILLUSTRATIONS: “One’s motive is more important than anything else;” “A person cannot do a bad thing” X is right if performed by a virtuous person. MATTERS OF MOTIVATION Rom. 1.13-16; Amos 5.12ff; Phil. 1.15-18 UNITY IS DESIRED

IS IT IMPORTANT TO DO THINGS AS GOD DESIGNED THEM FOR US? COLOSSIANS 3.17 1 PETER 2.9 MATTHEW 7.21-24 2 PETER 1.20-21 ROMANS 9.20

“IN THE IMAGE OF GOD”—The Foundation for All Ethics (Genesis 1:26-27) ETHICAL CONCERNS “IN THE IMAGE OF GOD”—The Foundation for All Ethics (Genesis 1:26-27)

BIBLE VERSES ON THIS CONCEPT: Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Gen. 5:1-2 When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God Gen. 5:1-2 When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man." Eph. 4:21-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Col. 3:9-11 Do not lie to each other, since you have Col. 3:9-11 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. James 3:9-10 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.

Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. NIV IMAGO DEI is the foundation for RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE.

2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

ABORTION

Biblical Evidence for Ensoulment Jeremiah 1:5 Psalm 139:13-16 Psalm 51:5 Job 3:3, 11, 13-16 Genesis 16:11 Hosea 12:3 Matthew 1:18 Luke 1:41, 44 James 2:26

EUTHANASIA AND SUICIDE

Euthanasia/Infanticide Five Basic Questions from a Secular and a Christian perspective: Who owns your life? Is pain always evil? What is the quality of mercy? What are the risks? What is death?

1:30 -- Brief Sharing about the Debate and an Open Forum