1. Basis for Ethical Decisions
Biblical Ethics
Basis for Ethical Decisions
© John Stevenson, 2018

2. Survival of the fittest Social Darwinism
Darwin and Ethics
Theory of Evolution
Survival of the fittest
Social Darwinism
Imperialism

3. Survival of the fittest Social Darwinism
Darwin and Ethics
Theory of Evolution
Survival of the fittest
Social Darwinism
Imperialism
Capitalism & Social Injustice
Racism
Adolf Hitler

4. Plato’s dialogue between Euthyphro & Socrates
The Euthyphro Problem
Plato’s dialogue between Euthyphro & Socrates
Is something right or wrong…
Because the gods made it right or wrong?
Because that is naturally what it is?

5. Right or wrong because God made it that way Right or wrong
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.“ (Genesis 2:16-17)
Right or wrong
because God
made it that
way
Right or wrong
because it is
that way in
itself

6. Right reflects the character of God while wrong is the absence of that quality
Right or wrong
because God
made it that
way
Right or wrong
because it is
that way in
itself

7. Toward God Toward Men No other Gods No idols God’s name is to be holy
The Ten Commandments
Toward God
Toward Men
No other Gods
No idols
God’s name is to be holy
The Sabbath
Respect for parents
No murder
No adultery
No stealing
No false witness
No coveting

8. Matthew 22:35-38
One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and foremost commandment.

9. Matthew 22:39-40
“The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

10. Romans 13:8-10
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11. LOVE

12. Were the Ten Commandments primarily outward or inward in their focus?

13. What is the opposite of loving the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind?
You shall not Covet

14. Colossians 3:5
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

15. When does proper desire become coveting?
Desire becomes sin when it fails to include the love of God or men.

16. What is the relationship of giving thanks versus covetousness?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
What is the relationship of giving thanks versus covetousness?

17. Romans 1:21-23
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

18. From where does one get the motivation to live the Christian life?

19. Matthew 5:43-45
You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

20. We love, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19 ).

21. Romans 6:5-7
For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

22. Romans 6:8-11
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

23. Romans 7:1
Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?

24. Romans 7:2-3
For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. 3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.

25. Romans 7:4
Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

26. Colossians 3:1-3
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

27. Ministerial Ethics

28. 1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

29. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.

31. What are the leading causes of failure in ministry?
Spiritual Burn-out
Church Conflict
Moral Failure

32. Idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14). Fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18).
Flee...
Idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14).
Fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18).
The love of money (1 Timothy 6:10-11).
Youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2:22).

33. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

34. Potiphar’s wife
Jean-Baptiste Deshays, 1762

35. 1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

36. Avoiding even the appearance of impropriety Windowed doors
Practical Preventions
Avoiding even the appearance of impropriety
Windowed doors
Counseling situations
Friendliness versus familiarity

37. Emotional adultery
Sexual adultery

38. Titus 1:5-6
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.

39. Titus 1:7-9
For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

40. Titus 1:10-11
For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.

41. Titus 1:12-14
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

42. Titus 1:15-16
To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

43. Consistent devotional life Sabbath principle Focus on your family
Preventative Maintenance
Prioritize
Accountability
Consistent devotional life
Sabbath principle
Focus on your family
Do the ministry for which you are gifted
Apply the gospel to your own life