Ethics. What comes to mind when you hear the word? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word as “a set of moral principles: a theory or system of moral values”, and “the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group”. We are all guided by a set of ethical standards, and we make decisions based on those standards. But the question is, where do my standards originate? In our present cultural state of obvious confusion, it would do us all well to think seriously about this question.

Let’s give our attention to just a few of the possible sets of ethical standards that are prominent in our society today. First, there is situational ethics. As the name infers, those who embrace this particular ethical standard would simply make decisions of good or bad, right or wrong, based on the situation at hand. Situational ethics places the responsibility of decision making squarely on the shoulders of the individual. For example, consider the situation in which an individual has lost his/her source of income, and has now reached the point of dire destitution. The cupboards are literally bare. The children are hungry, the baby is crying, and all efforts to find employment has proven futile. So, in this state of desperation the father/husband takes it upon himself to go to the local market and steal some food for his family. His actions are based on his situation.

Second, there is cultural ethics. Again, as the name suggests, those who adhere to this set of ethical principles make their decisions based on their cultural environment. I remember hearing my father say on several occasions, “If all your friends were jumping off a cliff, would you do it just to be part of the crowd?” It would amount to brainless, thoughtless actions on the part of the individual, as his decisions are based on what everyone else is doing. This type of ethical behavior is always in a state of flux, as cultural principles and values change with the passing of time.

It is amazing to consider cultural changes that have occurred in my lifetime. Some of them are innocuous, producing no obvious harm, like the changing of popular haircuts or beard trim styles, or the popularity of tattoos, or the changing of accepted vocabulary. But others are much more serious, like the embracing of behavioral patterns that prove to be harmful, or those that are in direct contradiction and opposition to the long-standing cultural norms that have stood the test of time.

Third, there is utilitarianism, which focuses on the greatest amount of happiness or good for the greatest number of people. The person who embraces this philosophy of ethics always thinks of how his/her actions will affect others, and, more importantly, which actions he/she takes will provide the greatest good for the greatest number.

It can be clearly seen in each of the three philosophies of ethics that they are subjective at best, with no real, objective principles to guide in the decision-making process. They are either subjective to the individual’s personal set of preferences, or to actions based on the most popular and widely accepted guidelines imposed by culture or society.

How are Christians to determine what is right or wrong, good or bad? How are we to determine what actions are acceptable, and those that are not? What is to give direction to our daily decisions of what to do, and how to react, to choices we must make in our daily lives?

Simple: for the believer in Jesus Christ, our decisions are not based on subjective principles which have no substantive source of guidance, but rather on the objective truth revealed in Scripture. Read these very familiar words from Paul’s Epistle to Timothy:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

2 Timothy 4:2-4

As believers and disciples of Jesus Christ, let’s always establish our guiding principles of ethical behavior of Scripture, and not allow ourselves to be swept by the popular practices of our culture. Let’s let the true light of God’s word shine brightly through us so the world can see the genuine difference between believer and non-believer as we share the REAL truth to a desperately needy world.

Until next time:

Blessings!