A Christian Form of Ethics
feelings as being completely ethical. This is a contradiction to Christian doctrine because God calls Christians to be obedient and follow the rules that He set forth, whether we “feel like it” or not. Emotism begins causing a problem when it directly allows the violation or injuring of another human being. It is impossible to say that an individual’s beliefs for themselves can be correct and apply to other people in all circumstances.
The problem many Christians are faced with by society in regards to our beliefs is the fact that we know wholeheartedly that what we believe is truth. Many consider this way of thinking to be arrogant. In the same way, supporters of ethical relativism use the argument that “if you deny ethical relativism, then you must believe that there is one true morality. Of course, you think the one true morality is your own. But that is arrogant and intolerant and ethnocentric” (Murray 379). It would be hard for non-Christians to understand that what we believe is true because they don’t share the same beliefs. Even though our powerful God created every one of us and the world we live in, there are many people who have never been exposed to his word and his presence. It is important then in our code of Christian ethics, that we are tolerant and gentle with those who do not believe.
Following ethical relativism and subjectivism is the basic Christian explanation of right and wrong through the Divine Command Theory. This theory states that “an act is right because and only because God commands it, and an act is wrong because and only because God forbids it” (Murray 380). Many Christians hold this theory to be their basis on ethical understanding. They believe that because God created man he therefore created morality. Thus, whatever God commands should be the basis of Christian ethics. The main problem that many have with this theory is the confusion of whether God says something is wrong because it is wrong, or if something is wrong because God says it is. This problem arises when people doubt the all-powerful attributes of God.
Another aspect of ethics that is often overlooked is how the idea of love should fit into the equation. In regards to doing what is right, the consideration of whether any action is done in loving interest of others is important. The Lord commands us to “Love your neighbor as yourself” in Leviticus 19:16. The average human being holds themselves in a high regard, and it is this reason that God defines loving others by the love and respect that we have for ourselves. All of morality is based on our relationships and interactions with other people.
This concept of love is difficult for many people to understand. “The love advocated in the New Testament is unconditional love, love one ought to have for every human being, no [next page]