CHRIST AND CULTURE: BEING DARING IN A DANGEROUS WORLD

“What Is Right and Wrong?” Exodus 20:1-17

Christ and Culture Ethics 1 An Introduction

• Every day we are asked to make many choices. • According to the Forbes Agency Council, we are exposed to 4,000-10,000 ads each day. • Some choices are easier to make than are others. • Ethics is the study of what is right and what is wrong, more importantly, it is knowing what is right and what is wrong.

Christ and Culture Ethics 2 • Question: Which comes most naturally – choosing to do what is right or choosing to do what is wrong? • We have to learn how to do what is right. • To help us, there are many influencers around us: - Grandparents - School teachers and coaches - Church leaders

Christ and Culture Ethics 3 Man Determines What is Right and Wrong • “No inherent moral or ethical laws exist, nor are there absolute guiding principles for human society. The universe cares nothing for us and we have no ultimate meaning in life” – Dr. William Provine, Cornell University

Christ and Culture Ethics 4 • “If man is a product of evolution, one species among others, in a universe without purpose, then man’s option is to live for himself and to discover new areas of significance and achievement. Humanists do not wish to undermine the role of the family, as critics contend. They do advocate basic moral virtues – fairness, kindness, beneficence, justice, and tolerance” – Dr. Paul Kurtz, University of New York in Buffalo.

Christ and Culture Ethics 5 • A troubling statement: It is up to every person to determine what is right or wrong for himself – truth becomes relative. • Obvious question: From where do those basic moral values come? • Consequence of Dr. Provine and Dr. Kurtz’s thinking: ethical relativism or situational ethics.

Christ and Culture Ethics 6 • “Ethical judgments should have autonomous grounding in moral experience, and we would expect people to be truthful, honest, sincere, generous, whether or not they believe in God” – Dr. Kurtz. - Have truth, honesty, sincerity, generosity evolved over time? - When did truth evolve? - Who decided what was true? - The statement is dependent upon man having a heart that is always pure and right, which we know is not true.

Christ and Culture Ethics 7 • Another consequence – utilitarianism – “the ends justify the means.” • “Does the end justify the means? Of course. If not what does? In order to adopt a means, what more reasons does one need than knowledge that it will help one to achieve one’s ends?” – Dr. Max Hocutt, University of Alabama

Christ and Culture Ethics 8 God Determines What is Right and Wrong – Exodus 20:1-17; Matthew 5-7 • We live in a world that is constantly changing.

• We cry out, “Is there anything absolutely true today? Is there anything that never changes?”

• The answer is: God never changes.

Christ and Culture Ethics 9 • Our moral and ethical foundations are dependent upon God’s absolute moral character because God cannot lie: - Numbers 23:19 - Hebrews 6:18 - Psalm 33:11 - Malachi 3:6 - James 1:17 • A Christian ethic is based upon the character of God.

Christ and Culture Ethics 10 • God has commanded us to be as He is: - Be holy because He is holy. - Be just because He is just. - Be merciful because He is merciful. - Be loving because He is loving. - Be forgiving because He is forgiving.

• Has God given us any absolutes?

Christ and Culture Ethics 11 • The Ten Commandments – Exodus 20:1-17 - God is exclusive – Exodus 20:3 - God is unseen and is to be worshiped and accepted by faith – Exodus 20:4-6 - God’s name is above every name – Exodus 20:7 - Worship and Rest are tied together – Exodus 20:8-11 - Respect of those in authority – Exodus 20:12 - Respect for life – Exodus 20:13

Christ and Culture Ethics 12 - Respect for sexuality – Exodus 20:14 - Respect for property rights – Exodus 20:15 - Respect for people’s personal rights – Exodus 20:16 - Respect for one’s self – Exodus 20:17 • The Ten Commandments are action statements.

Christ and Culture Ethics 13 • The Sermon on the Mount – attitude statements - Anger is as deadly as murder – Matthew 5:21-26 - An inner desire is as deadly as the act of adultery – Matthew 5:27-30 - Be motivated by truth – Matthew 5:33-37 • A summary by Jesus – Matthew 22:37-40

Christ and Culture Ethics 14 A World View Challenge

• Upon what foundation are you make those decisions that most impact your life? - Your own selfish interests? - What you know of the character of God?

Christ and Culture Ethics 15 • “Christian ethics is not a matter of discovering what’s going on in the world and getting in tune with it. It isn’t a matter of doing things to earn God’s favor. It is not about trying to obey dusty rulebooks from long ago or far away. It is about practicing, in the present, the tunes we shall sing in God’s new world” – Dr. N.T. Wright

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