How to Live a Good Life Following New Testament Ethics

Václav Rajlich

• Publisher: TAN Books
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781505113631
• Topic: Theologie & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

How do I live a truly good life? That, in many respects, is the question we all must ask ourselves and answer. As always, even in our post-Christian society, Christ is the answer, and we discover him in the New Testament.

Drawing heavily from Pope Saint John Paul II's encyclical Veritatis Splendor and other trusted sources, author Václav Rajlich identifies four pillars of ethical reasoning: prohibited acts, prescriptions, priorities, and providence/grace (the 4Ps) to show how readers can practically use these teachings to live a good life.

Accessible, practical, and firmly rooted in the teaching and life of Christ, How to Live a Good Life Following New Testament Ethics is an essential guidebook both for contemporary Christians as well as sincere seekers looking to answer that most fundamental of questions.

1

Introduction

In the late 1970s, my youngest brother John lived in a modest house in a Prague suburb, with a small group of fellow former students who secretly joined the Dominican order. To be a Dominican was illegal in Communist Czechoslovakia and carried a stiff jail sentence. A police raid could have occurred at any time.

Visiting John one day, he introduced me to his friends. We sat down in their living room, drank coffee, and chatted about their studies and jobs. Then one of them asked, “Do you want to meet Pavel?” The question surprised me, but I said, “Sure.”

Through a narrow hallway, they led me to the back room where Pavel was lying in bed; he was less than thirty years old, about the same age as my brother. As I walked in, Pavel turned his head and smiled. John introduced me and Pavel told me that he had heard of me and prayed for me and my loved ones. Not a single word was said about Pavel or his suffering.

I thanked him for his prayers. As I was leaving the room, he waved; this small gesture required great effort. Back in the living room, I asked: “Who is Pavel?” They told me that he was their friend, who had metastatic cancer, and that he was in constant terrible pain. Even though his pain was so bad, he was sent home from the hospital and was waiting for either a miracle or death.

Traveling home through the darkened streets of Prague in a streetcar, I was thinking about Pavel Legerský and how he radiated inner peace, undiminished by his life of pain, or fear of a possible police raid that could take away his caretakers. That sharply contrasted with my own restlessness and anxiety, in spite of my much more comfortable circumstances. I was wondering whether I would ever achieve that peace of mind.

This book summarizes what I have learned since my brief encounter with Pavel. It begins with a short overview of the academic discipline of ethics.

1.1Ethics

During our lives, we perform numerous human acts; some are voluntary, others are involuntary. Every voluntary human act involves a deliberate choice and employs both human reason and will. In this book, the word “act” will mean “voluntary human act”. Ethics or moral philosophy is an academic discipline that studies voluntary acts and the choices that lead to them. It also answers the questions: “What is the right act in these circumstances?” and “What is the best way to live?”

Many people believe that ethics is a simple topic and does not need much attention. They think that it is sufficient to follow what they learned early in their life, or to copy the prevailing mores of their environment. However, they overlook how many ethical traps are set for the unwary. While they may hire a mechanic to fix their car because it is too complex, they believe that their own unsophisticated ethics will be enough to help them to successfully navigate the ethical shoals and rocks they encounter in their lives.

The people who understand the need to study ethics are immediately confronted by a bewildering array of teachers with widely divergent and contradictory recommendations. Some of these teachers have influenced entire societies. An incomplete list includes Confucius, Buddha, Mohammed, Plato, Kant, and Marx.

When dealing with these ethical systems, we should remember the New Testament warning: “… Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?” (Lk 6:39). Some dangers are not immediately apparent:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.” (Mt 7:15-20)

1.2Pursuing Big Goals

In the face of a wide difference of advice within disparate ethical systems, the pursuit of big goals provides a helpful metaphor. Big goals require sustained effort and offer great rewards. For example, an entrepreneur starts a new high tech company that becomes profitable after years of hard work. A mother sacrifices years of her life and brings up a child to a productive adulthood. A neighbor plants vegetables in the spring, tends them through the summer, and harvests them in the fall. They all know that pursuing big goals brings rewards and satisfaction. Deep in our hearts, we too long for the rewards that only big goals can bring.

The opposite is aimlessness, living for the moment, drifting through life. There is nothing attractive about it. It is a symptom of an unsatisfactory life.

Many teachers, preachers and mentors know that and they advise their charges to “think big.” They encourage children to have “big dreams” because they know that the pursuit of big goals is an indispensable part of human flourishing. Pagan Romans summarized it in a proverb “Per aspera ad astra,” that is, “A rough road leads to the stars.” Big goals are illustrated by the following examples.

Hannah’s Road Trip to Chicago

Hannah has a friend in Chicago who invited her for a weekend visit. She has accepted the invitation and drives from Detroit. Before and during her trip, she considers her options. She is faced with some choices that are good, others that are not so good. Her decisions should follow rules (or precepts or commandments or principles or practices) that can be structured into four pillars (4Ps):

1.Prohibited Acts:

Do not drive on the left side of the road; you will not get very far if you do that. Also do not drink and drive.

2.Prescriptions:

Double-check your friend’s address and make sure it is correct. Get enough gas, or stop for gas when the gas tank is getting low.

3.Priorities:

Since your goal is to visit a friend in Chicago, do not leave Detroit and drive, say, in the opposite direction over the Ambassador Bridge to Canada. However, on your trip to Chicago, you can stop for a snack or for a swim in Lake Michigan at the Warren Dunes. But if you do, make sure that you get back on the road on time.

4.Providence:

Be mindful that there are things beyond your control which can turn your Chicago trip either into a success or a failure. You hope that there will be no accidents either on the road or while swimming in the lake. In case you have an unexpected car breakdown, you hope that there will be a towing service and a nearby repair shop that can fix your car.

There are also choices that do not impact the success of Hannah’s goal. It does not matter whether she drives a red or a blue car, whether she packs sandwiches or eats at a fast food restaurant, or, if she takes the toll road, whether she pays using cash or a credit card. Some choices are significant for achieving her big goal and should follow the principles in the four pillars above, while others are insignificant and subject to personal preference.

Her reward of the successful trip to Chicago is an enjoyable weekend in the Windy City, in the company of her friend.

Hannah’s road trip to Chicago is an example of a journey. People often compare the pursuit of a big goal to a journey. Many see themselves as travelers or pilgrims.

Jacob’s Study for a Bachelor’s Degree

Another familiar example of a big goal is learning. It takes years to earn a bachelor’s degree, for example in computer science. During those years, Jacob contemplates various choices and is advised to follow the ensuing principles:

1.Prohibited Acts:

Do not cheat on exams! You can be expelled from school for cheating.

2.Prescriptions:

Be diligent, study hard, keep up with the lecture material, do the homework.

3.Priorities:

Do not take too many courses that do not contribute to earning your degree. Remember, your goal is to get the bachelor’s degree in computer science. However you may take several interesting electives outside of your major. Also, it helps to avoid parties the night before your finals, although you can relax and socialize during the semester.

4.Providence:

Hope that you will have good health, the talent, and the finances required to complete the studies.

The reward of Jacob’s studies is the new knowledge and a bachelor’s degree, which will open the door to a fulfilling career. People often compare the pursuit of a big goal to learning and see themselves as students, disciples, or apprentices.

1.3The Biggest Goal in Life

As important as other big goals are, one specific big goal towers over all others: We want to experience our whole life as a success rather than as a futility and failure. We will attain that success if we follow Jesus of Nazareth. He taught how to reach the Kingdom of God that offers peace of mind during our life and eternal happiness afterwards.

The relevant passage in the New Testament is: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn 16:33). This highly desirable goal eludes many of our contemporaries who frantically search for it, but Pavel Legerský attained it in his dire circumstances by following Jesus of Nazareth.

The eternal happiness after death is promised in this passage: “… no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor 2:9).

All other big goals pale in comparison. The New Testament makes that very clear with the following words of caution: “For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Mk 8:36, Lk 9:25, Mt 16:26).

Jesus taught us how to pursue this biggest goal of our life. His teachings apply to all circumstances, including the most challenging ones, like the ones in which Pavel Legerský found himself. In this book, I call this teaching New Testament Ethics.

■Interpreting New Testament

Ethical teachings are intertwined throughout the New Testament with other topics, such as historical narrative, theology, ...