An Introduction to Biblical Ethics

David W. Jones, Daniel Heimbach

• Publisher: B&H Academic
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781433680779
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

This book serves as an introduction to the field of biblical ethics, a subcategory of the discipline of moral theology. It differs from moral philosophy in that biblical ethics is distinctively Christian, and it is more specific than Christian ethics proper because it specifically focuses upon the application of the moral law -- as it is revealed in Scripture -- to daily living. Introduction to Biblical Ethics explains the nature, relevancy, coherency, and structure of the moral law as revealed throughout the Bible. In addition to covering the foundational elements of biblical ethics, major issues investigated in this volume include: different types of law in Scripture, the relationship between the law and the gospel, and issues related to the prospect of conflicting moral absolutes. Additionally, after a discussion of ethical methodology, and using the Ten Commandments as a moral rubric, author David W. Jones explores the place of the moral law in the lives of believers. In the final chapters, the events surrounding the giving of the Decalogue are surveyed, and the application of each of the Ten Commandments to Christian living is explored.

Chapter 1

Introduction

In his discourse on morality recorded in Plato’s Republic, the storied philosopher Socrates declared, “We are discussing no small matter, but how we ought to live.”1 Indeed, the discussion of ethics is important, for on a daily basis humans are confronted with questions of right and wrong. In practice, when ethical encounters arise, individuals with the capacity for moral evaluation do not usually make decisions arbitrarily; rather, people tend to make ethical choices that conform to certain patterns or models.2 This is so because, whether consciously or not, everyone with the ability to make moral judgments has a system of ethics out of which he or she operates. On account of this truth, as well as the inevitability of moral encounters, it is important to be aware of and to understand one’s own system of ethics.

This is a book about biblical ethics. Biblical ethics is a subcategory of the discipline of Christian ethics, which is sometimes called moral theology.3 Biblical ethics differs from secular ethics, which is sometimes referred to as moral philosophy, in that it is distinctively Christian in its approach to ethical evaluation as it uses the Bible as its source of moral authority.4 Moreover, biblical ethics is more specific than Christian ethics proper in that it specifically focuses on the study, structure, and application of the moral law as it is revealed in Scripture. In order to appreciate the uniqueness of the discipline of biblical ethics, especially as it differs from non-Christian systems of ethics, it will be helpful to sketch out several distinctives of biblical ethics at the outset of this discussion.

Distinctives of Biblical Ethics

One major distinctive of biblical ethics is that it is built on an objective, theistic worldview. In other words, biblical ethics assumes the presence of a fixed moral order in the world that proceeds from God. Therefore, advocates of biblical ethics affirm the existence of universal, moral absolutes. In contrast, secular ethics rests on a subjective, anthropocentric worldview that stems from the heart and mind of man. Since it is a man-centered enterprise, advocates of secular ethics usually deny the existence of universal moral absolutes.5 Stated another way, biblical ethics seek to identify and to follow a universal, divine ought, whereas secular ethics tend to focus on a local, human should. As Frame and others have noted,6 if one accepts the idea that ethics are by definition objective and universal in nature, then in a sense nontheistic ethics are really not ethics at all. Indeed, while secular ethics serve to promote order, oftentimes they are merely a means by which people further their own self-interests and ideas under the guise of morality, “call[ing] evil good and good evil” (Isa 5:20).

A second distinctive of biblical ethics is that it is not a means of earning favor with God but rather is the natural result of righteousness already imputed by God. To elaborate, secular systems of ethics are often tied to an attempt to earn favor with others or to create a more advantageous environment for oneself. In contrast, biblical ethics understands Jesus Christ to have perfectly modeled righteousness (cf. Heb 2:17–18; 4:15); yet, through his substitutionary atonement, God imputes Jesus’ righteousness to man. As believers gradually adopt biblical ethics, then, they do not accumulate righteousness or merit; rather, they practically become like that which they are already considered to be.7 Moreover, this pursuit of sanctification brings glory to God. The apostle Paul described this process as follows, “He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. . . . [I desire to be] found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith” (2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9; cf. 1 Pet 3:18).

A third distinctive of biblical ethics is that it seeks to recognize and to participate in God’s moral order already present within the created order and in special revelation. In other words, biblical ethics is revelatory and participatory in nature, not constructive and formative. Secular systems of ethics tend to view the task of man as constructing and obeying a moral framework. This is especially true in regard to novel or as-yet-addressed ethical issues. By way of contrast, biblical ethics seeks to discover and to be a part of God’s moral order that is ever present, especially as it is revealed in the Word of God. Said differently, within biblical ethics the task of the moral agent is to think God’s thoughts after him and to act accordingly. Additionally, biblical ethics holds that God’s moral order is comprehensive and sufficient for all ethical encounters—past, present, and future. As will be explored in chapters 7 and 8 of this volume, there is no topic that cannot be addressed by moral law within biblical ethics. While topics for ethical discussion change with time, technology, and culture, moral norms remain the same.

A fourth distinctive of biblical ethics is that it affirms immorality stems from human depravity, not primarily from man’s ignorance of ethics or from socioeconomic conditions. Since secular systems of ethics generally endorse the goodness of the human heart, remedies for immorality frequently include external fixes such as education and financial provision. Given the presupposition of man’s favorable estate, these seem to be logical, if not self-evident, solutions for moral evil. A practical problem with these cures, however, is that experience testifies they rarely do more than produce a temporary veneer of morality at best. By way of contrast, a scriptural evaluation of man’s moral condition includes the following: “Every scheme [of man’s] mind . . . [is] nothing but evil all the time” (Gen 6:5). “Man’s inclination is evil from his youth” (Gen 8:21). And, “No one is good but One—God” (Luke 18:19).8 Therefore, biblical ethics proposes the solution for immorality, both personal and societal (or structural), is a change of man’s heart, not merely a modification of man’s environment.9

A fifth and final distinctive of biblical ethics is that in the process of assigning moral praise or blame, biblical ethics incorporates conduct (i.e., the what), character (i.e., the who), and goals (i.e., the why) of individuals involved in moral events. While this distinctive will be examined in greater detail later in this chapter and again in chapter 5, for the present it will suffice to note that non-Christian systems of ethics tend to reduce morality to the level of conduct. Although conduct certainly is an important factor in moral evaluation, especially since character and goals are intangible, to ignore the who and/or the why of a moral event will often result in ethical distortions, including legalism and license, among many others. Moreover, such an approach to ethics can marginalize important moral concepts including volition and motive. The system of biblical ethics, then, seeks to incorporate conduct, character, and goals into the process of moral evaluation.

Defining Biblical Ethics

In everyday conversation the terms ethics and morality are frequently used interchangeably. Indeed, even in many introductory-level textbooks—the present one included—the terms ethics and morality, along with their cognates, are used in a parallel manner. While this is true, it should be noted that in advanced, specialized, or technical discussions of ethics, a distinction is oftentimes made between the two terms.10 To elaborate, the word ethics, which comes from the Greek term ethos, is a broad term that refers to a manner of living. The word morals, which is derived from the Latin word mos, is a more focused term that is used in reference to specific customs, habits, or conduct.11 In other words, ethics emphasizes an entire belief system and gives a general perspective; morality emphasizes individual acts and gives specific principles. The distinction between these two terms can be seen further in Moreland and Craig’s explanation that “ethics can be understood as the . . . study of morality.”12 So, then, while the terms ethics and morals will be used interchangeably in this text out of convention, the reader should be aware that the words are not strictly synonymous.

Having covered several of the foundational distinctives of biblical ethics, as well as some of the nuances in ethical terminology, it is now possible to turn to defining biblical ethics. Simply put, biblical ethics can be understood as the attempt to understand what it means both to live and to think biblically. A more formal definition of biblical ethics, however, can be found in Murray’s classic work Principles of Conduct, the standard twentieth-century text on biblical ethics in the Protestant tradition. Here Murray wrote, “Biblical ethics is concerned with the manner of life and behavior which the Bible requires and which the faith of the Bible produces.”13 Following Murray’s lead, an even more specific working definition of biblical ethics is as follows: Biblical ethics is the study and application of the morals prescribed in God’s Word that pertain to the kind of conduct, character, and goals required of one who professes to be in a redemptive relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is referred to as a “working definition,” for its component parts will be unpacked and analyzed in the pages that follow in this chapter.

Consequential and Deontological Systems of Ethics

In the working definition of biblical ethics just given it was noted, “Biblical ethics is the study and application of the morals prescribed . . . .” In the process of assigning moral praise or blame, then, biblical ethics focuses upon the acts that are committed (or omitted) and their conformity (or lack thereof) to prescribed morals. Yet, this is only one of two possible, normative ways of engaging in moral assessment. To elaborate, in evaluating a moral event, there are two logical possibilities: one can either focus upon the acts that are committed or upon the consequences that result.14 Stated differently, the age-old question asks, “Do the ends justify the means, or are the means sufficient apart from the ends?”15 In the formal study of ethics means-based systems are referred to as deontological theories, while ends-based systems are classified as consequentialist or utilitarian theories.

Consequentialist Theories

Consequentialist or utilitarian systems of ethics assign moral praise or blame based on the end results of moral events. That which is moral within a consequentialist system of ethics, then, is the course of action that produces the greatest amount of overall good. Jones summarizes this approach to ethics well, noting that according to “a consequentialist theory of ethics . . . an act is right if it is intended to produce a greater balance of good over evil than any available alternative.”16 Advocates of this approach to ethics, including classic proponents such as Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806–73),17 usually define “greatest good” in terms of individual or corporate human flourishing. Options for such anthropocentric flourishing include an increase in pleasure, the maximization of happiness, a decrease in pain, the attainment of power, the lowering of financial cost, the feeling of self-actualization, or some similar idea. Therefore, since morality is determined by evaluating results, there is no inherently good or bad act within a pure consequentialist system o...