Page 30 - Biblical Ethics Course

The Motive of the Christian Life is vital when it comes to Biblical
Ethics.

1. The Human Heart-Needs transformation (Ephesians 2:1-10)
2. Christian Freedom-Demands moral responsibility
3. Love of God-Is key for key to proper motivation.
4. Love of the Neighbor.

Thomas Kempis asks a very serious question, “For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and
the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is
vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone”
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The Threefold Evaluation of Biblical Ethics.

1. The end of the Agent seeks to realize must be good, essentially worthy of Pursuit.
2. The motives of the Agent must be good, so that the end is sought because it is worthwhile, the mark of
good character.
3. The means to end must be good, conforming to the standard of what is right.

The Christian life must be lived out in a present-day setting. Biblical ethics becomes thus not only a philosophy
of the Biblical morality, but also of the whole moral development and the aim of humanity according to Christ. It
looks for the successful application of Christian principles in all spheres of human life.

Motives for Obedience to God in the Christian Life

(1) A desire to please God and express our love to him is a very important motive for obeying him—Jesus says,
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15), and, “He who has my commandments and
keeps them, he it is who loves me” (John 14:21; 1 John 5:3).

(2) The need to keep a clear conscience before God (Rom. 13:5; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 2 Tim. 1:3; 1 Peter 3:16)

(3) The desire to be a “vessel for noble use” and have increased effectiveness in the work of the kingdom (2 Tim.
2:20–21).

(4) The desire to see unbelievers come to Christ through observing our lives (1 Peter 3:1–2, 15–16);

(5) The desire to receive present blessings from God on our lives and ministries (1 Peter 3:9–12)

(6) The desire to avoid God’s displeasure and discipline on our lives (sometimes called “the fear of God”) (Acts
5:11; 9:31; 2 Cor. 5:11; 7:1; Eph. 4:30).

(7) The desire to seek greater heavenly reward (Matt. 6:19–21; Luke 19:17–19; 1 Cor. 3:12–15; 2 Cor. 5:9–10).

(8) The desire for a deeper walk with God (Matt. 5:8; John 14:21; 1 John 1:6; 3:21–22; and, in the Old Testament,
Ps. 66:18; Isa. 59:2).

(9) The desire that angels would glorify God for our obedience (1 Tim. 5:21; 1 Peter 1:12)

12 Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1996), 2.

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