Page 19 - Biblical Ethics Course

John 4:16). Love is selfless and considerate of others, never seeking its own glory or pleasure (1 Corinthians 13).
Therefore, by virtue of who God is, the Bible, being given by God and being all true, cannot contain a system of
ethics that would defy the nature of God. Situational ethics finds right and wrong to please the majority or a
single person out of selfishness. Love is the opposite. Love seeks to encourage and build up others.

Two foundational problems with situational ethics are the reality of an absolute truth and the concept of real
love. The Bible does teach absolute truth, which demands that right and wrong are predetermined by a Holy
God. And love—God’s definition of true, honest, real love—leaves no room for selfish or impure motivations.
Even if someone were to say that the situation demands selflessness, it is still a human determination and not a
divine one. A human being’s reasons for determining what is best, without true love are foundationally selfish.

So what happens when things look right but God says they are wrong? We must trust God’s sovereignty and
trust “that all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His
purpose” (Romans 8:28). If we belong to Christ, God has given us His Spirit (John 16), and through Him we have
an understanding of what is right and wrong. Through Him we are convicted, encouraged, and guided to
righteousness. An earnest desire to know the truth of a matter, coupled with seeking God, will be rewarded with
God’s answer. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew
5:6).
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Consider our beginning situations with the evil man who comes to your house demanding information about the
girl he is chasing or the woman who wants to know your opinion on her hat, each is a difficult situation. If you
tell a lie to avoid a negative result, then you violate God’s standard for always telling the truth. There is no such
thing as “little white lies” with God. But God also tells us to always love. So, in both situations, we need to tell
the truth in a loving way to, if possible, avoid offense.

Here is an important verse in the Bible that pertains to this idea:

I Cor. 10:13Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his
promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the
test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out. (GNT)

Can you think of answers to both situations that would express truth in love?

Distinctions between Ethics and Morality

The term ethics is often used interchangeably with the word morality. That the
two have become virtual synonyms is a sign of the confusion that permeates the
modern ethical scene. Historically, the two words had quite distinctive meanings.
Ethics comes from the Greek ethos, which is derived from a root word meaning
“stall,” a place for horses. It conveyed the sense of a dwelling place, a place of
stability and permanence. On the other hand, morality comes from the word mores, which describes the
behavioral patterns of a given society.

Ethics can be related to personal standards of morality or to morals in society. The former is called personal
ethics and the latter, social ethics. When our Lord said, “You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is

5 https://www.gotquestions.org/situational-ethics.html
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