Exploring a Christian Worldview

How do we decide what is right and wrong?

We need some principles which will enable us to determine whether actions are right or wrong. We need a way of determining (testing) what is the “will of the one living God, that which is ethically right, acceptable, and complete.” (My translation). (Romans 12:2b). Paul in the first part of the verse gives the means to accomplishing this. He indicates that first, we must not be “pushed into the mold” of this age and second, we must be transformed by renewing our minds. This teaches that our procedure should be something like the following.

First, we must not be “pushed into the mold” of this age. We need to ask how much the world is pressuring us in a particular direction and be prepared to resist that pressure. Many things assumed to be God’s commandments are not supported by scripture. We must not demand of ourselves obedience to something not stated in scripture by either precept or approved precedent. Some things forbidden in scriptures are often excused by the culture or even by religious leaders. The Roman Church has given us many things which we accept as “right” without testing them by actual statement of scripture. Some of those pressures include the following:

1. There is pressure from what the world around us thinks is right and best.

2. There is pressure from the history of our culture.

3. There is pressure from the family.

4. There is pressure from within. We tend to want to keep the things we have assumed

to be right, or which we prefer.

5. There is pressure from the desire to maintain the thing to which we are accustomed..

6. There is even pressure from a conscience which has not been taught by the renewed mind.

Second, Paul says that this is accomplished by renewing the mind. The purpose of this renewing is to “test what the will of God is.” The word renewing (anakainosei) comes from the word meaning a new kind. If it were simply different it would be neos. This must be done with an open mind to listen, and with the best of our intellect turned on. We are not to look for a book of rules. God in His wisdom did not give us a law book. The Code of Common law of Kentucky contains many volumes.

How do you accomplish this “renewing?” How does The Holy Spirit operate on our spirits? The only certain way it is renewed is through hearing with faith (Galatians 3:2). What does Paul include in that which is heard? Where does the Holy Spirit speak clearly to all men? That is only through the written word. This would mean that the new kind of mind comes from study of the written Word. Therefore, we study the revelation given to “renew our minds.” This must be done with an open mind to listen, and with the best of our intellect turned on.

First, we must recognize that God is the ultimate source of authority, yet in some sense morality is even above Him.

Second we must accept the authority of His special revelation. given the job of taking the boy to school wiping his nose, seeing he was properly clothed, cleaning his slate, carrying his books, etc. but who never taught the boy anything important). The Old Testament has moral absolutes given as a paidigogos (The paidagoas (meaning boy leader) was a decrepit servant the boys at his feet and had a slave who chastised with rods any boy who didn’t have his lesson. Yet Paul says “If it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin” (Romans 7:7). The New Testament extends the moral absolutes. One of them is stated in Matthew 22:37-40. All the law and the prophets depend (have their base in and are obeyed if these are obeyed) on these two commandments. The New Testament elaborates these in such passages as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The supreme test of ethical behavior is to imitate Jesus (Matthew 16:24-26). This implies that we must get to know Jesus extremely well. The scriptures bind us to obey human law so long as it does not prevent us from obeying God’s law. (Romans 13:1) 1 John 4:7, 12 makes love (agapae) central to our relation with others. It is central to God’s nature (4:8). This is tied to obedience to His commandments which are not burdensome 1 John 5:1-3.

Third, we have to “watch our back” to see that in deciding in one direction we don’t fail to take into account another teaching. This usually means that we need the

Fourth we may look for a harmony with the natural order of things. This is a much more tenuous avenue to truth. It is sometimes termed general revelation. Since it is highly dependent on individual judgment it cannot be forced on the one who disagrees.

Believing that something is “right” does not obligate you to practice it. Conditioning factors might include:

A. Would the act be an act of agapae?

B. Would the act offend someone so as they might lose their faith?

C. Would the act place obstacles before some area of your service?

D. Would practicing it cause you to violate some other commandment?