Christianity and Ethics
Because the basic theme of this section concerns the ways religion is reflected in daily
activity, it seems fitting that we turn our attention to the topic of ethics. More specifically,
what does Christianity“teach”its adherents about the ethical treatment of other people?
The overriding approach to Christian ethics is clearly stated by Van Voorst:
As an“ethical monotheism,”the Christian religion is based on its view of God. God’s self-
revelation shows God to be both radically good and radically loving. Christians must wor-
ship God but also must live their entire lives according to God’s will. Jesus affirmed that the
main point of this obedience is to love God and to love one’s neighbor. (Matt. 22:37–39)^76
To carry out this important counsel from Jesus, Christians have always turned to
the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. Most Christians treat the
Ten Commandments as“instructions”written by God, even though they also see
them as part of the covenant of the Jews with God. Although everyone might be
aware of the Ten Commandments, it might be useful to read them in the following
abbreviated form and reflect for a moment on how the advice within each Com-
mandment offers the reader an ethical compass on how to live one’s life. The Ten
Commandments of God are as follows:
1.Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2.Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
3.Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4.Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5.Honor thy father and thy mother.
6.Thou shalt not kill.
7.Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8.Thou shalt not steal.
9.Thou shalt not bear false witness.
10.Thou shalt not covet.
Van Voorst asserts,
The Sermon on the Mount is, in the three chapters ofMatthew 5 – 7, the gospels’longest
collection of the moral teaching of Jesus. It is largely a collection by the writer ofMatthew,
probably drawing on an early collection of Jesus’sayings, and it soon became the influential
statement of ethics in the Christian faith.^77
Perhaps the most famous of the teachings fall under the category of the Beatitudes or
Blessings. These blessings offer insight into the ethical guidance Jesus offered his adherents:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.Cultural Expressions of Christianity 121Copyright 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).