derivation out of God alone, and its availability to man by
the indwelling of Jesus Christ alone. Morality denies the
derived existence of good in the character of God. Morality
denies the derived knowledge of good by the revelation of
God. Morality denies the derived expression of good by the
grace of God. Morality precludes the primary assertion of
the Christian gospel, that the availability for the expression
of God's goodness in man is only by the presence and
empowering of the Spirit of Christ in man, received by
faith in regeneration and sanctification.
Morality never creates Christian behavior. Once again
Ellul remarks that
"Morality...necessarily collides with God's decision brought to pass
in Jesus Christ, which locates the life and truth of man out beyond
anything that man can formulate, know and live." 12
Christianity is "antimorality." 13
The Distinctive of Christianity and Christian behaviorWhat has already been noted by contrast must now be
explained more explicitly: the radical difference of the
Christian gospel from all moralities. C.S. Lewis expresses
this so succinctly when he writes that Christianity
"differs from ordinary ideas of 'morality' and 'being good.' ...the
whole of Christianity is 'putting on Christ.' Christianity offers
nothing else." 14