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Core Ethical Teachings of Christianity

Students learn about:

• The Ten Commandments

• New Testament ethics

o The Beatitudes

o Jesus' commandment of love

Students learn to:

• Outline the principal ethical teachings in:

o The Ten Commandments

o The Beatitudes

o Jesus' commandment of love

• Describe the importance of ethical teachings in the life of adherents

The major source of ethical guidance for Christians is the New Testament which contains the Gospels. Thus, the teachings of Jesus Christ lie at the core of Christian ethics. Additionally, the Ten Commandments, contained in the Old Testament, and also know as the Decalogue are an important source of ethical guidance for Christians. There are two versions of the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament. One is found in Exodus 20:1-17 and the other in Deuteronomy 5:6-21.

Given that Christianity branched off from its parent religion Judaism, it is not surprising to find that the two tradition share common elements of scripture, namely the Tenach or the Old Testament. The ten commandments are at the heart of the covenant tradition in the Old Testament and provide and important background and context for the ethical teaching of Jesus found in the New Testament

Nature of the Ten Commandments

The first three commandments state the importance of worshipping God and God alone. Accordingly the use of magic and the worship of idols are forbidden. The fourth commandment relates to the importance of observing the Sabbath and keeping it sacred for God. The nature of the relationship between God and human beings mirrors the path that human beings should take when relating and interacting with each other. The remaining six commandments present guidelines for human interaction and how human beings should treat each other. These commandments emphasise the importance of human life and the need to respect family and personal integrity.

Importance of the Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are a succinct summary of Christian ethics. They are frequently used as a framework for the key principles of Christian ethics. The Ten Commandments were not explicitly prominent in the teaching of the early Church possibly because Jesus did not explicitly cite each of the commandments. However, he did use the Ten Commandments as a backdrop for his own ethical teachings. Not only did he refer to and make use of these commandments in his teaching, he also used them as a means to highlight the requirements of the new covenant. This use of the commandments is particularly evident in his sermon on the mount (Mt 5-7) which is a foundational element of New Testament ethical teaching.

Key source of ethical guidance is the New Testament

The fundamental source of ethical guidance for Christians is the New Testament. The New Testament contains some of Jesus' most significant ethical statements. That is, the requirement to love God with all your heart, soul and strength and to love your neighbour as yourself, and the requirement that love is the basic condition of the Christian life. The voluminous mass of Christian ethics can be distilled into these core principles.

Beatitudes

The Beatitudes are regarded as a foundational passage for Christian ethics. The Beatitudes is the name given to the famous and definitive part of the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes, as noted in Matthew 5:2-12 and Luke 6:20-26 describes a life directed towards saintliness and holiness. Thus, the Beatitudes provide a model or a template for the Christian life.

The Beatitudes provide an ethical stance which stands in contrast to the dominant culture. They point to an inversion of values whereby the things that are often regarded as having no value according to the dominant culture are celebrated and affirmed in the reign of God. In another sense they provide a warning against an approach to life which values only material strength and power. The inference is that such values are illusory and temporary.

Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount provides other important guidance for Christian ethics. For example Luke 6:27 asks us to "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you". Similarly Mathew 5:39 instructs us that "When a person strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer him the other". In essence, Christian ethics can be summed up as "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". (Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31) This passage, known as the golden rule, is the key concept which underpins all Christian ethical teachings.

Jesus' commandment of love

Jesus' commandment of love can be distilled into two categories, love of God and love of neighbour. Christianity draws on two central texts of the Old Testament to understand the covenantal notions of love of God and love of neighbour. Leviticus 19:18 advises the reader to "Love your neighbour as yourself". Deuteronomy 6:4-6 urges the reader to "Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts". Mark 12:31 affirms that "there is no commandment greater than these".

Love of neighbour is taken to a new level

In the ministry of Jesus this commandment to love your neighbour is raised to a new level when Jesus says that, "You have heard that it was said, 'love your neighbour and hate your enemy'. But I tell you 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you". (Matthew 5:43-44) Thus Christians are called to model their lives on the love of Jesus which in itself fulfils the requirement of love. Paul notes that love is the element which fulfils the law.

Love is the identifying characteristic of the Christian life

The requirement to love is conveyed in terms of a new commandment in John's Gospel. To love one another, as God loves each person is seen as the identifying characteristic of the Christian life which sets Christians apart from the rest of the world. The Gospel of John instructs Christians; "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another". (John 13:34-35) To love is to share the essence of God, as seen in 1 John 4:7-8, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love".

Similarly, Paul identifies love as the essential quality that gives life and meaning to all other virtues. In other words, all other virtues are futile, when they are separated from love. Thus, he calls Christians to live a life motivated by love. This can be seen in the famous and oft-quoted passage, 1 Corinthians 13. "I can speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal". Thus, Jesus' commandment of love offers fundamental guidance for Christians in the area of ethics.

Differences in the application of general Biblical principles

There are no identifiable differences among the various Christian denominations concerning their understanding of Jesus' commandment of love since all Christian denominations base their ethical guidance on Biblical teachings. There are some differences, however, regarding the application of these principles to particular ethical issues. But these differences are not overly significant. This difference stems from the fact that the Catholic and Orthodox denominations place a greater emphasis on the teaching tradition of the Church. Ethical teaching among the Protestant denominations is more directly linked to Biblical teaching. Hence there is a more direct application of the Biblical principles in Protestant Churches.

Importance of ethical teaching in the life of adherents

Followers of the Christian religion can be expected to place considerable value on the ethical teachings of the tradition in determining their response to a wide range of issues. These teachings provide guidance which enable to adherents of Christianity to make informed moral choices according to the principles of the tradition.

The guidance that is provided and the way in which adherents respond can be in general or specific terms and may be in a direct sense or through a broad overall direction.

General guidance

In the first instance the general direction of life for adherents of the Christian tradition will be provided through examples such as the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21), The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12 and Luke 6:20-26) and the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31). Texts such as these can be seen as the foundational principles underpinning the Christian ethical system. Accordingly it would be expected that Christians would strive to live their lives in line with the principles espoused in such passages. In this way it can be seen that the ethical teaching of Christianity provides broad, overall guidance to the followers of the tradition.

Life and ministry of Jesus

Another form of ethical guidance for Christians is found through the use of the example of the life and ministry of Jesus. Christians seek to model their lives on the life and ministry of Jesus and as such the ethical standards practised by Jesus in the course of his life become guides for the actions of Christians. In general terms the Christian ethos of caring for those in need can be directly attributed to the example of Jesus. Other examples from the life and ministry of Jesus include opposition to oppression and advocacy for the vulnerable together with qualities such as love and forgiveness.

Specific guidance

On a more specific level guidance is also given through the teaching of the Christian tradition in relation to current ethical issues.

Traditionally Christianity has been depicted as presenting ethical teaching on a fairly narrow range of issues usually associated with sexual morality and bio-ethics. While it is true that sexual morality and bio-ethics have been the focus of a considerable amount of Christian ethical teaching they are far from the only areas of concern.

Other areas of concern in recent times have been in the field of international economics including debt, trade and other instances of business ethics. Ecological concerns have also been the focus of a considerable amount of ethical teaching in the Christian tradition as has the use of force international conflicts.

In general terms Christian ethical teaching in areas such as sexual morality and bio ethics has been in line with conservative forces in society. In contrast the ethical teaching on issues of economic, ecological and military significance are more in line with progressive elements in society.

This diversity makes it difficult to gauge the effect of Christian ethical teaching in an overall sense. In reality it is common to find examples of Christian adherents embracing the teaching on one issue while rejecting it on another.

Thus while Christian adherents are usually influenced by Christian ethical teaching in terms of broad principles there is a great deal of diversity in the acceptance of ethical teaching on specific contemporary issues.

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