Situational Ethics

Last week’s class on situational ethics was fantastic.  What I loved the most was the opportunity for all the students to verbally express their position in a respectful manner.  It was encouraging to see these young people have the confidence to use their voices.  We live in such a “politically correct” culture now and it seems people are afraid to express an opinion with the fear they might hurt someone’s feelings.  I strongly believe it is vital that Christians use their voice in the marketplace to speak truth with kindness and honor. 

The question that was raised where I learned something new was the question about what the church could do to address this increasing social problem that treats women, men, girls and boys like commodities?  How should we combat this ongoing vice?  Marvin Daniels talked about the slave girl who did fortune telling in Acts 16.  I never had anyone share the perspective he shared about the girl.  Once Paul has casted out the demon in her, we don’t hear about her anymore.   What happened to her?  We don’t know.  She lost her value to her owners and we never hear another thing about her.  She, like so many in our culture today, falls through the cracks.  I believe it is extremely important for us as Christians to devote our time, talents and treasure to social justice (Micah 6:8).  Not just to rescue people in their circumstances, but to bring redemption and reconciliation. 

LIFE UNDER THE SUN

ECCLESIASTES

LIFE UNDER THE SUN

Introduction "All of Life Under the Sun Is Vanity" (1 – 2)

·       CRITIQUE:  Introduction of Vanity

o   Life, the sum of it, is vanity (1:1-3)

§  1:3 “What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun?”

o   Life in the universe is circular, not linear (1:4 -8)

o   There is nothing new, the old is never satisfying (1:9 -11)

§  1:11 “There is no remembrance of earlier things, And also of the later things which will occur, there will be for them no remembrance among those who will come later still.”

·       Areas Solomon Attempted to Find Meaning (1:12 – 2:26)

o   Vanity of Striving After Intellectualism /Wisdom (1:12-18)

§  1:18 “Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.”

o   Vanity of Striving After Hedonism/Pleasure (2:1-3)

§  2:1 “I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.”

o   Vanity of Materialism/Money and Accomplishments (2:4 – 2:23)

§  2:11 “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.”

o   Conclusion: Eat, Drink and Enjoy Life as a Gift from God (2:24-26)

§  2:24 “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God.”

Proof of "All Is Vanity Under the Sun" (3 – 8)

·       CRISIS:  God Predetermines the Events of Life (3:1-3:9)

§  3:1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

·       COMFORT:  God Predetermines the Conditions of Life (3:10 – 3:15)

o   God is sovereign and in control.

§  3:11 “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.”

§  3:14 “I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.”

·       CONFLICTS:  Living in an Insane World

o   Injustice (3:16-22)

o   Oppression (4:1-3)

o   Rivalry (4:4-6)

o   Materialism (4:7-12)

o   Popularity (4:13-16)

·       CAUTION:  Be Careful When You Approach God (5:1 – 5:7) 

§  5:1 “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.”

·       CORRECTION: A Proper View of Tough Times (5:8 – 6:12)

o   Wealth Does Not Satisfy (5:8-12)

o   Wealth Brings Difficulties (5:13-17)

o   Wealth Comes Ultimately from God (5:18-20)

o   No Satisfaction in Wealth (6:1-2) 

o   No Satisfaction in Children (6:3-6)

o   No Satisfaction in Labor (6:7-8)  

o   No Satisfaction in the Future (6:9-12)

·       CONTRAST:   (7:1-7:29)

o   Wisdom and Folly Contrasted (7:1-14)

o   Wisdom of Moderation (7:15-18)

o   Strength of Wisdom (7:19-29) 

How to Live "Under the Sun"(8 – 12)

·       COUNSEL: (8-12)

o   Submit to Authority/Do the Right Thing (8:1-9)

§  8:2 I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.

o   Inability to Understand All God’s Doing (8:10-17)

§  8:17 “and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover.”

o   Judgment Comes to All Men (9:1-6)

§  9:1 “For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.”

o   Have Fun/Enjoy life While you Have it (9:7-12)

§  9:7 “Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.”

o   Value of Wisdom (9:13-18)

§  9:18 “Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.”

o   Stay Faithful/Don’t be foolish (10:1-7)

§  10:4 “If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.”

o   Be Poised (10:8-10)

§  10:10 “If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.”

o   Be Smart (10:11-20)

§  10:17 “Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.”

o   Be Bold (11:1-4)

§  11:4 “He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.”

o   Start Early (11:5-8)

§  11:6 “Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.”

o   Start Young (11:9-10)

§  11:9 “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.”

o   Your Body Will Age/Remember (12:1-11)

§  12:7 “then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the ^[e]spirit will return to God who gave it.”

o   Know the Bible/ Nail, Goads and Glory (12:9 – 12:11)

·       CONCLUSION: (12:12-12:14)

o   Fear God and Keep His Commandments

§  12:13-14 “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. ¹⁴ For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

Romans

Chad Hampsch is an amazing teacher and man of God.  He walked us through the book of Romans this week and it was awesome!  God’s amazing and overwhelming grace is expressed over and over, an undeserved grace for all of us that if truly understood compels one to take action.  Taking from John MacArthur’s outline and incorporating his own, Chad walked us through chapter by chapter breaking the book of Romans into six sections for us to remember and recall the truths in the book.

Paul wrote the book of Romans around 57 AD from Corinth on his third missionary journey.  Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote this letter to the believers in Rome, but he was eager to meet them to preach the Gospel and be encouraged by them.  There is little evidence how the Gospel reached Rome, but Scholars say it did within two years of Jesus’ resurrection.  Paul wasn’t writing to correct the church in any way, but there was tension between the large contingency of Jewish believers and the Gentile believers.  The overall theme of Romans is the righteousness of God revealed through the person of Jesus Christ. 

The first section of Romans (Chapter 1:1-1:17) is titled Not Ashamed.  Romans 1:16-17 is the central theme of the Bible.  Righteousness is the state or condition of perfectly conforming to God’s perfect law and Holy Character.  God’s character requires Him to require this level of righteousness and this righteousness is revealed not found.  It is the awesome power of God, Dynamis that provides deliverance, rescue and preservation from danger.  This is why Paul was not ashamed.  This righteousness is available to both Jews and Gentiles, because of Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection. 

The next section of Romans (Chapters 1:18 – 3:20) is titled Condemnation:  The Need of God’s Righteousness.  Paul starts his letter by making the case that all men, Jew and Gentile, are unrighteous, lost and fall short of God’s standard.  1:18-20 shows wrath of God is against ungodliness and unrighteousness is inevitable. Wrath is the righteousness that God’s righteousness requires Him to require.  This wrath is what we deserve and is true of all people.  Paul goes back to creation to talk about God’s invisible attributes that have been revealed to all and make it clear that no one is without excuse.  Man rejects God and exchanges the glory of the Creator for creation.  There’s nothing we can do to earn it or overcome our sin.  In fact, we’ve rejected God by suppressing the truth, ignoring His revelation, and perverted His glory.  The consequence of our sin is the wrath of God.  Paul tries to show the Jews that the Law is of no value outside of righteousness, and that the Law itself cannot make you righteous. He even tells the Jews that their practice of physical circumcision is not necessary because now true belief in Christ is an inward circumcision of the heart by the Spirit.

The third section of Romans (Chapters 3:21-5:21) is titled Justification:  The Provision of God’s Righteousness. After Paul talks about our unrighteousness, he gives hope and teaches about the provision of God’s righteousness manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. Paul ties in Old Testament Scripture to show the Jews believers the validity of Christ as the Messiah and to articulate that the Law cannot save you. He declares that faith in Jesus is greater than the Law and tradition. He refers to Abraham and David showing how they were saved by grace through faith, not through their obedience to the Law.  Jesus Christ was the propitiation for our sins, not to just cover our sin, but to remove it and remove the wrath we deserve.  In light of our justification we enjoy the blessings of righteousness, including peace with God and hope in His glory.  Paul also contrasts Christ with Adam showing how sin entered through one man (Adam) in which we were all accounted as sinners (imputation).  Imputation means all mankind was affected by its result.  When Adam chose to sin all men were held accountable.  In the same way, we are forgiven for our sin through one man (Christ) by his death on the cross. 

The fourth section of Romans (Chapters 6:1 – 8:39 is titled Sanctification.  Paul poses a logical question when we accurately understand grace, but if we accurately understand grace our response is far from living with a license to sin.  Paul articulates this abuse of grace is impossible when you have true faith, because you are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Though we were once slaves to sin, we are now slaves to righteousness, which results in righteousness, sanctification, and eternal life. Sanctification is the demonstration of God’s righteousness; now that we have been saved we are in the process of being saved.  The Law was given to reveal, expose, and increase our sin.  Sin is alive through the law, but the law is not sin. Serving God is not based willpower, but on God alone working in and through us by the Spirit.  We are called to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Man and creation groan, longing for Christ’s return!  

The fifth section of Romans (Chapters 9:1-11:36) is titled Restoration:  Israel’s Reception of God’s Righteousness.  Paul sidetracks here to articulate a message for the Israelites.  Paul, as a Jew, shares how he had been called to minister to the Gentiles.  Paul is so burdened for the Jews that he is willing to give up his salvation if they would trade places and believe in Jesus.  Paul uses examples from the Old Testament in this section to help the Jews understand that salvation has always been through faith and that salvation is the same for everyone.  By confessing with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and by believing this in our hearts we are saved. Nothing more, and nothing less. Christ is the end of the law so we can be justified and made righteous by faith in Jesus alone. Faith comes by hearing the gospel and responding to it. Paul encourages us that "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Israel seeks to establish its own righteousness rather than submit to the righteousness of God. Whoever, Jew or Gentile, calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  Isaiah foretold Israel’s rejection of the gospel in Isaiah 53:10. Isaiah: ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me’ (Isaiah 65:1). God stretches out his hand to a disobedient Israel.  Although Israel as a whole rejected Jesus as their Messiah, there is still a remnant chosen by grace. Their dismissal of Jesus has blessed the world because this salvation message was then opened to the Gentiles. However, they have not fallen beyond recovery, in the end Israel will be saved through faith. God's plan included giving mercy to all mankind.

The sixth section of Romans (Chapters 12:1 – 15:13) is titled Application:  The Behavior of God’s Righteousness.  Paul exhorts how we are to apply God’s righteousness to our behavior as we walk with Jesus.  We are to pursue Christ through our bodies, gifts, life, submission, interactions, diversity, personal sacrifice and authentic worship.  This section starts out with stating, therefore in light of all we learned in Chapters 1-11, walk in God’s mercy and grace.  It begins with the charge to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. This kind of transformation requires a radical change in our thinking through the work of the Holy Spirit and commitment to study. The goal is to glorify God by being of the same mind, with one another, one accord and one voice. The result is unity.

Paul concludes this powerful book expressing affection towards them and gives final coaching to watch out for false doctrine and teachings by those who would cause division among them. He admonishes believers to take the Gospel where Jesus has never been proclaimed! 

God's Grace Compels Action

Chapter 2 of Ephesians is one of my favorite chapters in one of my favorite books of the Bible.  I believe the overall theme is a true understanding of grace compels action.  The chapter opens up with Paul clearly reminding the church of their former lost state and desperate need of a Savior. 

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” 

Ephesians 2:1-3

Paul makes sure we would understand the depth of our depravity by going further into this lost state. We need a Savior because of our sin, because we walk according to the world, because of our captivity to Satan, living in lust, and indulging in our desires of the flesh and mind.  These are inherited sins and personal sins. Regardless, it is sin that brings death that separates us from God. 

Without Jesus Christ, this is our reality.  And then two of the sweetest words we will ever hear “BUT GOD” interrupts this path of death and destruction.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-7

BUT GOD.  His mercy keeps us from this death we deserve, because He loves us.  Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are made alive in Christ.  Earlier in this letter Paul writes, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the richest of His grace.” (1:7).   We were dead in our sins, BUT GOD makes alive in Christ.  We were captive and enslaved to sin, BUT GOD raised us in righteousness in Christ Jesus.  Jesus Christ is the Savior.  This overwhelming truth changes everything.  Because of Jesus, I am no longer dead and have eternal life with the all-powerful, all-knowing, everlasting God. 

Romans 5:8-9 says, “BUT GOD demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”  We’ve done nothing to earn God’s love, favor, mercy or grace; in fact, we’ve done just the opposite.  BUT GOD says…

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

Ephesians 2:8-9

I have been delivered from captivity, destruction, death and sin.  This truth compels me to act and respond to this amazing love.  Out of gratitude for all He has done for me, I live each day seeking Him and to please Him.  There is nothing I have done to merit Salvation, but how I move forward is evidence of this salvation. 

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 

Ephesians 2:10

These good works are not the root of Salvation, but they are the fruit of God’s saving grace.  We are God’s workmanship.  We were once dead and captive to sin, BUT GOD has set us free!  Not only has He set us free, He allows us to be used to build His church. 

As Believers in Jesus Christ, we are set apart as saints, fellow citizens working together to build up the body of Christ. 

¹¹Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— ¹² remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, ¹⁵ by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, ¹⁶ and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; ¹⁸ for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:11-22

As unbelievers we were totally alien from God and completely without hope, (2:11-12) BUT GOD brought us near by the blood of Christ.  The incarnation of Jesus did not split into two histories: one for the redemption of Israel, and one for the redemption of the Gentiles. Before Christ, Gentiles and Jews kept apart from one another, BUT GOD revealed the total sinfulness of both and offered salvation for both.  “Only Christ breaks down the walls of prejudice, reconciles all believers to God, and unifies us in one body.”[i]  Those that put their trust in Christ now belong to God’s kingdom and are being built into a holy temple for God! 

A true understanding of our sin and grasp of the incredible grace of God, through Jesus Christ, compels us to do good works and build up His church.  We don’t have the power to earn it or do this on our own, BUT GOD gives us His grace and His Spirit to do great things for Him.

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[i] Life Application Bible, Ephesians 2:11-16 notes.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan Publishing.  P. 2074.