How do you draw your morality from your faith?

[DarkProphet]

I want to know specifically how you get a moral code from you faith and how that moral code affects your decisions.

​

 

[childofGod31]

The Bible is the moral code. Whatever it says, we should do.

For example, it says not to lie, steal, or covet, or murder, or have sex before marriage, or be an adulterer, or to get mad, or to slander your brother.

In other words, don't do anything to anybody that you wouldn't want done to you. Also, don't do certain things that God said not to do (just because God said so).

It also says to be wise, and patient and loving and gentle and forgiving ...

 

[DarkProphet]

The Bible is the moral code. Whatever it says, we should do.

For example, it says not to lie, steal, or covet, or murder, or have sex before marriage, or be an adulterer, or to get mad, or to slander your brother.

In other words, don't do anything to anybody that you wouldn't want done to you. Also, don't do certain things that God said not to do (just because God said so).

It also says to be wise, and patient and loving and gentle and forgiving ...

Ok, do you follow the laws in Old Testament as well? And what of things that the Bible does not condemn?

 

[childofGod31]

We do not live under the law. We do not follow the Old Testament rules. Those belong to the first covenant. Under the new covenant, we follow the basic rules of being a loving human being.

There are some issues that are not specifically stated, those we have to pray about and let the Holy Spirit make us feel whether it's the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do. But the resulting decision should be based on basic rules we do know about.

The things the Bible doesn't condemn? Do they seem bad things or good things? We should find our answers based on the kind of person we are (which in turn is based on the basic rules of love that we follow)

 

[DarkProphet]

The things the Bible doesn't condemn? Do they seem bad things or good things? We should find our answers based on the kind of person we are (which in turn is based on the basic rules of love that we follow)

One example of the Bible not condemning something would be slavery. It sets rules to regulate it but it does not condemn it. Does this mean that you approve of slavery? Or because of the rules of love, as you put it, do you condemn slavery even though the Bible doesn't?

 

[childofGod31]

I have come to the conclusion that when Jesus came to this earth, He didn't try to change the order of things in the political world. He didn't change the way the world ran their things. (Changes were only made in the believers' hearts).

That's why he didn't condemn slavery. It was a political issue, nothing to do with salvation.

I personally abhor any abuse to any human, including slavery. And I am sure Jesus did too. It just wasn't part of his mission (or Paul's) to create revolution in the political world.

 

[Digit]

I have come to the conclusion that when Jesus came to this earth, He didn't try to change the order of things in the political world. He didn't change the way the world ran their things. (Changes were only made in the believers' hearts).

That's why he didn't condemn slavery. It was a political issue, nothing to do with salvation.

I personally abhor any abuse to any human, including slavery. And I am sure Jesus did too. It just wasn't part of his mission (or Paul's) to create revolution in the political world.

I wholly agree.

In addition the Bible is my rulebook for life. I follow it's teachings in all my decisions and reactions. In my conversations, my relationships (escpecially those) and even in the things I do when no one would ever, ever know. The Bible and God are always there.

Digit

 

[DarkProphet]

In addition the Bible is my rulebook for life. I follow it's teachings in all my decisions and reactions.

When you say rulebook what rules specific rules do you mean?

 

[Digit]

When you say rulebook what rules specific rules do you mean?

Well most Christians will say the 10 commandments, yet we are not called to adhere to those anymore form what I believe, although I am sketchy on that, we adhere to the New Testiment laws, which by and large reflect the 10 commandments anyhow. Yeah, that was confusing.

But anyhow, some examples are things like: Not lying, not stealing, abstaining from sexual immorality, loving God and loving everyone else as much as you love yourself (a tough one that). Those are just a few examples. I often have debates with non-belivers saying they can do those things without God, yet I dont' think they can.

Because non-believers adhere to moral standards set by the major influences in their life. Lets say, their brother, or parents or grandparents or some such. These are all human standards, and are imperfect. A human will lie if he can justify the cause for the lie. God will not.

Christians adhere to Godly standards, or try to, and as such His standard is perfect and higher and totally unattainable in our sinning state, but we try with all our souls to reach it, and that's where our morals come from, and why we hold them in such serious light.

Digit

 

[ebia]

I want to know specifically how you get a moral code from you faith and how that moral code affects your decisions.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your mind, and with all your soul and with all your strength.... and love your neighbour as yourself. Everything follows from these."

 

[DarkProphet]

A human will lie if he can justify the cause for the lie. God will not.

This implies absolute rules. Are you never to lie? Take the following hypothetical situation...

You are walking down a street when all of a sudden a man rushes past you and ducks into an alleyway. Seconds later a big mean looking man asks you if you saw someone fitting the first mans description. It is clear that the second man intends to harm the first.

If you follow absolute rules then you are forced to tell the truth knowing full well that something bad will come of it. If you don't follow absolute rules then that implies human reason is needed when making moral decisions. So, are your rules absolute?

 

[Digit]

We are to tell the truth, even if it means our death.

However saying that I saw someone of the description is not the only option. I can refuse to answer the question. I can tackle the big man and tell the other man to run. There are many avenues open. It's not like a computer game, where the options are limited. In addition, sometimes we falter, and fall to sin. If I knew without any doubt whatsoever that the man fleeing was innocent, and the man chasing him was going to murder him, I would struggle greatly not to lie.

Really however, we are imperfect, yet the standards we are taught to reach for, are flawless.

Digit

 

[childofGod31]

By a rule book, we mean general guidelines. We don't really have a list of "black and white" rules. Paul gives us examples of what to do: like forgive your enemies, overcome evil with good, make God a priority in your life and so on...

When we need to decide what is the right thing to do in a certain situation we need to be able to recall what the Bible said about a similar situation. If there is none, we can expand to include people's moral code, we are to think of Jesus and what would He do in such a situation , and we are also to pray about it and have the Holy Spirit guide us (sometimes He gives us a certain feeling of rightness or wrongness about a situation).

And sometimes we will make the wrong decision. But the desire and willingness to do what is right, is what counts.

 

[DarkProphet]

We are to tell the truth, even if it means our death.

Really however, we are imperfect, yet the standards we are taught to reach for, are flawless.

So you value these standards over your own life? If that is the case then the standards must fairly clear... can you name these standards and show where they come from?

 

[DarkProphet]

By a rule book, we mean general guidelines. We don't really have a list of "black and white" rules. Paul gives us examples of what to do: like forgive your enemies, overcome evil with good, make God a priority in your life and so on...

When we need to decide what is the right thing to do in a certain situation we need to be able to recall what the Bible said about a similar situation. If there is none, we can expand to include people's moral code, we are to think of Jesus and what would He do in such a situation , and we are also to pray about it and have the Holy Spirit guide us (sometimes He gives us a certain feeling of rightness or wrongness about a situation).

Basically you must interpret how to situation applies to the Bible, if at all, and then draw your answer from that context. What parts of the Bible do you refer to when making these judgments?

 

[childofGod31]

New Testament, I refer to what Jesus said (Gospels), also to what Jesus' followers said (New Testament books, besides the Gospels)

because Jesus' teaching apply to all the Christians (old testament applied to Judaism)