Origins of your moral code

[DarkProphet]

I know that Christians in general believe in an absolute moral code that originates from God. What I want to ask is for the specifics. How does that moral code get from God to you?

 

[owenlikesknowing]

Im an atheist - but i would assume they would say through the bible... God told certain people back in the day what the moral code was. Then its expected that they should believe it.

Yes/No?

 

[Lukaris]

After the fall of Adam, humanity could still discern good and evil from God's laws of nature (even in our fallen state) (see Acts 15:15-17, Romans 2:11-16 & read Romans 1 & 2 afterward to fully clarify) so we are without excuse (Romans 1:20). Except for the 10 commandments, no written code was totally correct (& some evil) and even the 10 commandments could not be properly kept. It is only by God's grace through the incarnation, life, preaching, crucifixion, & resurrection and our Lord Jesus Christ and our faith to this that we have salvation.

 

[DarkProphet]

After the fall of Adam, humanity could still discern good and evil from God's laws of nature (even in our fallen state) (see Acts 15:15-17, Romans 2:11-16 & read Romans 1 & 2 afterward to fully clarify) so we are without excuse (Romans 1:20).

Could, past tense as in we can't anymore. Although Christians still say we are without excuse.

Except for the 10 commandments, no written code was totally correct (& some evil) and even the 10 commandments could not be properly kept. It is only by God's grace through the incarnation, life, preaching, crucifixion, & resurrection and our Lord Jesus Christ and our faith to this that we have salvation.

I didn't ask about salvation though, I asked about your moral code. The code of conduct that guides you through your daily life. Even if action does not grant salvation there must be some standard by which you live your life. Where does that standard come from?

 

[kevlite2020]

I know that Christians in general believe in an absolute moral code that originates from God. What I want to ask is for the specifics. How does that moral code get from God to you?

I don't want to give too solid of an answer without having a Bible in front of me to test my claims, but I think it's the Holy Spirit that brings morality from God to us. Atheists would call it our conscience.

 

[DarkProphet]

I don't want to give too solid of an answer without having a Bible in front of me to test my claims, but I think it's the Holy Spirit that brings morality from God to us. Atheists would call it our conscience.

Well, OK. But there is more to it then just that, after all being gay is a sin. For many people their conscience wouldn't tell them that is wrong so you must have something else as well.

 

[Criada]

Conscience, stirred by the holy Spirit.
Looking forward to the new covenant, the prophet Jeremiah wrote:

"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.(Jeremiah 31:33)

And, being gay isn't a sin, since it is not something one has a choice in. Fornication, whether hetero- or homosexual is the sin.

 

[salida]

Lets start with the 10 commandments. No one but Jesus kept them 100% of the time all the time-but this is our moral code in a nutshell. Christians are saved by grace through faith-its a gift from God because we can't keep them like Christ did.

 

[Van]

Lets see, where does the Law of Christ come from. I am thinking. It is a hard one.

 

[DarkProphet]

Lets start with the 10 commandments. No one but Jesus kept them 100% of the time all the time-but this is our moral code in a nutshell. Christians are saved by grace through faith-its a gift from God because we can't keep them like Christ did.

Hardly see any Christians keeping the Sabbath holy anymore. In anycase even the 10 commandments are subject to different interpretations. Take the whole "kill" vs "murder" thing.

 

[ebia]

I know that Christians in general believe in an absolute moral code that originates from God.

I wouldn't say that there is an absolute moral code.

I would say that there is such a good an evil, and scripture does contain guidelines to help us, but any finite code could only be an imperfect reflection of that.

Right behaviour is something that can only be learned through love and practice, which is why scripture devotes far more space to case-studies than algorithms.

 

[DarkProphet]

Oh yeah almost forgot. The whole ten commandments thing is moot is it not? Christians like to say that they are under a "new covenant" (whatever that means) so they are not bound by the OT laws. Does that not extend to the 10 commandments as well?

 

[DarkProphet]

I wouldn't say that there is an absolute moral code.

I would agree but that's not what most Christians say.

I would say that there is such a good an evil, and scripture does contain guidelines to help us, but any finite code could only be an imperfect reflection of that.

What parts of scripture has these guidelines?

Right behaviour is something that can only be learned through love and practice, which is why scripture devotes far more space to case-studies than algorithms.

What about Leviticus? That gets rather specific and even if you contend that you are under a new covenant it shows that at least at one point that specific laws were set down.

 

[Lukaris]

I apologize for my first response although I did not speak falsely I should have answered your question to the point and also avoided causing confusion to the thread. I also apologize to the other posters for this. The source of the Christian moral code is expressed in the dialogue between our Lord Jesus Christ and a scribe in Mark 12:28-34 & matthew 22:34-40 in which it is basically said we must love God with all our heart, soul, mind, & strength and our neighbor as our self which is the fulfillment of God's covenant. While this is easily understood, required, & must be sought, we must confess Jesus Christ as our savior since we will fail otherwise to obey; St. Paul outlines how we must confess in Romans 10 and verses 9-12 are key to this.

 

[ebia]

I would agree but that's not what most Christians say.

I know, but I like to put the different perspective.

What parts of scripture has these guidelines?

It's all over the place, though the closer it is to our part of the story the more directly relevant it is likely to be.

What about Leviticus? That gets rather specific and even if you contend that you are under a new covenant it shows that at least at one point that specific laws were set down.

But the Levitical laws (a) always existed within the story (b) were never a complete, finite and non-contradictory set and (c) are overwhelmed by the 'case study' type comment on behaviour.

 

[98cwitr]

my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousin

 

[drich0150]

As it has been said Our greatest command is to love the Lord with all of our being, we have examples of what this should look like under the new covenant throughout the new testament.

Our righteousness is not dependent on behaving a certain way or simply by adhering to a "code." We are only found righteous through the complete love we have for God, and through the love he has for us.

Those who seek righteousness through living by a strict moral code will never find it. (no matter what they would call themselves.)

 

[childofGod31]

I know that Christians in general believe in an absolute moral code that originates from God. What I want to ask is for the specifics. How does that moral code get from God to you?

It comes from the Bible of course.

If you read the Bible, it tells you which things to do. Once you read all the stuff, you get this OVERALL FEELING of what's right and what's wrong.

Sometimes people get some things wrong (in the gray areas), but it's ok. God is able to teach them through their conscience and through the Holy Spirit at work in each of His children.

I just FEEL when something is right and something is wrong. For example, cheating and lying is wrong. That's clear. Talking bad about people is wrong. Adultery is wrong. (which includes sleeping together with more than 1 person in your life, regardless of whether you have signed the marriage paper or not)

I mean there are black and white areas. Those are easy. The gray areas are harder, and the Holy Spirit and your conscience and your experience help you there.

The world's moral standard is going down because the conscience of the people of world is being corrupted by the evil one: his ideas and this thoughts.

Our conscience is purified by what we read in the Bible. It's being purified by the Word of God: by God's thoughts and ideas.

Like salt preserves things from spoilage, the Word of God preserves those who read it and keep them from being corrupted and "spoiled".

 

[freeport]

I know that Christians in general believe in an absolute moral code that originates from God. What I want to ask is for the specifics. How does that moral code get from God to you?

Being born from God.

 

[bsd31]

Being born from God.

Exactly. It becomes part of your DNA. Rather it is triggered and activated when you are born again. We all have it. Kind of like salvation. Everyone has it, but it isn't until you repent and believe that it becomes active.