Christian Morality

The basis for morality among Christians comes from their knowledge and understanding of the will of God as shown through:

• The Bible
• The teachings and example of Jesus Christ
• The authority of the church
• Their own conscience - taking into account the above three

Although life may have many problems and suffering Christians believe that this is part of an eternal plan. Life in all its aspects has been created by God, humans are created in the image of God and so can find salvation. Christians believe that;

"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life" [John 3:16]

The Bible

The book of Genesis describes how Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis chapters 2 and 3) and so were thrown out of the garden of Eden. This is known as the fall and many Christians believe that as a result of this sin came into the world and so has been passed down from generation to generation. This is known as original sin. Christians believe that even thought Jesus rescued them from sin they need to follow the teachings of the bible to help them overcome the temptations of sin.

Although the Bible has no direct reference to modern day problems such as abortion, drug abuse, pornography, pollution etc. The teachings of the bible can be used for general guidelines and so can be applied to modern day problems. Many Christians believe that the teachings are eternal and so are still relevant to humans today.

The teachings and example of Jesus Christ

The teachings of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, as recorded in the New Testament; lie at the heart of Christian beliefs on morality. To Christians Jesus Christ represents the ideal person and so his way of life is an ideal which they should try to copy. In his life, as described in the gospels, Jesus teaches that human beings have the potential to bring about the kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Jesus taught that men and women must learn to love each other.

"I give you a new commandment; love one another; as I have loved you, so you are to love on another." [John 13:34]

Jesus' teachings are difficult and challenging. They are so difficult that very few people, if any, have ever followed them completely. In the gospels the teachings are an ideal - something that people should try and aim for. Below are some of the teachings that challenge the way that people think and act:

"Do not judge and you will not be judged" [Matthew 7:1]

"If anyone hits you on the right cheek offer him the other as well" [Matthew 5:39]

It is easier for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God" [Mark 10:25,26]

"Always treat others as you would like them to treat you" [Matthew 7:12]

"Love your enemies" [Matthew 5:44]

In the gospels Jesus teaches that people need to be changed from within. This is often known as being reborn. Jesus criticised people for sticking to the "rules" and taught that there was more to being a good (or Godlike) person than just sticking to the rules, true goodness comes from an understanding of God's will. The aim of life was to grow spiritually as you got closer to God. When asked what was the most important of all the commandments or rules Jesus replied that you should love God with all your heart and mind and strength and;

"Love your neighbour as you love yourself" [Mark 12:31]

This is sometimes called the golden rule and is at the heart of Jesus', and so Christian, teaching on the way that you should live your life.

The authority of the church

There are four different ways that Christians use the word "church"

• the whole company of Christians since the time of Jesus
• different groups or denominations
• the local Christian community
• a regular meeting place, built especially for Christian worship

The different Christian churches disagree on how the teachings of the Bible and of Jesus should be applied to the problems that face Christians today. For example the Roman Catholic church believes that abortion is wrong is all circumstances, whereas the Anglican church believes that in some circumstances (eg: rape, very young) it should be allowed as the "lesser of two evils". The Quaker movement believes that war is always wrong whereas most other Christian churches agree that it is sometimes necessary to stop something worse happening. For every Christian their own church will have its own teachings about moral issues, and these teachings will be delivered by the leader of the church in sermons. There will be often be strong disagreements between church groups about the right answer to problems that face individuals and society. Many Christians believe that they are guided by the Holy Spirit.

Individual conscience

Like everyone else ultimately a Christian must make a personal decision about a personal, local or global moral issue. They will be guided by the teachings of Jesus, by their understanding of the Bible, and by the teachings of their church; but they must make up their own mind. Conscience has been defined as "an inner sense that knows the difference between right and wrong". Christians believe that this inner voice is the voice of God speaking to them, often as the result of prayer. They believe that as human beings are far from perfect they cannot act without God's help or grace.

Influences on a Christian

When facing a moral or ethical issue a Christian must ask themselves the following questions;

• What do I think the Bible says about this?
• What rules / laws will it break?
• What does my church say about this?
• What do I think Jesus would have done about this problem?

See Also: God and Jesus, The Christian church 1, The Christian Church 2 & Moral language