Christian Thought Dr.

Lee 11/19/12 Rachel Rasmussen Disputatio Thesis: The application of Scripture to ethical questions involves simply determining what the Biblical authors meant and obeying their prescriptions PART I Why does life not have a manual? It is called the Bible as Christians, these clich statements regarding the Bible and its application to our lives as a guide, rulebook, or even map may sound like bad infomercials, but they illustrate the practical application of the Bible. As Psalms 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path (ESV). The Bible is the simple and solid rulebook for the Christian life. Without the Bible, Christians would have no concrete guide for how to live. Morality would be based on what seems right in the moment. The Holy Spirit guides, but without a sounding board to bounce off, its power would be diminished. The Bible is the ultimate authority of truth, given by God. From it comes the black and white principles by which Christians must live. In order for truth to be genuine and absolute, it must be directly from God. The Biblical authors were given truth by God. The Bible is the only sure way of knowing truth, because it was directly inspired by God. Without concrete, written truth, the Christian life would be a vain struggle for morality, guided mostly by feelings, and without anything solid to grasp. With the written Word, there is specific knowledge that guides how Christians should live and view the world. The search for truth ends with the Bible, as the inspired Word of God, it should dictate the lives of Christians. If the Bible is not the basis for right living as a Christian, then what is? Because human nature has sinful tendencies, there is an explicit need for the tangible truth of the Bible. Because it is the only written word from God, it is important that the Bible is where solutions to ethical questions are found. The Bible contains truth, once those truths are interpreted, they can be applied to ethical questions. Although they come from a different cultural context, they are still absolute truths given to people directly by God. So Christians need to figure out these truths and apply them to their lives in order to rightly live. As a guide to life, the Bible contains the answers to the tough questions in life. For example, the issues of homosexuality, materialism, environmental issues, poverty and hunger, and consumption are hot topics of discussion within Christian circles at the moment. The ethical questions raised by these issues can be answered by figuring out what the Biblical authors meant and applying their wisdom to our questions. The application of Scripture to ethical questions involves simply determining what the Biblical authors meant and obeying their prescriptions. Because the Bible contains absolute truth, it contains the truth that answers ethical questions. For a Christian, these answers are simple, because the Bible is the authority. In order to determine the answers to questions raised by issues, Christians can determine what the Biblical authors meant. The Bible was written by people who received revelation from

God and recorded it. As absolute truth directly from God, it is the simple solution to any problem. Of course, the people who wrote the Bible were in a cultural context different from ours. This means that the Bible must be interpreted in order to be applied to a different cultural context. But once it is interpreted, Christians can apply the truth to questions and know how to act. Once the Bible is interpreted, its truth is relevant and applicable to whatever ethical questions are raised. PART II Joel is in love. But as a Christian in a conservative church, he must suppress his feelings, because his love is for another man. Jessica was shoved into a dark alley and raped while walking home from work on a damp April evening. A few months later, faced with the agonizing news that she is pregnant, she must decide between being shamed and rejected by her Christian, pro-life friends, or perpetuating the memory of the single most painful event in her life. Hannah is a bright seventeen year old girl who loves Jesus, her friends, and shopping. Her favorite stores are Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters and her favorite candy is Hersheys kisses. When she finds out that all of these companies have been in trouble for using slave labor, can she give up the convenience of cheap fashion and chocolate? Derek is a well-educated, grounded, and passionate young man who strongly believes in conserving the environment and reducing consumption for global good, but his parents label him an environmentalist wacko and use the Bible to say that people should subdue the earth. The problem with simply tacking Biblical answers onto ethical questions is that there may not be an easy Biblical answer for every problem. Every ethical question involves more than a legalistic, yes or no. Areas of gray are often causes of division in the church, because the Bible does not reveal a simple truth for every issue. For example, the New Testament condemns homosexuality. But it also clearly says not to judge, and it says that loving God is the most important commandment. If two men or two women love God and love each other, who can condemn them? Is it not wrong to define someone by one aspect of their being (their sexuality)? Is it not judgmental to treat someone differently because they struggle with a different issue? Would it not be horrifying to be labeled by a personal struggle? Everyone could have a different label: liar, cheater, parent-hater, porn addict, glutton. But heterosexual sinners are not defined their struggles. And different people may interpret the Bible differently. As now, often passages about women in ministry are interpreted to be of such a cultural context that it is acceptable for women to be ministry leaders today, it could be that the passages about homosexuality were of cultural context, and could be interpreted differently now. Because there are so many differences in the interpretations of Scripture, churches and Christians everywhere are divided over ethical questions. Instead of joining in the diversity created and blessed by God, Christians stand firmly on opposite sides of issues and proclaim judgment on the other side, while claiming to love. Ethical questions involve culture, tradition, family background, and emotions, all these aspects weave together in a person playing important roles in how each person experiences the world and views ethical questions. As everyone has a different experience, there are bound to be a variety of beliefs, even within the same faith. Within the Bible this diversity of experience is celebrated, by the four gospels, Proverbs, and various other writings. Although some parts of the Bible seem contradictory, it shows that there is not a simple answer to life. The authors of the Bible were people who were influenced by their culture and life experiences, and that textures their writing. They were not handed the easy answer to their problems, and commanded to record it, so that a couple thousand years later

Christians could read it and be able to figure out exactly what it is that they meant. Instead, the Christian life is more about seeking God than it is about simply getting answers. Philippians 2:12-13 says, Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (ESV). The process of seeking God and following the Holy Spirits leading is how Christians can learn to answer ethical questions, because the Bible is not simple knowledge to be found out. It is more revealed by God over time, through relationship with him. When getting to know a new friend, reading a list of facts about that person would give you bare information, but spending time with them, seeing how they act in different situations, and conversing with them gives a much fuller, richer knowledge of the person. The same is true for a relationship with God. In order to answer ethical questions in a Godly way, a Christian must spend time with God, and seek him in different and difficult situations, listening to Him through the Holy Spirit and the Word and the words of other believers. This is the only way that ethical questions will be answered and answered well.

Word Count: 1426