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Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................3
Being Grounded in Scripture....................................................................................................... 3
Seek Divine Guidance....................................................................................................................4
Engage The Christian Community..............................................................................................5
Ethical Evaluation.........................................................................................................................5
Decide And Act in Faith................................................................................................................ 6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................... 7
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
How do you, as a believer in Christ, make biblical decisions daily? Is it more of a simple
process involving one or two steps? Or is it a more complex process with several overarching
steps to make a clear and distinct decision? Do you pray often before making an important
decision? Do you consult members of your community such as members of your church and
fellow believers? Do you think about ethical concepts such as justice, love and mercy when
contemplating a decision? Do you consult the scriptures to see if your decision will align with
God’s word? While there is no single agreed upon universal method for making biblical
decisions, all these things are important when attempting to make ethical decisions. This paper
will focus on a newly developed practical model that can be used as a guide for moral and ethical
decision-making. The five steps to this model are (1) being grounded in scripture, (2) seeking
spiritual guidance, (3) engaging with the Christian community, (4) ethically evaluating your
choices, and finally (5) deciding and acting in faith. Together, these steps will not only lead a
person to a decision but will also ensure that they ask the right questions as well in route to that
decision.
Being Grounded in Scripture
It is essentially impossible to be a mature Christian without having some type of foundation in
the scriptures. While a person attempting to make ethical decisions based on scripture doesn’t
need to know the entire bible from Genesis to Revelation, having a strong understanding of what
the bible says about an issue a person is facing will go a long way in helping them understand
how they should begin to approach a decision. Knowing and understanding the scriptures is one
of the most crucial aspects of being a Christian. In Matthew, after Jesus had fasted for forty days
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and forty nights, he was led into the wilderness. It was here that Jesus was tempted by Satan.
Jesus would quote the scriptures to Satan three times. After the third time, it says that “Then the
devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him (Matthew 4:1-11, NKJV). Jesus’
understanding of the scripture was so concrete, Satan could not find a way to tempt Him and
because of that, he left Jesus alone.
Being grounded in the scripture also gives the reader wisdom and the ability to apply wisdom
literature (Proverbs) to issues that may not be specifically available in the bible. Let’s say that a
person must decide something regarding a topic that is not covered in the bible such as
technology or environmental ethics. Scott mentions this in the text stating, “what makes many
moral dilemmas so difficult is that the Bible does not always address an issue clearly, if at all.”1
The wisdom gained from your knowledge of scripture could lead you in the direction of a certain
decision. The importance of this first step must not be underestimated. Knowing and
understanding the Word of God is the crucial first step in this ethical decision-making process.
Seek Divine Guidance
The second step is an important one and builds off the first step of being grounded in
scripture. Seeking divine guidance regarding ethical decisions is something that cannot afford to
be taken lightly. What exactly does it mean to seek divine guidance? This can be interpreted as
prayer and fasting. As Christians, it is important to establish a daily prayer life. Without it, it
becomes very difficult to speak to God directly. The word “prayer” is said over 180 times in the
Bible. Many legendary biblical heroes such as David, Solomon, Job, Esther, and others prayer to
God and He answered them. These men and women of God knew that they served a God who
answers prayer. It is important to remember that for The Lord to hear your prayer, you must
1 Scott B. Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, Third Ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009),
106.
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come to him with a clean heart. David tells us in Psalm “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The
Lord will not hear (Psalm 66:18). If you pray to God with a clean heart, He will hear you and
answer you when He is ready. Many of God’s people within the Bible fasted when they needed
deliverance from God. It should also be no different for Christians today. Don’t be afraid to fast
when you are faced with an ethical dilemma.
Engage The Christian Community
Engaging the Christian community is an important step when discussing an ethical dilemma.
The truth is that someone in your community might have experienced the exact same thing you
are experiencing now. Ecclesiastes tells us that “there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes
1:9). This means that there is always someone who can give you guidance in some manner if you
are willing to ask for it. Proverbs tells us “Where this is no counsel, the people fall; But in the
multitude of counselors there is safety (Proverbs 11:14). This is why being a member of a church
community is so important. There will always be times when believers need some type of
guidance. Those who have been a part of the faith for longer periods of time should always be
ready and willing to help out younger believers who are still trying to learn and understand
different concepts when dealing with ethical decision-making.
Ethical Evaluation
This is the point where a person must assess their options and competing interests. Competing
interests are at the center of what creates ethical dilemmas.2 Rae defines an ethical dilemma as “a
conflict between two or more value/virtue-driven interests.”3 This means that for there to be an
2 Scott B. Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, Third Ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009),
106.
3 Scott B. Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, Third Ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009),
106.
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actual ethical dilemma, the moral values and virtues much support the competing interests.4 Paul
tells the Galatians that fruits of the spirits are “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).” A person must keep
these in mind when making their ethical evaluations.
Decide And Act in Faith
You have now reached the fifth and final step in this ethical decision-making process. This is
the step that appears to be the easiest but can often be the hardest of all. Rae says that “the
decision that is made is one that involves the least number of problems or negative
consequences, not the one that is entirely devoid of them.”5 Of course, it is preferred to pick a
choice with no consequences whatsoever but that simply is not the reality of the world today. All
choices made have some sort of consequence attached to it. You must be prepared to accept
whatever those consequences are. Make your decision in faith and believe that the Lord will take
care of anything that comes from your decision. Proverbs tells us “A man’s heart plans his way,
but the Lord directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9).” Whatever decision you decide to make, make it in
faith and leave the consequences to God. There are many times throughout life where we don’t
know where our actions will lead us. This is alright. God knows where all choices lead, and if
you trust in Him, you will be taken care of.
Conclusion
Making ethical decisions is not an easy task, especially as Christians in the world we inhabit
today. There are constant ethical decisions you will have to make in every aspect of life such as
family, work, school and within general society. To use this model correctly, you must first have
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid., 107.
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a foundation in scripture that will enable you to have wisdom related to whatever dilemma you
are facing. The next step requires you to seek divine guidance through activities such as prayer
and fasting. Doing this will better help you to be aligned with God’s will. The next step is for
you to engage the Christian community. This is done by talking with members of your church
and/or community and gaining insight through them. There is always someone who can give you
guidance based on their own prior experiences. The fourth step is ethical evaluation. This is done
by assessing options against Christlike virtues such as the fruits of the spirit in Galatians. The
final step is to decide and act in faith. Make your decision and trust in God to handle the rest.
This model was designed to balance practical flexibility with biblical fidelity, which will enable
Christians to honor the Lord in a complex and challenging world. Ethical decision-making is
never easy, but if you have a Christ-centered process, the Lord will lead you where you need to
be, regardless of whatever decision you make.
Bibliography
Rae, Scott B. Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan,
2009
