What is the moral framework of Christianity?
Definition
Christian ethics is guided by God’s revelation in Scripture above other systems of thought as it
seeks to love God and neighbor in every moral and ethical issue.
Summary
The highest ethical duty of a Christian is the same as the greatest commandment: love God and
love your neighbor. Scripture is the Christian authority for ethics, just as it is for theology. This
is because is our ultimate authority and standard, for he himself is goodness. While God
Christians know God’s character through reading Scripture, unbelievers are able to partially and
imperfectly understand what is good through the created order and their consciences. And while
Christians ultimately derive their ethics from Scripture, different parts of Scripture (like the
Mosaic legal code) must be read in their redemptive historical context and not simply applied
from one distant culture to another. Philosophical systems that attempt to provide ethical norms
can be helpful for the Christian thinking about ethics, but Scripture must remain the authority for
any Christian ethical endeavor. Finally, while there are many issues today that the Bible does not
speak directly to, there are biblical principles that can be relied upon to make an informed moral
judgment.
A person’s highest ethical duty is to love God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Their second highest ethical duty is to love their neighbor as themselves. For a Christian,
fulfilling these moral obligations takes place in obedience to the Law of Christ and submission to
the teachings of God’s Word. The ultimate goal is to glorify God in everything that is said, done,
thought, and felt. Other broad ethical goals include being a blessing to others and growing as a
virtuous person.
Given this positive vision, it is quite sad that many people—both Christian and non-Christian—
tend to see believers as legalistic and condemning. In a world that is in rebellion against God,
those who uphold God’s moral standards will have to shine light into darkness and will have to
speak against sinful practices that may be widely accepted in society. But the Bible does not
merely present an ethical code which consists of restrictions and “thou shalt nots.” Yes, there are
things to avoid, but there are also many positive moral duties that the Scriptures require. If we
properly form our ethical views from the Bible, we will find that we ought to both shun evil and
