2F Key moral principles

Question 1

What are Christian moral principles based on?

Answer 1

• G’s laws regarding behaviour from OT + NT

Question 2

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”

Answer 2

• “You shall love the Lord […] with all your heart […] soul […] and […] mind” (echoes Deuteronomy 6:5)
• “And a second is: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (echoes Leviticus 19:18)

Question 3

Explain ‘love of neighbour’, with reference to the Bible passages that the Spec requires you to know.

Answer 3

• Leviticus 19:34 (spec) gives a reason for this commandment - “love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.”
• Luke 10:25-8 (spec), Parable of the Good Samaritan; the two commandments are repeated; when the lawyer asks “And who is my neighbour?”, Jesus tells the parable, and it is clear that neighbour refers to everyone we meet
• Matthew 5:43 (not on spec), Sermon on the Mount - instead of “Love your neighbour and hate your enemy […] love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”
- To love G w/ heart, soul and mind = to recog. that everyone is part of his creation. They deserve respect, and their needs/desires must be highly regarded as one’s own: this is a C.tian imperative

Question 4

Explain ‘God’s love as a potential model for Christian behaviour’, with reference to the Bible passages that the Spec requires you to know.

Answer 4

• G = presented as a G of love
• Exodus 34:6-7 (spec), G describes his own character:
- “Merciful”: he does not punish us as we deserve
- “Gracious”: he gives us what we do not deserve
- “Slow to anger”: long-suffering, patient
- “Abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness”: they are unchanging
- “Keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation”: active love for entire human race
- “Forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin”: he forgives all
- “Yet by no means clearing the guilty”: a G of justice, punishing the deserving
• 1 John 4:19-21 (spec): “Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister”

Question 5

Explain ‘a regard for truth’, with reference to the Bible passages that the Spec requires you to know.

Answer 5

• C.tians consider themselves to be guardians of the truth
• ‘Truth’ = ultimate meaning and value of existence; B communicates the truth about the nature of G, the person of J, history of salvation
• 1 Samuel 12:24 (spec) - “fear the Lord, and serve him faithfully […] for consider what great things he has done for you” i.e. saved Israelites from captivity in Egypt
• Ephesians 4:25-7 - “Be angry but do not sin; […] and do not make room for the devil.” i.e. anger must be directed against sin; must not be allowed to fester in the heart ∵ opens the door for the devil

Question 6

Explain ‘the need for forgiveness’, with reference to the Bible passages that the Spec requires you to know.

Answer 6

• Matthew 6:14-15 (spec), Sermon on the Mount - “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
• Colossians 3:12-13 (spec) - “if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other.”
• Forgiveness ≠ easy, but will set them free from all feelings of anger and hurt (i.e. Jimmy Mizen’s parents)

Question 7

List the five key moral principles.

Answer 7

• Love of neighbour
• God’s love as a potential model for Christian behaviour
• A regard for truth
• The role of conscience
• The need for forgiveness

Question 8

List the Bible references that the spec requires you to know.

Answer 8

• Leviticus 19:34 (love of neighbour)
• Luke 10:25-28 (love of neighbour)
• Exodus 34:6-7 (God’s love)
• 1 John 4:19 (God’s love)
• Samuel 12:24 (truth)
• Ephesians 4:25-27 (truth)
• 2 Corinthians 1:12 (conscience)
• 1 Timothy 1:5 (conscience)
• Matthew 6:14-15 (forgiveness)
• Colossians 3:12-13 (forgiveness)

Question 9

Explain ‘the role of conscience’, with reference to the Bible passages that the Spec requires you to know.

Answer 9

• Made in the image of G ∴ innate sense of right/wrong
• 1 Timothy 1:5 (spec): “the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.”
• 2 Corinthians 1:12 (spec) - “our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves […] with integrity and godly sincerity […] relying […] on God’s grace.”
• Conscience = informed by B + HS
• When one violates the expected standards, they exp. guilt ∴ have to confess
• If conscience = repeatedly ignored, one’s sensitivity to moral issues = desensitised
• Conscience can become overly sensitive, leading to false guilt if the believer is condemned by normal human failures
• C.tian goal = develop a mature conscience based on B teaching as illuminated by HS
• C.tians must satisfy themselves that their moral behaviour satisfies their conscience + will not cause guilt