Living Faithfulness

Ethics

Evangelical faith without Christian ethics is a travesty on the gospel.

V. Raymond Edman

Ps 141:3-5
3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who do iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies. Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me; it is oil upon the head; do not let my head refuse it, for still my prayer is against their wicked deeds. NASU

Much of our Christian faith and belief has met with compromise on the stage which we as Christians live. The world has not seen us practice and lean towards holiness, but has seen us lean towards acceptance of the prosperity gospel the world teaches. We have become completely immersed in their social gospel of acceptance. Listen to Ezekiel’s perspective of what was happening on stage in his day, “Ezek 33:32 "Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them.”

How did we get here? Sir John Harvey, said this of Harvard in his day, “It horrifies me that ethics is only an optional extra at Harvard Business School.” I am not sure if it was, or wasn’t, but we all know that the dollar has caused many to prosper and many to fall, and without ethics, many to suffer. Raymond Chandler, 1888-1959; said this of how we have been conquered by the lust of money in this society, “Such is the brutalization of commercial ethics in this country that no one can feel anything more delicate than the velvet touch of a soft buck.”

My wife and I went on our regular trip to Wal-Mart and when walking through the parking lot, I found a check, some cash, and a grocery receipt. The check had the address of the person who I was sure had dropped the cash, so I immediately called and left a message telling the person to call and confirm the address on the check and we would send them their check and cash. The person called back in disbelief, they were sure that they would never hear a word about their belongings, they were sure that someone would pocket their good luck and go on.

What would you have done? The person that called said this, “there is some hope for this world isn’t there, people like you give me hope.” He also said this, “keep the cash and send us the check, and you and your wife have dinner on us.” Wow! We as followers of Christ can make a big difference on our world just by simply striving to be Holy. That means in the little things and the big things, it makes a big difference, for Christ said this, “Luke 16:10" He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much...God Bless.

Pastor William