Ethics - Position Paper

     The aim of this is to: 1) give some background at how we arrived at our Ethics of Spiritual Guidance Statement (see far below), by looking at what lies seminally before it including: the relationship between ethics and philosophy and ethics and theological ethics; 2) briefly highlight the importance of asking what it means to be a good person (and not restrict our asking only to what it means to have a good life) ; 3) discuss how especially the life of Jesus, and to some extent others like the Apostle Paul, led to forming our ethical stance for spiritual guidance; and 4) finally capsulate our conclusions by generating an Ethics of Spiritual Guidance Statement for Academic Connections.

I. Background

    We hold that it is useful to begin to think about our ethical obligations in offering spiritual guidance to outsiders by thinking about both the larger picture of how ethics fits into philosophy and philosophical discussion as a whole. We also think it is fruitful to reflect about the academic discipline of ethics generally and its relationship to theological ethics and perhaps what insights that comparison offers. It doesn’t mean we need to follow any of what we find in those largely secularized disciplines slavishly, but rather we think it is good to think about it for many reasons including 1) it helps us to be more circumspect, 2) in so studying for this we can communicate more deeply and clearly about these issues with outsiders (because it increases our ability being able to show we at least understand their views and how our stance can be seen relative to theirs) and 3) it can help us think and speak with greater clarity.  Nonetheless, fundamentally we hold that these ethical questions are fundamentally theological issues, despite the fact that many of those outside our community may share similar ethical intuitions with us.  Indeed, the similar intuitions that they might share with us may well be a result of common grace.

II. A Good Person

    Length considerations will not allow us here to review these things in the detail we would like (see also the other tabs in this section which offer some light). What we want to say is that we should lean heavily on the canonical books of the New Testament to see what it has to say about how to conduct ourselves with outsiders--with particular interest and focus on how that “leaning” is meant to shape our being and becoming a “good person,” as a follower of Jesus Christ. The incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ, is the ultimate good person and our ultimate role model. Other Christians can also serve partially as valid role models as they follow Christ, but He and His life are our ultimate model and standard.

    In a brief essay like this we cannot document that fully; here we can only offer a gesture in this direction and we must leave the remaining study as homework for you. 

III. Jesus and Paul   

    When we look at what we can know about Jesus’ life and ministry from the synoptic gospels, from the book of John and from Acts we find him being described as going about “doing good.” What constitutes some of the good he went about doing included things like healing the sick, providing for the poor and of particular relevance to our present discussion of ethics, he embraced the task of offering spiritual guidance by proclaiming on many occasions and to many people the coming of the Kingdom of God.  

    That is, especially by example in this latter case we see Jesus everywhere in the gospels offering non-followers spiritual advice and again this was to all kinds of people of differing social, economic and religious statuses. For example we find Jesus advising the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16ff & Luke 18:18ff; in Matthew 22:34ff we find Jesus answering some theological questions raised by the Pharisees; in John 3 we see him offering spiritual guidance to a particular Pharisee named Nicodemus; and we see the same thing in Luke 19:2ff where Jesus goes out of his way to speak with a wealthy chief tax collector named Zaccheus. We will say more about these kinds of instances below.

    In short, there is much to learn about the ethics of spiritual guidance from observing our Lord’s ministry (in this context of his interactions with non-followers) as revealed in the canonical books of the Bible.

    That’s because it seems perfectly proper that as followers of Christ we do the sorts of good things he did. Indeed, how could we call ourselves followers of Jesus or call him Lord unless we credibly did so? Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith, He is the personification of what it means to be a good person and live a good life. By example, by parable and command He taught us how to live.  

    Just what He taught us is a matter of interpretation, but some interpretations and characterizations are better than others and that’s what we should aim to understand and follow. This hermeneutical task first involves (but is not limited to) trying grasp what the canonical authors were saying to their originally intended audience, cross-culturally translate that message to ours and our particular state of affairs and then apply it appropriately in the context of our historical situation and culture. That is no simple task.

    We now stand about twenty centuries apart from the time when these documents were written and we also in a real sense live cross culturally from the original audiences for which they were written. So, there is potential for embarrassing misunderstandings on our part. On the other hand, it may be that as humans we share with that original audience pretty much what has always been an array of similar needs, faults, sins and virtues; and by those shared traits we have quite a bit of commonality with the original audience.  That can give us some encouragement we can understand many things.  

    So we have an ongoing theological task to try to get it right.

    Additional to Jesus‘ life and words we can learn from other New Testament personalities like the Apostle Paul, Peter, James and John to name a few. In these cases we can learn from what they did right and in some cases by virtue of their fallings or lack of maturity, things that they didn’t.

    Before we go on to create a list “ethical guidelines” of what we think are appropriate applications for faculty in higher education, we would do well to look return to what we can learn from Jesus and His NT followers. 

    Beginning with Jesus what are some lessons we can learn?  

    What we see is a display of well developed habits and virtues.  We find Jesus habitually interacting with “outsiders” about the Kingdom of God with penetrating insight and individualized creativity. Within the context of his particular role and calling as our Savior, He would, though innocent, need to die an atoning death for all humanity. And while that is not our particular calling (to die atoning deaths for humanity--we are unqualified to do so!) we can still learn a great deal about the ethics of spiritual guidance from his interactions with people.  

     We do see in Jesus’ “spiritual guidance ministry” a willingness to not only speak to groups of people, but also taking time to interact in small groups and personally with individuals. In so doing we see him behave at times in ways that are bold, but at other times with discretion, honest but on occasion subtle, compassionate but not indulgent.  We find in certain situations and with certain people he could be forceful but in others contexts gentle, in some cases we find the dominant emotion communicated by him was a sense of justice, and in others situations we find mercy. Maybe the most prominent virtue he practiced and lived by in his relations with people (relevant to spiritual guidance) is that He considered what other people’s highest good were and pointed them in that direction.

    Turning from those brief highlights from Jesus’ life we look now at the Apostle Paul.  

    Consider at slightly greater length what Paul had to say when speaks to some aspects of the responsibilities and ethics of spiritual guidance in the following way:

In Romans:

Rom. 1:9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you

and further in Romans

Rom. 1:14  ¶ I am obligated both to Greeks and Non-greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 

Rom. 1:15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. 

Rom. 1:16  ¶ I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 

and in I & II Corinthians

1Cor. 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 

1Cor. 1:18  ¶ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 

and further

1Cor. 3:6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 

1Cor. 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 

1Cor. 3:8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 

1Cor. 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 

1Cor. 3:10  ¶ By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 

1Cor. 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

1Cor. 3:12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 

1Cor. 3:13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 

1Cor. 3:14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 

1Cor. 3:15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 

and further

1Cor. 4:1 ¶ So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 

1Cor. 4:2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 

1Cor. 4:3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 

1Cor. 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 

1Cor. 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.  

and further

1Cor. 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 

1Cor. 9:17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 

1Cor. 9:18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it. 

1Cor. 9:19  ¶ Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 

1Cor. 9:20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 

1Cor. 9:21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 

1Cor. 9:22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 

1Cor. 9:23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 

1Cor. 9:24  ¶ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 

1Cor. 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 

1Cor. 9:26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 

1Cor. 9:27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 

and further 

2Cor. 5:9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 

2Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 

2Cor. 5:11  ¶ Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 

and further

2Cor. 5:14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 

2Cor. 5:15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 

2Cor. 5:16  ¶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 

2Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 

2Cor. 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 

2Cor. 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 

2Cor. 5:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 

2Cor. 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

2Cor. 6:1 ¶ As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 

2Cor. 6:2 For he says, ¶ “In the time of my favor I heard you,

and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 

2Cor. 6:2 For he says, ¶ “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 

2Cor. 6:3  ¶ We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 

2Cor. 6:4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 

2Cor. 6:5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 

2Cor. 6:6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 

2Cor. 6:7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 

2Cor. 6:8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 

2Cor. 6:9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 

2Cor. 6:10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 

2Cor. 6:11  ¶ We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 

and in Galatians

Gal. 2:11  ¶ When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 

Gal. 2:12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 

Gal. 2:13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 

Gal. 2:14  ¶ When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 

Gal. 2:15  ¶ “We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ 

Gal. 2:16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. 

and further in Galatians

Gal. 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. 

Gal. 6:11  ¶ See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand! 

Gal. 6:12  ¶ Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 

Gal. 6:13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. 

Gal. 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

Gal. 6:15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. 

Gal. 6:16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God. 

and in Philippians:

Phil. 1:12  ¶ Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 

Phil. 1:13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 

Phil. 1:14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. 

Phil. 1:15  ¶ It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 

Phil. 1:16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 

Phil. 1:17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 

Phil. 1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. ¶ Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 

Phil. 1:19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 

Phil. 1:20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

and in Colossians

Col. 1:28  ¶ We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 

Col. 1:29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

and later in Colossians:

Col. 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 

and in I Thessalonians:

1Th. 2:1 ¶ You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 

1Th. 2:2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 

1Th. 2:3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 

1Th. 2:4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 

1Th. 2:5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 

1Th. 2:6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. ¶ As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 

1Th. 2:7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 

1Th. 2:8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 

1Th. 2:9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 

1Th. 2:10  ¶ You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 

1Th. 2:11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 

1Th. 2:12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 

1Th. 2:13  ¶ And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 

and in I & II Timothy:

1Tim. 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 

and further

2Tim. 1:11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 

2Tim. 1:12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 

2Tim. 1:13  ¶ What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 

2Tim. 1:14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 

and further

1Tim. 3:7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. 

2Tim. 4:5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 

and in Philemon

Philem. 6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. 

    So what are we to say at the end of this?  It’s easy to see that Jesus left us the great example in dealing with people; and Paul, besides his example, gives us additional input to think about in terms of jour motivation and behavior.  You can see Paul saw his ministry as a trust (a stewardship) from God for which he would be held accountable.  He was concerned that those who served the Lord not only be of good reputation with outsiders, but also have great character (habits--what one does when nobody is looking, etc.).   Paul also pointed out the importance of getting the truth of the gospel out, that is, what one preached was in fact the good news of God’s grace in Jesus Christ to the extent he rejoiced when it was correctly preached, even though it might be done with perhaps than less than elegant motivations.

IV.  Ethics of Spiritual Guidance Statement

    For practical reasons we offer the following ethical guidelines for those who wish to engage in the sort of evangelism of which we spoken of:

1. Our main aim in proclaiming and explaining what it means to follow Christ will be to please God, who is our ultimate audience and judge, who has called us by his grace and mercy to be stewards of the mysteries of the gospel, treating outsiders with whom we witness as having the dignity and respect due to them by being created by God in His image.

2. In so aiming we wish to remain in fidelity to the gospel as revealed in the New Testament and in proclaiming and explaining it, we wish to make the great issues of the gospel clear.

3. That our motivation in sharing the gospel will be to express our love for God in response to His grace and to love our neighbor as ourselves by offering in a non-manipulative way the great truths of the gospel as a free gift of grace for them to benefit by.

4. That our obligation to share this good news in a non-coercive way extends to all ethnicities without prejudice, to the wise and foolish and to our devoted colleagues and to those who think of us as enemies, if they are willing to listen.  We further pledge not to take advantage of any psychological or emotional weaknesses in those with whom we speak.

5. That in so doing we will do our part to speak the truth in love, seasoning our speech with salt so we will know how to better respond to outsiders and fundamentally trust in God to produce any real results.

6. Wishing to do this openly but judiciously we still endeavor to represent ourselves as to who we are, to not intentionally deceive or mislead about our purposes or by our methods and to live in a way that consistently reflects a whole hearted response to the grace and mercy of our Lord.

Here are some other codes of ethics for evangelism & witness that groups have conceived of and adopted:

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