Deciding Right From Wrong

As a Christian I believe that it is my responsibility to follow the Bible in all of my ethical decisions. Where it is clear, “thou shalt not commit adultery”, there is no question. But what about those areas not spelled out in detail? For instance, is the abused wife free to divorce and remarry? For these questions, the use of hermeneutics and the seeking of wise counsel would by my direction. By researching God’s Word more thoroughly and by listening to trusted people who have faced similar ethical dilemmas, I will be better equipped to decide right from wrong. Throughout the search for truth, I believe that praying for God’s wisdom is essential. In counseling others, I will be very forthright with my beliefs, through informed consent, but willing to walk with clients using their belief systems. For non-Christian clients, I would expect my counsel to lean more towards how the decision affects the client and others involved. For Christian clients, I will be more able to rely on the Bible’s direction. With both sets of clients, I will pray for their clarity and mine. Ultimately, I must trust the Holy Spirit in how to minister to my clients.

Watch Your Motives When Debating the Bible

Entwistle, D.N. (2004). Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: an introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Concrete Responses
This book brought back very vivid memories of my early years as a baby Christian. I was invited to a Bible study at my new evangelical church. We met at the International House of Pancakes each Thursday morning and discussed the Bible. The Bible study leader was a literalist believing every word was truth. Possibly due to my Catholic background, I believed the Bible was a great self-help guide which provided good direction in life, but also contained many errors and was not to be taken literally. As I explained to the leader that miracles such as those detailed in the book of Jonah or the feeding of the 4000 could have everyday explanations, my Bible study leader said, “Paul, you take the easy way out, don’t you?” I rebutted that believing the Word of God is to be taken literally is really taking the easy way out. “You are turning your brain off when you believe that,” I commented. Each week I would return to debate the leader. He was not offended by my attacks though I had clearly derailed his direction with the group. In the end, he asked that he and I meet separately to discuss my questions. This man softened me and helped me find my heart. I began to realize my motives had nothing to do with glorifying God. They had everything to do with showing that my intellect was superior to his. In an effort to discover the truth, I put myself first and the work of my Savior second.