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.

My Sources of Truth

First and foremost I believe the Bible is the supreme authority when it comes to matters of relationship. God Himself is relational as the Trinity highlights. Throughout the Bible, there is God’s wisdom showing how to relate with Him and how to relate with others. The Bible is also my supreme authority with regards to morality. It is God’s direction for how we should live. I believe in empirical knowledge when it comes to the sciences. The Bible was not intended to answer all of the world’s mysteries. Instead, God provided us with the ability to discover His world through the sciences. I believe in personal experience when it comes to empathizing with others. Through my sufferings, I am more able to feel a person’s hurt and walk along side of him or her. It is reason that I am most skeptical in giving authority. With reason, we can too easily dismiss miracles. With reason, we can potentially limit our spiritual growth and faith in God. In all of these circumstances, I believe, as Entwistle (2004) states, that we must stay humble, keeping open the possibility that our thinking may be in error.

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.