Ethical Foundation

The systematic examination and consideration of morality is known as ethics. For

our purposes, normative ethics—the area of ethics that examines specific, applicable issues

pertaining to the morality of our actions and personal qualities. When determining what

constitutes good or bad behavior in the process of our professional endeavors, this immediately

relates to us. “The word ‘Ethics’ comes from the Greek word ‘ethos’, character, and ‘morality’

from the Latin word ‘mos’, which refers to character or to custom and habit.” 1 People are

sensitive to a person's behaviors and words and they might evaluate these ways to accomplish a

person to determine how suitable they are appropriate for interacting with them. People express

what they believe, and their behaviors mostly shape who they become. Ethics, also called moral

philosophy, the discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad and morally right and

wrong. The term is also applied to any system or theory of moral values or principles. The words

"ethic" and "moral" are frequently used interchangeably to refer to the values that a group of

people must accept. The aim of the paper is to explain the fundamental concepts of ethics, such

as consequences, principles, and virtue, and to discuss biblical passages with those concepts in

order to become more well-known in the area of ethics.

Consequence

1
Lawrence C. Becker and Charlotte Becker, Encyclopedia of ETHICS, vol. 1 (Routledge 711 Third Avenue,
New York, NY 10017, 2001).
 In the onset, there are three fundamental concepts: consequence, principle, and

virtue. A person who adopts an ethics based on consequences, often known as a teleological

system, thinks about the potential outcomes or results of an action before determining whether to

perform it out and consequence is the ultimate criterion or standard of right and wrong is ends or

results. “Committing adultery, for example, is not inherently wrong in and of itself, but through

our life together as human beings the consequences that arise from adultery may render it

morally suspect.”2 After an action is taken, there will undoubtedly be consequences. From the

beginning of the world to its end, there is always an outcome. Calculating consequences and

comparing the outcomes is frequently referred to as "consequentialism" or "teleological ethics"

both terms derived from the Greek word telos, which means "end." In terms of the Christian way

of life, no one strives to be more like their creator in character than they are in their spiritual

existence. We can categorize various systems of thought, most notably ethical egoism, and

utilitarianism, into the consequences methodology. The ethical egoism is that “ethics is rooted in

consequences but specifically those that relate to the individual moral actor. That is, one ought to

do whatever will produce one’s own highest good, determined by the amount of pleasure or

happiness that the person will receive from the action.” 3 A person's moral obligation, according

to the ethical egoist, is merely to serve his or her own self-interest. In my experiences, I decided

some cases with this point of view. When I was twenty, I started to learn piano for my self-

interest. My hands were not soft or smooth because my bone is hard and adult hand. However,

after two years later, our church’s youth pastor transferred to another church because of his term

was full who was play a piano in our church. As a result of his transferring, the church needed

2
Dennis P. Hollinger, CHOOSING THE GOOD: CHRISTIAN ETHICS IN A COMPLEX WORLD (Baker Academic a
division of Baker Book House Company P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287, 2005),
www.bakeracademic.com.
3
Ibid.
for the pianist. So, I was suddenly to play that role and I was serving for people and to give the

glory to God. Sometimes, selfish behavior frequently has positive effects on other people.

“In the Christian worldview, the individual certainly counts in the moral maze precisely because

humans have been created in the image of God and thus have inherent worth, value, and dignity.

A proper kind of self-love is affirmed, for Jesus himself said, “You shall love your neighbor as

yourself” (Matt. 22:39). It is also significant to note that self-interest seems to be a major factor

in why people become Christians; few embrace Christ because of altruism but rather because

salvation offers them something they need.”4 In utilitarianism, it is an ethical theory that

determines right from wrong by focusing on outcomes and it is a form of consequentialism.

According to utilitarianism, the morally best action to take is the one that will benefit the largest

number of people. “The most common teleology approach is utilitarianism, which stresses the

greatest good for the greatest number of individuals. Jeremy Bentham, an influential proponent

of utilitarianism, believed a good or moral act would result in the “greatest happiness of the

greatest number of people.”5 One thing still acts as a reminder that I taught a variety of students

when I worked as a teacher in a boarding school for matriculation. Others lack the educational

background that some do. I administered monthly exams on them so they could evaluate their

condition and always encouraged them to keep trying. so that they may prepare for the final

exam with the highest scores. As a result, some students received the highest marks possible

while others received lower points. My guidance and encouragement, on the other hand, were

little yet powerful in bringing delight not only to them but also to their family.

4
Ibid.
5
Marta Soniewicka, The Ethics of Reproductive Genetics: Between Utility, Principles, and Virtues
(Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018,
n.d.).
 Principle

Ethical principles are independent of an individual's subjective opinions and are a

component of a normative theory that supports or defends moral laws and moral judgments.

“Immanuel Kant strongly emphasized “duty.” In ethics, this is called “deontology”—from the

Greek word deon, meaning “obligation” or “duty.” Kant’s view was something like the Stoic,

who emphasized gritting your teeth and doing your duty without regard to emotion or

circumstances.”6 There are various types of principles, including the doctrine of divine

command, natural law, and ethical rationalism. The divine command concept first discusses

religious regulations like the Bible's Ten Commandments. People who adhere to this type of

philosophy will always have a set view of moral dilemmas. Consider adultery as an example. I

would not really suggest a cheating spouse to use that as an excuse even if it is moral if it is

legal. There may be a direct conflict between moral and legal duties. It conflicts with the

Christian worldview, according to atheists. There are laws in every nation and even in each

home. These laws serve to promote human worth. It is also a fundamental aspect of human

dignity. Furthermore, it differs from forming a judgment in that it leads to learning rather than

the contrary. According to Thomas Aquinas' natural law, all people possess the capacity to

recognize what is morally right to do instinctively without relying on divine command

regulations. We are aware that a fight with a wild animal is bad since it could endanger our lives.

We should also avoid touching an electric wire when it is carrying a current of electricity

because doing so will cause us to be electrocuted. Rationalism is ‘the principle that reason is to

be granted the primary role in explanation.’ 7 Rationalists contend that truths about nature,

6
Robertson McQuilkin and Paul Copan, An Introduction to BIBLICAL ETHICS; WALKING IN THE WAY OF
WISDOM, Third. (InterVarsity Press P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-142, n.d.), www.ivpress.com.
7
Reese William L, Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion (New Jersey, UK: Humanities Press Inc., 1980).
existence, and all of reality may be discovered by abstract reasoning that is indisputable and

certain.

Virtue

The virtue ethic emphasizes a person's character more so than his or her actions and

views a virtuous person as someone who is excellent and knows what is true when making

decisions. “Theories of virtue ethics emphasize not whether specific actions are right or wrong,

but the moral character of the individual. In virtue ethics, the primary concern is whether you are

a virtuous person.”8 Moral virtues are not acquired naturally; instead, they must be practiced

repeatedly, just like the arts, in order to become habits. “The Greeks emphasized the cardinal

virtues: wisdom (or prudence), courage, temperance (or self-control) and justice (i.e., fairness,

lack of favoritism). These four virtues are interrelated, and they are connected to the mind

(intellect), the passions (of the body and other deep human desires) and the will.” 9 The virtue is a

part of Christian ethic. In Christian Ethics, it is one of the dominant elements of Christian

morality, “Christian morality consists of a blend of virtues and principles, with its primary source

being the character of God.” A person who is virtue-oriented will emulate Christ in terms of

virtue ethics. It is abundantly obvious in the New Testament that the idea of "becoming like

Christ" includes the follower of Jesus' moral obligations. 10

instruction and application. According to the ancient philosopher Aristotle, self-control is a

virtue that can be developed, whereas repeated self-indulgence can ruin a person's character.

8
Wayne Grudem, Christian Ethics An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning (Wheaton, Illinois:
Crossway Books, 2018), 41.
9
McQuilkin and Copan, An Introduction to BIBLICAL ETHICS; WALKING IN THE WAY OF WISDOM.
10
Hollinger, CHOOSING THE GOOD: CHRISTIAN ETHICS IN A COMPLEX WORLD.
 Biblical Ethic

All the ethical frameworks are included in Biblical ethics. All three of the core

ethical ideas are fully integrated, so nothing is primarily about one thing. “God as the ground of

Christian ethics means that our understandings of the moral good, right, wise, and just emanate

from the nature and actions of God. As the creator of the universe and the sovereign over all life,

God’s own goodness becomes the ground or foundation of all human goodness.”11 In both

Christian moral philosophy and the rest of the world, three general ethical frameworks have

gained popular acceptance. The methods are principle, consequences, and virtue. Principle (God

command) is What do the rules say is the right way to act? consequences is What actions are

most likely to bring about the best outcome? Character(virtue) is What kind of moral person do I

want to be or become? Instead of employing many methods, Christian ethics emphasizes the

integration of biblical ideals into each method. Christians need to incorporate biblical concepts,

character traits, and commands (also known as principles, intended outcomes, and virtues) into

their moral development.

Principles

The Mosaic regulations and the importance the Israelites placed on upholding

them are two clear examples of the values that permeate the Old Testament. It is, therefore, an

action-based ethical system. The Bible is supposed to be a valuable manual for living properly

according to God's will while on earth. Adam and Eve only had one rule before sin entered the
11
Ibid.
world: they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil since doing so would

result in death the next day. We should reject the temptation to create a pharisaical list of “do's

and don'ts”, instead seeking biblical ethical standards to guide our decision making. These are

reflected in the commandments to "love God with all our heart, soul, and mind" and "love our

neighbor as ourselves" (Mt 22:37-40). While adhering to the ten commandments, we must

recognize that true Christian morality entails going beyond the letter of the law (Mt 5:21-22, 27-

28) to the spirit of love upon which it is founded (1 Cor 13:4-8). “God claims humanity for

obedience, rightly, in Jesus Christ. And humanity’s obedience to God, as the expression of its

determination to its history of fellowship with God, must always be obedience to and conformity

with Jesus Christ.”12 It was the time of 'theocracy' when the Israelites were wandering in the

desert, and they had to follow God's direct order. For example, God provided manna bread with

the restriction that it not be gathered in the morning or on Sunday. As a result, all Israelites were

required to follow it, and those who harvested manna on banned days were wrongdoers. The

description of principle ethics in the Bible is sometimes linked with consequences.

Consequences

Normative ethic describes the moral rules that should be followed in everyday life

(Stewart, 2009). Three main types of normative ethical theories have developed throughout

history. They are utilitarianism, deontological theories, and virtue ethics. According to

utilitarianism, the ultimate purpose of morality is the happiness of the world. According to

deontology, the most important aspect of moral decision-making is performing one's moral

obligation in accordance with the provided rule. "Utilitarianism" is a variant of consequentialist

12
William Wielechowski, Karl Barth and Christian Ethics Living in Truth (Ashgate Publishing Limited
Ashgate Publishing Company Wey Court East 110 Cherry Street Union Road Suite 3-1 Farnham Burlington Surrey,
GU9 7PT VT 05401-3818 England, n.d.), www.ashgate.com.
ethics that holds that whatever provides the greatest amount of happiness for the largest number

of people is good. Happiness is seen as the goal of existence. Happiness, on the other hand, is not

seen as the ultimate good in the Bible. Even when happiness is addressed in the Bible, it is

frequently redefined in ways that differ greatly from our cultural notion. In his Beatitudes, for

example, Jesus flips our thinking on its head. He says that situations that make us feel ungrateful

or sad can also make us blessed or happy! Consequently, Adam and Eve's moral judgment

resulted in a violation of God's law, and they then began and suffered the repercussions of falling

in the sight of God. The following verses are also significant: Titus 2:7, Proverbs 15:1-33,

Colossians 3:25, and Ecclesiastes 11:9.

Virtue
According to virtue ethics, the primary purpose (telos) of every Christian is to

imitate Christ and so bring God glory through our sanctification. Those who are not Christians

share the goal of glorifying God. However, it is not by following Christ, but rather by paying

their sin debt via eternal suffering. Furthermore, Christian virtue ethics incorporates the agent's

heart attitude into the moral decision-making process. Regarding virtue, it is written that “The

righteous man and the pure in heart are eternally blessed, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit

described in Galatians 5 are all virtues.”13 It is also intended simply as “a virtue is a right inner

disposition, and a disposition is a tendency to act in certain ways.”14 We already knew that virtue

refers to God's character. One of the best studies on virtue is found in Galatians 5. Because God

owns the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, and self-control), anybody who believes in Him must answer the question "who am

I?" " in a way that reflects the worth of the Spirit's fruits." The virtues are beautifully depicted in
13
Arthur F. Holmes, Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions (Leicester, England: Inter Varsity Press,
1984), 116.
14
Ibid.
Bible stories. The book of Genesis highlights the value of justified anger as a strong character that

does not lead a people to the slaughter of others, as Cain did to Abel. 15 In Philippians 4:8, Apostle

Paul encourages believers to adopt whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasant, and

praiseworthy in order to become a man after God's heart. Displeasure with God is not an option.

People, however, cannot be justified by God's laws because they cannot follow them. Accepting

Jesus is always the best option for standing righteously in front of God by grace. People receive

undeserved favor from God.

Conclusion

God and his totally holy essence are at the heart of Christian ethics. God is solitary.

However, in Christian belief, he is a Trinity, which means he exists in three persons rather than

three separate Gods. This is a significant topic for debate. However, this article is confined to a

brief overview of the foundations of Christian ethics. The combination of Principles,

Consequences, and Virtues constitutes biblical ethics. Furthermore, it will continue to challenge

every Christian to make moral judgments that will benefit them and have a significant impact on

their life. The principles of God's commands make up a substantial component of biblical ethics,

and there is some overlap between principles and consequences. The Bible does not dismiss

virtue ethics because our God is not a God who demands all nice qualities that he does not have.

Word: 2746

15
Wenham Gordon J, Story as Torah: Reading Old Testament Narrative Ethically (Baker Academic, 2000).
 Bibliography

Becker, Lawrence C., and Charlotte Becker. Encyclopedia of ETHICS. Vol. 1. Routledge 711
Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, 2001.

Gordon J, Wenham. Story as Torah: Reading Old Testament Narrative Ethically. Baker
Academic, 2000.

Grudem, Wayne. Christian Ethics An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning. Wheaton,

Hollinger, Dennis P. CHOOSING THE GOOD: CHRISTIAN ETHICS IN A COMPLEX WORLD.

Holmes, Arthur F. Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions. Leicester, England: Inter Varsity
Press, 1984.

McQuilkin, Robertson, and Paul Copan. An Introduction to BIBLICAL ETHICS; WALKING IN

Soniewicka, Marta. The Ethics of Reproductive Genetics: Between Utility, Principles, and
Virtues. Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing
AG, part of Springer Nature 2018, n.d.

Wielechowski, William. Karl Barth and Christian Ethics Living in Truth. Ashgate Publishing
Limited Ashgate Publishing Company Wey Court East 110 Cherry Street Union Road
Suite 3-1 Farnham Burlington Surrey, GU9 7PT VT 05401-3818 England, n.d.
www.ashgate.com.

William L, Reese. Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion. New Jersey, UK: Humanities Press
Inc., 1980.