The word ethics comes from a Greek term ‘Ethikos’ which means custom, or conduct. Ethics are moral principles, which influence a person’s behaviour. Ethics are defined as the systematic study of human actions and behaviour. We use ethics to judge, determine and assess the right and wrong of human behaviour. Morals refer to human character, which is the inclination to behave in one- way or another. Ethics is the study of morals and they determine and influence personal and societal behaviour. Christian ethics is the study of human conduct or behaviour from a Christian point of view.

Sources of Christian ethics: -
1. The bible, teachings of Jesus Christ
2. Human reason and experience
3. Natural law
4. The Christian community – the church
5. Situation ethics
6. Authoritative Christian literature – based on the bible
7. God's revelation – through prophets

Human reason
These are internal thoughts that guide us when we are making decisions and taking actions. We use our minds and thoughts when confronted by situations. They also rely on internal thoughts in their life experiences.
Internal guiding thoughts have many parts. One is our Conscience. This is our inner self that tells us and lets us know what is right and wrong. There are four types of consciences; doubtful conscience, sensitive conscience, certain conscience and perplexed conscience.
For a Christian, rights and wrongs are in the Bible. God gave the Law of Moses to Israelites. Jesus came and explained the Old Testament and taught new scriptures in the New Testament. These teachings, which we have covered from Form one to three, explain very clearly what is right and wrong. When doubtful of the morality of an action, Christian consults the Bible to know if a decision is right or wrong.
Human Experiences
These are internal and external guides

• When confronted by situations, Christians use their minds i.e. human reason and their life experiences in making decisions.
• They rely on internal guides, (Human reason) and experience (external guides) Internal guides

Conscience: – Mind, aspect of knowing right or wrong. When right, there’s’ approval when wrong it registers guilt. When doubtful of the morality of an action we should not do it. If conscience is perplexed then make us decision. A decision should be based on a certain conscience.

• Doubtful conscience
• Sensitive conscience
• Certain conscience
• Perplexed conscience

One can also make decisions based on knowledge and free will
To make a decision one should have
- Facts about the act, its aims, circumstances.
- One should be free to perform
A decision ought to be thoughtful
3. Intuition: – inner feeling, insight
It’s an internal moral sense to do good or avoid evil. Intuition is important in situations that require quick and immediate that requires quick and immediate action.
4. Feelings
Feelings are subjective e.g. it feels good to do so this, hence will do…” it can be dangerous to make decisions purely based on feelings especially in marriage friendship etc.
Eternal guides
Experience
Guides here include authoritative persons such as parents, teachers, police, civil leaders philosophers, and religious leaders.
Rules from secular, religions, and African traditional culture are part of external guides.
The bible
The bible, quoted in the text but now out of text guides Christian behaviour. God communicates to his people through the 
Bible. The Bible offers answers to questions in relation to the life of a Christian.
Today, there are ethical issues not found in the bible e.g. HIV / AIDS, sexual and reproductive health rights, contraceptives, abortion, globalization, cloning, environmental degradation, genetically modified foods, terrorism, international trade etc. this gives reason and other sources / factors are basis of Christian ethics in addition to the bible.
Moral principles in the bible
- They are mostly found in the teachings of Jesus and the ten commandments, sermon on the mountain
- Christians are also encouraged to have
Faith
- The virtues encouraged include generosity, love, kindness, faithfulness, patience, humility, peace, mercy, loyalty etc.
Christian community – church
Church leadership can make decisions, which touch on their followers. They guide people on ethical issues e.g. politics, 
land, justice, abortion, contraception etc.
Church organizations give rules on those conduct of their members.
Natural law
- The awareness that one has to choose good and avoid evil
- If one studies human nature and reflects upon it he/she  will discover natural laws of human behaviour
- Natural law, natural rights such as right to education, life own property many etc. are incorporated into the constitution of any nation.
- The constitution then guides the behaviour of list citizens; Christians being citizens of a country are guided in their behaviour by the constitution.
Situation ethics
One should reason out the rightness or wrongness of an act. The rightness or wrongness of an act depends on its uniqueness, the circumstances
- Christians are warned against making decisions based on circumstances or the situation e.g. a pregnant student seeking abortion as the option so as to continue with education.
Gods revelation
God reveals himself to people through prophets, natural events, the law, dreams and visions. Through such ways God guides Christian on how they should approach certain issues. God’s revelation does not contradict with the bible.
Revision questions
1. What is the meaning of Christian ethics?
2. What is the basis or source or foundation of Christian ethics?
3. List the basic life skills that one needs to be able to lead a better life TOPIC TWO: CHRISTIAN APPROACHES TO HUMAN  SEXUALITY, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

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• Lack of cooperation from the noble people.
• He was charged with political rebellion and treason.
•  Sanballat plotted to kill him.
• The problem of the rich oppressing the poor.
• Tobias defiled the temple by marrying foreigners.
• Violation of the Sabbath day by the rich merchant.
• Fear among the Jews due to constant threats and harassment from the foreign. Nehemiah encouraged them through prayers and organized people to defend the city.
• Problems of intermarriage between the Jews and the foreigners.

a)    Political background

• Prophet Jeremiah started his prophetic ministry during the reign of King Josiah.
• On his 40 years of prophecy, covered the reign of King Josiah, jehoahaz, jehoiakim and Zedekiah the last king of Judah.
• The kingdom of Judah was experiencing political instability due to weak rulers.
• Egypt started to control Judah up to when they were defeated by Babylonians and Judah became a vassal stating to rise.
• Judah was invaded by Babylonians and 10,000 men were deported into exile.
• The temple was destroyed thus bringing to an end to the kingdom of Judah.

b)    Social background              
The people of Judah has broken the social demands of the covenant in the following ways

• Bribery and corruption were widely practiced especially in the law courts.
• High sexual immorality.
• The innocent were murdered.
• False prophet and priest told lies.
• Dishonesty.
• The ruling oppressed the poor.

c)     Religious background
Jeremiah prophesied at the time when the religious situation in Judah had deteriorated.

• People had turned to worship other gods.
• Hypocrisy was highly practiced.
• Human sacrifices were offered to gods.
• Worship was centered in the temple of Jerusalem.
• Divination and magic’s were practiced.
• King Josiah attempt to calm out religious reforms had failed.
• There were insincere sacrifices.
• False security in the temple.
• People ignored the teachings of the prophet of Yahweh.
• There was no single righteous person to be found.

1.      Personal life to Jeremiah      

• Jeremiah was born in Anathoth village of Jerusalem.
• He was the son of the Hilkiah, descended from a priestly family but he was never a priest.
• He had deep knowledge of the Law of Moses and the teachings of the earlier prophets.
• He was called by God to be a prophet while he was a still young man.
• He was commanded by God not to marry or participate in any social functions.
• His message was mainly on the restoration of the covenant way of life through repentance of sins.
• Jeremiah suffered rejection and opposition from his people.

2.      The call of Jeremiah         

• Jeremiah narrates of his own experience in which God spoke to him in a personal and direct way.
• God told him he had chosen him since he was born to go to all nations and proclaims God’s message.
• Jeremiah was hesitant and said he did not know how to speak.
• God told him not to fear for he would be with him and protect him.
• God touched Jeremiah’s mouth and put a word to his mouth.
• Jeremiah’s prophetic mission would involve God’s judgement on Judah because of her sinful ways.

i.  A branch of the almond tree        

• Symbolized that God as king was watching over the fulfillment of his word.

ii. A boiling pot tilting in the north  

• Symbolized that God would use nations from north to destroy Judah. 

a)     Necromancy

• Jeremiah condemned the acts of divination magic and sorcery. He warned King Zedekiah against listening to diviners, mediums and soothsayers who advised them to rebel against Babylonians.

b)     Deception    

• Priests who preached lies to people and did not tell them the truth about God’s judgement.
• He also condemned people who cheated others that they were friends but planned evil behind their backs.

c)      Idolatry   
Jeremiah condemned idolatry which involved

• Building altars for idol gods.
• Keeping idol images in the temple of Yahweh.
• Offering human sacrifices.
• Prophesying in the name of Baal.
• Practicing temple prostitution.

d)     Human sacrifice     

• Jeremiah condemned human sacrifice which the Israelites had borrowed from the Baal regions.
• Human sacrifice were carried out in the valley of Ben hinnon

1.     Judgement and punishment       
a)     Causes of judgement and punishment

• People failure to take heed to the message of God.
• Defiling the holy places.
• Human sacrifices.
• Rulers and scribes leading people away from the covenant way of God. 
• Worshipping Yahweh using foreign religious rituals.
• Priests and prophet spoke lies.
• Failure by Israelites to repent their sins.
• Oppression of the poor by the rich people.
• Worshiping idols and heavenly bodies.
• Practicing divination and witchcraft.     

b)     Forms of punishment to Judah  

• God would use foreign country from the north to invade Judah
• God would destroy Jerusalem fire contrary to the beliefs and expectations of the people.
• Not even fasting and offering sacrifices would make God to intervene.
• There would be drought which would bring suffering to human beings.
• There would be severe drought.
• Bones of leaders would be exhumed.
• Judah would be attacked by her enemies
• People would be taken to exile.

c)      Forms of punishment for Judah
The people of Judah experienced God’s punishment in the following ways;

• The sons of King Zedekiah were killed in his presence.
•  People left in the city were taken to the exile.
• All the government officials were killed.
• Houses of the kings and those of the people were set on the fire.
• The Babylonians looted the city and the temple of everything valuable.
• The fields and vineyards of the rich, who had gone into exile, were given to the poor by Babylonians.
• The temple and the wall of Jerusalem were destroyed.
• The city of Jerusalem came under the rule of Babylon.

2.     Symbolic acts related to judgement and punishments
a)     The waist cloth

• Jeremiah was instructed by God to buy a waist cloth to wear it.
• He was to hide it in crevices of rocks in the Euphrates.
• When he retrieved the cloth, it was ruined.
• The waist cloth symbolized Judah and Israel who had held a position of honour and praised.
• The ruined waist cloth reflects the state of idolatry in Israel; this meant that God had already passed his judgement on them.

b)     The earthen flask

• Jeremiah bought earthen flask for carrying water, he was to empty out the contents of the flask and break it in the presence of the elders and senior priests.
• The marching of the flask symbolized the destruction of Judah.
• The city of Jerusalem, the royal place and ordinary settlement would be destroyed.

c)      The potter and his clay       

• Jeremiah was instructed to go a potter’s house where he observed a potter moulding clay into pots
• He observed that, whenever the pot had defects the potter mould another pot.
• The potter and his clay symbolized the relationship between God and his people.
• That meant that God would destroy and rebuild the nation.
• God would raise new nation after the destruction.

d)     The wooden ox yoke    

• Jeremiah put a yoke in his neck and walked around with it like an oxen.
• This act symbolized the burden that would be felt in the punishment that the people would suffer.
•  He affirmed that the people would be slaves in exiles as Gods punishment.
• It also symbolized the need for the king to the surrender to the powers of Babylon so that they would be restored back and treated

e)     The vision of the two basket of figs

• Good fruits symbolized the exiles that were to be protected and restored back to their land and be made God’s people.
• The bad fruits symbolized the king of Judah and people who went to exile; time would come when they would be destroyed completely.

f)       Jeremiah’s life

• Jeremiah was commanded by God to neither to marry nor to have a family. This meant that punishment would disrupt the normal family life.
• He was prohibited from entering into a house of mourning meaning that God had completely withdrawn his blessings, love and pity for his people.
• Jeremiah was also restricted from entering a house of feast. This symbolized that time for feasting and happiness in Judah was over.

3.     The fall of Jerusalem and the exile of the people of Judah

• Jerusalem was attacked and invaded by Babylon during the reign of King Zedekiah.
•  The Babylon siege of Jerusalem took 30 months
• The starved army of Judah became too weak and was smashed by the strong Babylonians.
• Zedekiah had not yet given hope of life.
• The city was looted, houses burned, the temple and its wall destroyed.
• The land and the city including the vineyards and the fields were given to the poor who remained in Judah.
• Nebuchadnezzar ordered for the killing of the sons of Zedekiah and his government officials.
• Egypt did not assist and the city was surrounded and weakened by the long and merciless siege.
• Zedekiah was blinded, frog matched and dragged in humiliation and taken to exile in Babylon.

1)    Jeremiah suffering and lamentation
a)     The plot against Jeremiah’s life   

• The people of Jeremiah’s home town plotted to kill him, Jeremiah pleaded God to avenge for him and God promised to punish them
• Jeremiah lamented why God allowed the wicked to prosper, God encouraged him to stand firm and be ready for even more sufferings.

b)     Jeremiah’s torture by pashur

• Pashur the priest rejected Jeremiah’s prophecy on punishment and had him arrested, beaten locked up and then chased away from the gates of the gates of the temple.
• When Jeremiah was freed he did not soften his message, he pronounced punishment for pashur’s family and the people of Judah who will be exiled in Babylon.    

c)      Jeremiah arrest and trial

• Jeremiah was seized by the prophets and priests when he prophesied destruction.
• He was brought before the prices and the people where he was accused of blasphemy which carried a death sentence.
• He defended himself by declaring that the message spoken was from God and not his own.
• Sentencing him to death would only bring guilt to himself for killing the innocent blood.
• The princess and the people were convicted that the message was from God. His accusers had failed to prove that he was guilty and blasphemy and he was set free.

d)     Jeremiah’s lament about his isolation        

• He was filled with despair and felt that the work he had done was futile.
• God challenged him to repent for thinking that he had been abandoned if he was to continue to be God’s prophet.

e)     Jeremiah’s imprisonment  

• Jeremiah was arrested and accused of treason for insisting that Babylonians will return to attack the city and he was deserting his own people to join the enemies.
• The princes beat him and demanded for his exaction.
• He was put in underground cell for many days.
• Jeremiah pleaded to be released from the dungeon but the king was afraid of his advisers.
• He was put in the filthy cistern to ensure that he died but he was rescued by the ebedmelech an official of the king who returned him to the guardroom of the palace.

• Social justice and responsibilities
• Hypocritical religion in Israel
• Judgement and punishment against Israel and other nations
• Israel’s election
• The day of the lord
• The remnant and restoration

a)      Social justices and responsibilities

• The Israelites forgot their responsibilities to the covenant demands. There was rampant social injustices committed by the rich rulers, court officials and more others

The injustices condemned by Amos

• Murder
• Robbery with violence
• Land grabbling
• Sexual immorality like incest and cultic prostitution
• Drunkenness where even the Nazarites were  forced to drink wine
• Pride in material possession and false sense of security
• Cheating in business i.e. use of false measures, selling of bad foodstuffs
• Selling of the poor into slavery because they were unable to pay debts
• Living a luxurious life by the women of Samaria in expenses of the poor

b) Hypocritical religion in Israel Amos condemned the following hypocritical worship which was demonstrated by Israelites.

• Religious syncretism where they worshipped idols alongside Yahweh
• Insincere worship which involved man elaborate sacrifices without inner faith.
• Idolatry flourished in Israel where people began to worship other gods such as sakkuth

c)  Judgement and punishment against Israel and other nations Prophet Amos pronounced severe God’s punishment and judgment to Israel and her neighboring nations.
The punishment will be as follows:

• Israel will be punished due to hypocrisy and idol worshipping
• God would use earthquake to destroy the houses of the rich and poor people in Israel.
• They would be struck by plagues and the survivors would be haunted by silence.

i. Judgement and punishment for Israel and Judah The Israelites would be punished because of committing the following sins

• They enslaved those from poor background.
• They practiced bribery in the court of law.
• They practiced hypocrisy and worshipped idols.
• They grabbed poor’s land.
• High sexual immorality.
• High interest charges levied on loans borrowed by the poor.
• Judah was to be punished because of forsaking God’s covenant treaty.

ii. Nature of the punishment that would befall Judah and Israel

• There would be earthquakes
• God would cover the land total
• Judgement of Israel would be severe than that of other nations because they were God’s chosen people and knew the law of God which they had forsaken
• The people would hunger for the word of God
• Amaziah the priest and the  king would die by the sword
• The rich who had oppressed the poor would lose their properties
• Their land would be occupied by foreigners
• The people of Israel would be taken into exile
• The holy places would be destroyed
• Israel would be surrounded by their enemies
• Punishment would be effected on the day of the lord 

God promised the people of the Israel many things if they repented their sins.

• God promised to restore the exiles.
• To rebuild the ruined cities.
• To spare the remnant.
• To raise a Davidic descendant to rule the people of God.
• To prosper in agriculture.

​Concept of the Day of the lord originated from Israelites political suffering.
According to them the day of the lord would intervene and restore them back to the lost glory.

1.      Early Old Testament prophets

• They appeared early in the history of Israel as a nation e.g. Moses, Elijah, Samuel ,Nathan

2.      Professional prophets

• They earned their living through their work of prophecy like Samuel was given a silver coin as token for his prophecy
• They were true prophets and they never give prophecies in favour of what the king wanted to hear

3.      Prophetess   

• Female / women prophets e.g. Hilda, Miriam and more others

4.      Canonical prophets

• Their writings were accepted as truth from God. Their prophecies are recorded and preserved under books bearing their names

Work of canonical prophets

• Foretold future events
• Called people to repent sins
• Are God’s spokesmen
• Proclaimed God’s judgement
• Gave audience hope and encouragement during suffering
• They told people God’s will

5.      False prophets

• They were prophets who were claimed to speak in the name of Yahweh
• They demanded payments for their services
•  They lived immoral lives
• They gave false testimonies
• They practiced prophetic ecstasy
• They were not guided by Yahweh by their own imagination
• They promoted idolatry
• They gave message which pleased people
• Some were paid by the king to convey message which pleased him

Unity of believers refers to the oneness of those who have faith in Jesus Christ. The early Christians lived in unity which was demonstrated in the following ways.

• They prayed together
• They shared their meals
• They shared their property
• They met together to receive apostolic
• They celebrated the lords supper 

a)     People of God

• The Israelites were chosen people of God bound to him by Sinai covenant.
• In the New Testament, the people of God are those who follow Jesus and his teachings.
• Christians from different background are united with God through Jesus Christ.
• Christians have received God’s mercies through repentance
• Through baptism Christians are set apart and share in the resurrection of Jesus
• Peter refers to Christians as God’s chosen race, a royal priesthood

b)     The body of ChristPaul uses the analogy of human body to demonstrate the unity of believers

• Christians form many parts of the body Christ, each with different functions to perform just as the human body does.
• The believers are the body of the Christ in which everyone should work for the total well being of the church.
• Through baptism, believers become members of one body of Christ.
• Christians share the same rights and privileges as members of one body in Christ.
• Christians should remain united as they deliver different services to the community.
• Paul encourages Christians to have humility gentleness and patience in order to promote unity among them.
• The different gifts should be used to enrich the church and to glorify God.
• Christians share the same rights and privileges as members of one body of Christ
• Christians should not only be concerned with their own welfare but also consider that of others

c)      The vine and the branches  The Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine to teach about the believers union with God

• Jesus is the true vine planted by God.
• Christians are the branches of the vine tree.
• God is the vinedresser from which the universal church grows
• Christians have a responsibility of remaining faithful to Jesus Christ because  they depend on him for spiritual nourishment
• Unfaithful followers of Christ will be punished by God
• Believers must remain united to Christ to bear spiritual fruits, as Christ is the vital vine stem from which his believers draw their life
• Christians are expected to obey God’s commandment and love one another as Christ love them
• The unity in Christ is essential to the life and the well being of the church

d)     The church (Ephesians 5: 21 – 32)Paul illustrates the unity of the church using divine marital relationship

• Just as wives are subjected to their husbands, Christians should be subject to Christ.
• Christians are to be subject to other members by serving them.
• Christ is the head of the church just as the husband is the head of the family.
• Christ loves Christians as husband loves their wives.
• Jesus loves us unconditionally just as husband and wife love each other.

e)     The bride

• In the old testament Israel was considered as the bride of God
• Christians should be prepared when Jesus come to take them as his bride
• Just as the bride makes an effort to stay attractive and beautiful to the bridegroom on the marriage on the marriage day  the church should be pure and holy to Christ
• Christians should observe God’s commandments
• Just as the bride vows to stay married to bridegroom till death so are the Christians to Christ