Situation Ethics

1. Situation Ethics “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25

2. Situation Ethics New Morality John A.T. Robinson Joseph Fletcher

3. Definitions Morality = The character of being in accord with the principles or standards of right conduct. Ethics= Ethics then is generally viewed as the system or code by which attitudes and actions are determined to be either right or wrong. Subjective= Every man decides for himself right and wrong. Absolute= There is a standard for right and wrong.

4. The New Morality Are morals today different from morals of yesterday ? ~ Robinson : “what a person must do will differ with every century, group and individual.” ~ Law and Love : Love has priority over law Therefore every person must work out their own ethics or morals.

5. The New Morality Fruits of this doctrine • Marriage / Divorce and remarriage - Matt. 19 • Homosexuality - alternate life-style • Abortion is acceptable • After-birth abortion • Stealing and Lying Jan. 22, 1973 53 Million

6. What is wrong with This New Morality ? • If situation ethics implies false doctrine then situation ethics is false • Situation ethics does imply false doctrine. • Therefore situation ethics is false. Changeable Unjust Limited in Knowledge Liar Implies God is

7. God is Changeable Situation Ethics Implies Robinson “What he says will not always be the same as he said to our fathers.” • Cannot decide right and wrong / trying to learn • Implies a lack of knowledge • God would be imperfect

8. Psalms 102:25-27 25. “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”

9. A Changeable God would not be worthy of Worship If he changed and said murder was not wrong. 10 years later he declares murder to be wrong. If God changed from generation to generation then He would be less than perfect. - Could not be trusted - Revelation would be useless - Defective Situation Ethics is wrong because it implies a false doctrine !

10. God is Unjust Situation Ethics Implies Teach that Morals have changed with time ! God’s justice demands that He punish sin. Habakkuk 1:13 “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. ”

11. God has a perfect hatred of all that is evil. If God did not punish evil-doers then he would be an approver of evil. God could not condemn sin in one generation and then approve it in another generation. God hates sin wherever and in whomever it is found.

12. Gal. 6:7-8 “…whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Ps. 5:5 “…thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” Ps. 7:11 “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” Gal. 5:19-21 “they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

13. The Justice of God is not changed by anything that man does. He can no more cease to hate impurity than He can cease to love holiness. God does not for one instant approve of anything that is filthy or sinful. Situation Ethics is wrong because it implies a false doctrine !

14. God is Limited In Knowledge Situation Ethics Implies Divorce laws in Matt. 19:9 are superseded by 1 Cor.7 Supersede = something has become obsolete or inferior and has been replaced by something better. This implies that God’s standard, the Bible, needs to be updated and this means God is not omniscient !

15. Did God not have enough wisdom to write a book that would apply to all people in all generations? But there are changes in the N.T. from the O.T. God’s scheme of redemption was planned O.T. served purpose that God intended Prepare world for coming of Christ “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” Gal. 4:4

16. Ps. 147:5 “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. The Bible will last till the end of time: Matt. 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Gal. 1:8 “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Situation Ethics is wrong because it implies a false doctrine !

17. God is A Liar Situation Ethics Implies Men say the law of God may be different for this generation. This implies that God is a liar ! • God says his law will last till the end of time. • Matt.24:35 “my words shall not pass away” • To say that the law changes implies that God Lies.

18. Num. 23:19a “God is not a man, that he should lie.” Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” Heb. 6:18 “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie,…” Rev. 21:8 “and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

19. If men will be punished for lying and If God himself could lie, then He would not be just and fair ! God does not lie. “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;” Romans 3:4 “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Gen.18:25 Situation Ethics is wrong because it implies a false doctrine !

20. Christian Ethics The new Morality is just the Old Immorality !! The Bible is our Standard of authority. Situation Ethics is every man doing what he wants to do with no standard of authority. “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25

21. Situation Ethics Changeable Unjust Limited in Knowledge Liar Implies God is “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Pro.14:12

22. Christian Ethics Bible Ethics Unchangeable Just Omniscient Truthful God is

23. Sermon by Arthur Pigman Evans Church of Christ 515 Gibbs Road Evans, Ga. 30809 706-855-1249 evanscoc@bellsouth.net www.evansgachurchofchrist.org Sunday Evening March 11, 2012