Introduction John Stevenson 2018 Dr John T Stevenson

Introduction © John Stevenson, 2018

Dr. John T. Stevenson • Family Life • Academic Life

Dr. John T. Stevenson • Family Life • Academic Life • Professional Life

Dr. John T. Stevenson • • • Family Life Academic Life Professional Life Spiritual Life Ministry Life

Dr. John T. Stevenson http: //John. Stevenson. net John. Stevenson@Bellsouth. net

Group Introductions • Your name • Your home church • What have been the highlights of your faith journey? • Where are you in the this stage of your Christian life?

Romans 12: 1 -2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Course Objectives • Demonstrate a sound understanding of how to approach ethical issues from a Biblical perspective. • Exhibit an ability to defend Christian views of morality against secular and pluralistic notions. • Show an understanding of why Christians disagree on various ethical issues.

Course Objectives • Begin to develop his/her own ethical position. • Apply Christian ethical standards in daily living. • Write position papers dealing with specific ethical issues and bringing the Scriptures to bear in answering those issues.

Christian Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Options, 2 nd Edition Norman Geisler

• • • Memorization Quizzes Online Quizzes Position Paper Total - 10% - 40% - 50% 100%

• They will each cover one of the following topics: – A Christian Response to Global Warming – Christians & Animal Rights – Christians & Artificial Intelligence – Christianity & Pacifism versus Christians in the Military – Christians & Gun Control – A Christian Response to Gender Identity Issues

• They must be biblically based. • They must deal with the various views and related biblical interpretations that have been proposed to the topic at hand. • They must present logical as well as Scriptural arguments for the position that is taken. • They will have an introduction, body, practical application, and conclusion.

• 6 Pages (Plus Title Page & Reference Page) • Margins – 1” margins on all sides • Font – Times New Roman, 12 pt. • Headings – Provide headings for each section assigned in the assignment • Line Spacing – Double spaced • Indent the first line of a paragraph.

• Sources- use no less than 3 sources [books], which DOES NOT include the class text. Only scholarly online sources. Utilize the School library for this paper. • Citations - Utilize foot notes to cite sources. • Spelling and Grammar: Proofread all assignments, checking the spelling and grammar before submitting for a grade.

• First Person: Academic assignments generally employ the “third person” perspective as opposed to “first person. ” Third person perspective is the omniscient point of view and is seen in expressions such as, “he began with the assumption that…” or “they understood the results to mean…” or “their experience shows this will not work. ”

What is Plagiarism? http: //www. stthomasu. ca/inkshed/nletta 03/bump. jpg

Paradigms and Perspectives

Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? (Jeremiah 12: 1).

Plato’s Republic, Book 10 “Anyone who had such a ring would use it to gain happiness” “He would not be truly happy since he would be enslaved to his desires”

When you hear of the topic of ethics, what immediately comes to mind?

Ethical = Legal

• Dread Scott Decision (1857): African-Americans not protected by the Constitution • Roe Vs. Wade (1973): Legalized Abortion • Obergefell Vs. Hodges (2015): Recognized samesex marriages

Morally Required Morally Permitted Morally Forbidden

Specific Ethical Issues …and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we Foundation might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls (1 Peter 2: 24 -25).

What is a World View?

A window to the world

The glasses through which we see

“A worldview is a set of presuppositions (or assumptions) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously) about the basic makeup of our world. ” ― James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door (Downers Grove, Ill. : Inter. Varsity, 1988), 17.

Most of your World View lies under the surface and is not immediately obvious

What a World View Does One’s worldview determines how the events and circumstances of life will be… • Understood • Accepted • Acted upon

How important are religious beliefs to one’s world view? “Theology is not simply a system of beliefs to be added alongside the others. Theology is the master blueprint on which all other blueprints are mapped” -- Paul Hiebert, missionary anthropologist

Naturalism Subtitle: The silence of finite space • Secular Humanism • God is removed; the universe was self-activating • Human personality is only an interrelation of chemical properties • Values are man-made

Nihilism Sire’s subtitle: Zero point B. F. Skinner • Extreme pessimism / skepticism • Nothing has meaning, value, significance, dignity or worth • Human animal only invents values

Existentialism Subtitle: Beyond Nihilism Jean-Paul Sartre • Humanity is central: people make themselves who they are • Knowledge is subjective • History is uncertain and even unimportant • Supernatural is brushed aside • No absolute moral values

Existentialism Atheistic Theistic

Existentialism Subtitle: Beyond Nihilism Paul Tillich Even theistic version says that the Bible, though “religiously true, ” is historically untrustworthy.

Eastern Pantheism • Many (if not all) roads lead to the One • Ideas are not really important • Time is unreal • History is cyclical • Desire to enter the undifferentiated One; in one sense, each person is God

New Age Sire’s subtitle: A separate universe • “Core” experience is cosmic consciousness • No personal God; only a mysterious Force; no Lord of the Universe unless it be us • Borrows heavily from animism

“May the force be with you” ― Yoda

Postmodernism Sire’s subtitle: The vanished horizon • All stories equally valid • Reality is forever hidden • Any story but my own is oppressive • Social good = whatever society takes it to be at the moment

Postmodernism Sire’s subtitle: The vanished horizon • The postmodernist stares blankly at any claims to truth and shrugs: “Okay if it works for you. ” • “There are many kinds of truths and consequently, there is no truth” – Nietzsche • Instead of “the truth shall make you free, ” postmodernism claims that “freedom shall make you true. ”

Wayne Stayskal, Tampa Tribune

Deism Sire’s subtitle: The clockwork universe • God – Is Distant • an intellect to be recognized • not a person to be worshipped – Is an architect, not a lover or a judge • The Cosmos is not fallen or abnormal Voltaire

The Cosmos in Deism • A closed, linear, cause and effect system • A clockwork universe that God allowed to run on its own • God, as the first cause, never intervenes • Miracles do not happen Voltaire

Christian Theism Sire’s subtitle: A world charged with the grandeur of God Knowledge, death, reality, ethics, history, and the realness of human beings are all focused on God. Law Sin Love

Matthew 6: 24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. How is one’s world view impacted if he attempts to serve two masters?

What is the impact of taking a “double vision” approach to life?

Two Extremes Salvation without Works Zayne Hodges Salvation accompanied by Works Reformed Church Martin Luther John Calvin John Mac. Arthur Salvation on the basis of Works Roman Catholic Church

Zayne Hodges John Mac. Arthur

James 2: 19 -20 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Ephesians 2: 8 -10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ? Can one be a Christian without also being a disciple?

Acts 11: 26 …and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Luke 14: 25 -27 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. ”

1 John 1: 6 -7 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 2: 18 -19 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.

Roman Catholic view of Justification Faith + Works = Justification Reformed view of Justification Faith = Justification + Works

Martin Luther “…faith alone justifies, but not the faith that is alone. Works are not taken into consideration when the question respects justification. But true faith will no more fail to produce them than the sun can cease to give light. ”

True Spirituality Francis Schaeffer

How important is the New Birth to the Christian Walk? How important is your physical birth to your life today?

What would you tell a new Christian to do (or not to do) next?

Matthew 22: 35 -38 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? ” 37 And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. ”

Matthew 22: 39 -40 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets. ” Love God Love others

Ten Commandments • No other gods • No idols • No taking God’s name in vain • The Sabbath • Honor father & mother • No murder • No adultery • No stealing • No false witness • No coveting

When does proper desire become coveting? When it fails to include the love of God and the love of others

Ephesians 5: 1 -2 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Ephesians 5: 3 -4 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Colossians 3: 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

It Is Not It Is Something that ends begins with the new birth Primarily external Primarily internal Focused primarily on the negative, on what you don’t do Focused primarily on the positive, on what you do as a result of who you are

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1: 9 -11).