The Christian life and ethic is among the most important and most divided characteristics of the faith. The myriads of theological and methodological convictions which separate the body of Christ, and Christianity from the secular world, speak of the magnitude of which Christian life and ethic are to the centrality of the faith. One thing is certain, the Christian life and ethic is set apart among the characteristics, nature, and ethic of humankind. Authorial intent seeks to give a fundamental foundation for Christian’s may stand and build upon. To do so, let us start with the indicative truth which sets Christian life and ethics apart; discuss the cost and war which engages Christian life and ethics; and conclude with the necessity for imperative imitation of Christ.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND ETHIC IS ONE SET APART
John Stott edifies correctly, saying, “[Christianity is] the call to be different from the world around us” (Emphasis Added. Stott. 1:50). The apostle Paul gives a clear impetus for which salvation is necessary for transformation, God pleasing life and ethic in Christianity, writing, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (ESV. Eph. 2:1-3). This indicates, among other things, soteriological-transformation from “children of wrath,” to “sons of God” (Gal. 3:26) acknowledges a distinction between the life and ethic of the “sons of disobedience,” and the “sons of God.” Regardless of the obvious, scripture is not silent concerning this distinction, and scripture is not silent in calling the “sons of God” to live a set-apart life and ethic from children of “disobedience” and “wrath.” When scripture says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16), the command is not without ignorance of the depravity of the flesh. This is why Jesus confidently states, speaking to His’ disciples, “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (Jn. 16:7, 8). This is, none other than the Holy Spirit of God. The foremost function which sets Christian life and ethic apart is Christ in us through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which transforms the Christian person from the life and ethic of death, to a life and ethic of life (Eph. 3:16-20). The life and ethic of holiness is that one may have transformational-entrance into, “life and have it abundantly” (Jn. 10:10). Christ paid the price on Golgotha; the Holy Spirit helps and guides and gives grace for Christian life and ethic, and the mercy of God motivates Christian life and ethic as worshipful-response.
Jesus, speaking to His’ disciples, says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5). This steepens the imperative action of indicative Christian life and ethic. One, there is a “doing.” James writes, conveying, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James. 2:17). Paul continues in Ephesians chapter-two by emphasizing the correlation between God’s mercy and worship-based obedience, writing, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:4, 5, 8-10). Therefore, the emphasis of Christian ethics is tied to the One who is worthy. Imitation and growth in biblical ethics is an act of Spirit-wrought grace and worship. Romans 12:1 reads, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (ESV). Thereby, imitation and growth in Christian behavior and character is foremost, the spirit of grace for strength to love as Christ loved and related toward humanity; and worship-based obedience as the magnus plumb-line of motivation to demonstrate one’s life around Christian ethics. This is why no mere following of any ethic is wholly profitable for salvation. Christian ethics are, rather, the worshipful response, a delightful gratitude for which compels the worshipper to demonstrate the God they worship through hands on biblical ethical-behavior. And here lies the great endeavor concerning the Christian life and ethic; there is a war waging between the Spirit and the flesh, and transformational-sanctification by the Spirit of grace is required for both life and ethic. This is why, though active responsibility in faith is required, to be set apart for good works, is foremost a spirit of grace for transformation, rather than, a good moral imperative on the flesh alone. Good works are only proof-text of transformation on the basis of the hearts inclination to worship; not in the keeping of Christian life and ethic within itself.
SPIRITUAL-WARFARE IS THE COST OF THE DISCIPLESHIP
Given, the nature of Christian life and ethic is one of worship-based obedience, and all hell, the flesh, the Devil, and the “sons of disobedience” worship life and ethic unto themselves, the Christian, and subsequently, the Christian community of faith which endeavors to walk in the ways of the Son, to no surprise, enter into a warfare which only true transformation of the Spirit may survive. John 10:10 reads, Jesus speaking, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that you may have life and have it abundantly.” To surrender to the Christian life and ethic as worship-based obedience comes with an all too unassuming war; namely, there is a “thief” whose job in this life is to “steal and kill and destroy” the affection of worship, and subsequently, squeeze the life out of one’s motivation for imperative holiness and obedience. Evidence of this war is noted several times in the Scriptures. There are two central themes in this engagement.
(1) Paul states in Ephesians 3:10-13, “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.” One aspect of spiritual-warfare, the cost of suffering in discipleship, is that the church is to be a representation through suffering, a witness to the “rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” In other words, the dark forces of Mordor, and the demonic hordes of Sauron, should witness the Christian life and ethic, worship-based obedience, and worry with sheer terror at the One for which makes this transformational witness possible, i.e., Jesus (James. 2:19).
(2) At the end of Paul’s epochal Romans chapter-eight, he ensures the Christian life and ethic are on the winning side of this war. Romans 8:37-39 reads, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present not things to come, not powers, not height not depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is an important factor of grace here. In Romans chapter-seven Paul states the scandal of grace, as it were, saying, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” (vs. 18-20). Paul is not justifying one live in a false-grace sense of sin, as if grace lacked the indicative call for imperative holiness; however, acknowledging the limitations of human flesh to walk perfectly in holiness is the foundation of freedom in the pop-culture Christianity verse, Romans 8:1, which reads, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Again, this is not to encourage indifference toward holiness for sin. The emphasis, rather, is that the Christian life and ethic is at war, and subsequently, surviving this war is confidence in the Lord’s ability to “save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).
Chan speaks into this war, saying, “Before, when you’re just living for yourself, there is no point in Satan attacking you. It’s when you start following Jesus and actually do something for the kingdom, the fight is on” (Chan. 2:50). You have an enemy, one who is seeking to devour you (3:55). Chan ask emphatically, “When is the last time you woke up and thought, someone’s after me today” (3:57)? And this is not to say that if you avoid the Christian life and ethic of worship-based obedience, one may avoid the warfare; this is naïve, at best. However, as Peter edifies, “Be sober-minded; be watchful; Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resists him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet. 5:8-11). Many in the modern-West tend to shy away from God’s leadership through suffering, however, the suffering-church which stands, limps, or crawls, in dependent worship, persevering through the warfare waged against the Christian life and ethic, “the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James. 1:12). The nature of spiritual-warfare for those in Christ Jesus is to display to the powers and principalities the wisdom and grace of God to save sinners, and thus prevail soteriological-victory over the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. The cost of discipleship means engaging this warfare, persevering in worship-based-obedience as a testament of gratitude toward the mercy of God. Trials and tribulations, though painful and perplexing, sanctify, strengthen, and establish the faith of the church through grace by faith. And though God is the supreme glory, we share in His’ glory for all eternity.
CONCLUSION
John Piper sums the whole of the Christian life and ethic with one glorious statement: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” (Desiring God. Web). The mercy begot upon the undeserved “child of wrath,” whose disposition as “sons of disobedience,” transformed into “sons of God,” illuminates grace and responsibility for self-less imitation of Christ, his life and kingdom ethic. Paul’s words in Philippians 2:1-11 are a staple foundation for imitating Trinitarian relationship, and subsequently, the heart of Christian ethics. In verses one-two, Paul emphasizes imitational response to God’s mercy as motivation for “love” and unity in Christian community. Paul then states the antithetical-behavior in verses three and four, writing, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others.” In verses five-eight, Paul correlates the sacrificial submission of equality with God, rather, He “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,” with self-sacrificial servanthood. Subsequently, verses nine-eleven, claim the worth of Christ unto human worship. The chapter gives further direction for behavior, adding, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (vs. 12, 13). Paul then emphasizes the cost of humility in Christian ethics, saying, “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all” (v. 17).
The Christian life and ethic as worship-based obedience, in response to the mercies of God, call for imperative imitation, due, this spiritual transformation is of and for the One who is of infinite worth. In this dark and dying world, it is evident, what is needed more than a flesh-driven synthesis for a workable moral ethic for societal functioning, nothing more and nothing less than Christian worship and obedience in love. In conclusion, it must be understood, Christian ethics are a work of grace-not a self-preserving demonstration for what is right or wrong. The Narrator for “The Pauline Ethical Structure: Indicative and Imperative,” reads aloud, saying, “We don’t “do” in the Christian life to earn God’s favor. We certainly don’t “do” to earn our salvation. We do because it is the only meaningful and fitting response to the theological heart of the gospel” (Narrator. 9:30). Therefore, through delight and worship of the One who is worthy, perseverance through suffering and perplexity, we uphold the Christian life and ethic, with satisfaction of bringing God glory, by working out our salvation in such a way for which the world may know, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:35). The motivation for Christian life and ethic is to live in the abundance of pouring oneself out as a sacrificial offering.
And while we are not transcendent, “the call to be different from the world around us,” is a notion by which love is observable in that, the web that ties Christian ethics and worship-based-obedience together, is a tangible expression of love and grace and mercy and humility in the face of fallen human beings working out their salvation with fear and trembling. And while, of course, ethics on a societal level require serious observance for order, freedom, peace and justice, again, the interpersonal relationship toward one another is one worked out through faith, grace and sanctification. Transformation is required. Maturity and growth must prevail. And Truth and justice at the expense of mercy and grace, however noble it may be, is not the fullness of the Gospel imitation. Christian ethics and worship-based-obedience, while not always a joyful experience, are marked by a life satisfied in abasing and abounding through glory and humility, to be satisfied in obedience to Christ’s commands-even if it means, like Paul, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Col. 1:24).
Works Cited
Chan, Francis. “The Cost of Following Jesus.” YouTube, 26 Oct. 2016. Web. 13 Dec. 2019.
ESV. English Standard Version. The Holy Bible. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway,2001. Print.
Piper, John. “God is Most Glorified in Us When We Are Most Satisfied in Him.”
Desiring God, 13 Oct. 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2019.
Stott, John. “Principles for Whole Life Discipleship.” YouTube, 9 Aug. 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2019
“The Pauline Ethical Structure: Indicative and Imperative.” Moody Blackboard,
13 Dec. 2019. Web. 13 Dec. 2019.