By Larry Stover
Stover lives in Valley Grande and is pastor at Praise Park Ministries Church of the Nazarene.

Ethics deal with the question as to whether something is “right or wrong.” Differing philosophies of life today make for a variety of measurements by which to measure ethical behavior.

Christian Ethics spring from the teachings of God especially taught by Jesus Christ. That ethical standard is not subject to societal norms nor is it adjusted every time we read a new Harris Poll or even a Kinsey Report.

If the Christian religion is going to make any sense or have any impact on this world, then Christian believers are going to have to live up to the ethics of Jesus Christ.

When God gave the 10 Commandments to Moses, he established basic principles as to how we were to relate to him as well as other people. Through the centuries, the children of Israel did everything they could to interpret them apart from the basic instruction given by God.

Then Jesus Christ slashed across all those man-made barriers when he told the people that they were going to have to put their ethics into action.  The message of the “Sermon on the Mount” in the Gospel of Matthew internalizes the original 10 Commandments and makes them intrinsic to the soul of the Christian faith.

At the heart of that message, we read in Matthew 7:12 what we all know in one way or another as the “Golden Rule.” It reads, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

The reality is, this is not a “rule” but a basic “principle” of the Christian faith. Rules don’t always apply to every situation.  They are always subject to change.  Principles are the same yesterday, today, and forever. They are never outgrown or outmoded.

Why is this principle so great?  John Stewart wrote, “No other basic ethical principle could cure the world’s ills faster than the Golden Rule of Christian ethics put into practice.” The front page of every newspaper; the opening remarks of the evening news; and, the eye opening statement when we turn on our computer would all have a different message.

I know a lot of good people who use the Golden Rule as their Christian religion. They try very hard in business and in life to treat people with dignity and respect. But, this principle is not a religion in itself but an expression of our Christian faith. When we experience that encounter with the savior of the world; when faith and grace come together inaugurating a new life; we begin to reflect Jesus Christ and his ethical standards that reach beyond the Golden Rule and impact every area of our lives.

What if God judged each of us in the same way to put the Golden Rule to work on our jobs and in our lives?  I believe he will.  Christian ethics demand that we treat everyone with respect and dignity.  We should value the lives of everyone.   Practicing the Golden Rule of Christian ethics makes life “Simply Beautiful.”