Why Ethics?

Fundamentally, ethics is about protecting people from harm and promoting their healthiness and happiness. We are daily bombarded with a litany of moral breaches and ethical violations, Ministers are not immune from these ethical meltdowns. Ethical violations do constitute obstacles to effective ministry that can affect generations. Prophet Nathan told David:

“But you have given the enemies of the Lord great opportunity to despise and blaspheme Him” (2 Sam 12:14).

We subvert the cause of Christ when we exploit or betray the trust of people in and outside the church. We are called to live lives worthy of ambassadors of Christ, our ministerial duties must be undertaken virtuously as we seek to advance God’s kingdom on earth. The call of God to the ministers (as to every believer) embraces all relationships: family, neighbors, authorities, members of the church.

Ethics and weather are like the same thing. Everybody talks about ethics but nobody does much about it until its violation or lack of observance comes with a fiery wind and storms. Defining ethics is like defining the weather. Weather is a combination of observable facts interfacing in a given place at a particular time. Meteorologists say that weather is about current activity, as opposed to climate, which refers to the average atmospheric conditions over longer periods of time. Weather influences the way humans feel. Sometimes we feel hot, cold or somewhere in between. It is for this reason that many Christians attempt to present a set of principles to navigate the contours of the demands of the several relationships. However, the foundation of ethics for Christians (nay ministers) should not be rules that don’t get applied at pressured times but in the changeless character of God.

Virtue Approach

Traditionally, ethics has been approached in one of four ways:

• Command approach that takes the likes of Ten Commandments as guides

• Consequences approach that seeks to justify every decision based on the best outcome for the greatest number

• Community approach that justifies outcomes based on the culture of the community

• Character or virtue approach that states that ethical behavior flows from a virtuous character.

Virtue refers to abilities and capabilities that enable one to achieve excellently on an intended purpose. Virtues are habitual tendencies to do good. Through time tested doctrinal teachings, the Redeemed Christian Church of God has laid an emphasis on character building. It practically stresses the adage that “Charity begins at home” and that “today's conduct determines what happens tomorrow”

In the scriptures, virtues serve to demonstrate a behavior that matches God’s character; it is for this reason that one is said to act ethically when ones conduct is in sync with God’s character. The triad of divine characteristics emphasized in the scriptures impact on decision making process: Holiness, Justice and Love. Christian ethics demands that all three be taken into consideration for ethical decision. Holiness without justice and love becomes hypercritical legalism. Justice without holiness and love results in harsh outcome while love that is divorced from holiness and justice leads astray. These are the three characteristics that the ministers’ code of ethics titled Covenant of Virtue will be based on.