When we are asked: “What are Christian values?” we may struggle to answer. They are so natural to us we seldom try to list them. But these values are the bedrock of our faith. Throughout the ages, God has taught them to all who would listen. They exist in the wisdom of many cultures – all over our planet. For Christians, these values can be found in the written expressions of faith found in the Old and New Testaments as well as the words and deeds of God’s chosen messengers. We know God’s values provide a moral framework for our behavior.
But we are being challenged to declare our beliefs with conviction. We seek a more complete understanding of these values so that we can express them with confidence.
It all starts by establishing a loving relationship with God. We are inspired to seek and love him without reservation. Those who are able to connect with God in prayer or meditation discover he is a wonderful source of wisdom, peace and joy.
We can are also encouraged to create a transcendent relationship with Jesus Christ. The son of God taught us God’s values and gave his life to prove the truth of his message.
Our spiritual relationships with God and his son inspire us to love others with sensitivity and empathy. God wants us to take a thoughtful view of our interpersonal relationships. People with a healthy outlook on life will not choose to hurt themselves either physically or emotionally. We are expected to project this same caring attitude in our personal relations with others. It does not matter whether our contact is casual and brief (as with a stranger we meet on the street), or the result of a long term relationship (as in marriage), God wants us to set the example.
Life begins at conception. The preservation, protection and support of the family unit, along with the physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being of family members, are fundamental components of Christian theology. Although these values can be found in other spiritual faiths and secular social structures, they find their best expression in the influence Christianity has had on western philosophy.
We choose to elevate Christian theology, with its emphasis on love, goodwill, individual growth, personal responsibility, and freedom. We do not believe in a class social system where there is a hierarchy of privilege based on title or wealth. We believe in the inherent equality of humanity, regardless of physical attributes. One is not condemned to forever be at the bottom of the sociological pyramid. Even the poor can have dignity and status. Within our Christian community there is love and compassion for the sick, the elderly, the very young, the hungry, the widow or widower, and the poor. No one need live in the loneliness of isolation. One can have a sense of belonging to a community of friends, of every age, all brothers and sisters in Christ. Salvation is offered to those who adopt God’s values.
We try to live our lives according to the tenets and lessons of the Ten Commandments. We can also add a 21st century context to our obligation.
1. I am the one true God. Do not create other Gods or icons to worship.
2. Never use my name in vain or as an expression of profanity.
3. Set aside Sunday as a day for God, family and friends... in that order. Join others in worship. Seek the transcendent spiritual experience in song, prayer and meditation. Embrace your family with joy and quiet conversation. Strengthen the bonds friendship.
4. Honor your father and your mother. Love your family and relatives.
5. Do not seek to humiliate, torture, or kill another human.
6. Do not commit adultery, engage in indecent behavior, or seek to exploit the weak for sexual pleasure.
7. Do not steal, or commit fraud.
8. Do not lie or make false statements against any person or institution.
9. Do not want to have your neighbor’s house or possessions; do not desire to possess your neighbor’s wife; and do not attempt to disrupt your neighbor’s household.
10. Avoid conceit and envy.
We must be aware how our actions and words affect other conscious beings. Being actively mindful of others enables understanding, compassion, and ethical restraint. By this introspection we learn how to treat others as we would want them to treat us
The core values of a 21st century Christian are taken from the New Testament of the Bible. Within these pages one finds the best expression the theology taught by Jesus Christ. These beliefs, along with selected passages from the Bible’s Old Testament, provide a moral foundation for the cultural values of Western Civilization. Christian theology with its emphasis on personal achievement, has been a key driver in the development of a strong middle class, and is the philosophical basis of the American Republic.
If we deliberately ignore God’s values.... the values by which he wants us to live our lives...we cannot claim to be a Christian, ... and there is a penalty... we may forsake our chance to enter God’s Kingdom (heaven). And there is another downside. If we discard these values, we destroy the moral foundation of civilized behavior.
These are some of the core beliefs that motivate the life and behavior of a 21st century Christian. So how can we prepare to convey them to others?
Let us start by making a quiet connection with God: a quiet interlude of prayer to nourish our soul and encourage spiritual peace. Then let us list these values: one by one. What do we believe? Let us seek God’s wisdom to confirm our thoughts.
Then we go forth with confidence. We know what we believe.
Ron
Selected thoughts from… “Summa 21, The Natural Theology of a 21st Century Christian”
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