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When we are ethical we have a sense of fairness, righteousness and honor. We live in a way that is pleasing to God. We treat everyone equally. We care about others. We look out for others well being. But once a person starts to take bribes, they no longer do what is fair. They do what they are paid to do. They only serve the interests of the rich. They destroy the poor and helpless. There is a lot of abuse of power and money and laws when bribes are taken. The whole integrity of the government and individuals are in question. Nobody feels like they can trust them anymore. The government becomes the enemy of the people.

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  • 8 months later...

 

Q5. (Isaiah 33:14-16) How does ethical behavior display love for God? How does it display love for man? How does the corruption of taking bribes destroy righteous government?

 

Ethical behavior displays love for God through obedience to Him. It display love for man by loving them enough to lead them to know Jesus Christ as Savior. The corruption of taking bribes destroy righteous government by causing the officials to live in a sinful state beholden to the person with the purse.

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  • 7 years later...

One of the first things that happens after one becomes a Christian is a assessment of the circumstances of one's life. All things are examined and as they're examined, ethical shortcomings are exposed, mostly in relationships. One by one, these unethical relationships are necessarily "cleaned up". 

I am watching over, now, a young man -- about 30 years of age -- who became a Christian two weeks ago. His social background is much like mine. Immediately after his salvation, a business he owned had a crisis which could have been solved two ways -- ethically and unethically. I'm praying and shepherding him to take the ethical route, which he too wants to take. Having said this, he also laments the "cost" of being ethical. Today, for example, he will be losing his biggest client. This is the right thing for him to do.

I pray often for this young man. Fervently. Like a mother. 

I don't think salvation can be separated from the ethical changes it creates in a Christian. One cannot be close to God without being "like Christ." Then, as one slowly learns to love God (not just fear Him), one's ethical behaviour becomes more nuanced.  When Jesus overturned the tables of the Jewish currency brokers in the temple, he broke the law but upheld a higher law. As a Christian matures, the law itself, Caesar's law, is slowly seen in the light of a higher, more pure law, that of Christ. 

We live in a time of incredible corruption in the West. I'm an American and I think of my country as disgustingly unethical, greedy, expansionist and eager to receive bribes. Politicians and higher ranking individuals who work for the government retire with millions of unearned dollars filtered through their own foundations, book contracts, speaking contracts, lucrative assignments in think tanks and universities or through corrupt countries and individuals abroad. No righteous government acts like this. I pray that God's judgment falls heavily on corrupt government bureaucrats, hopefully soon.

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  • 2 months later...

Q5. (Isaiah 33:14-16)

How does ethical behavior display love for God?

In John 14:15 it states "If you love Me, you will obey My commandments"

How does it display love for man?

Jesus states in Matthew, Mark and Luke that the greatest commandment is "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second is like it" You shall love your neighbor as yourself"

How does the corruption of taking bribes destroy righteous government?

You can not run a righteous government if you are only out for yourself. 

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  • 1 year later...

Q5.Ethical living shows that we love God and obey His command to love God wholeheartedly and our neighbours as ourselves. By obeying , pleasing and living and working for God we are automatically living an Ethical Life.

The corruption of taking bribes is sin and we are being disobedient to God. This is not ethical living. Unfortunately if we start sinning whether by taking bribes or anything else, it can lead to a slow downward trajectory which takes us away from living as God wants us to, and away from living ethically because we are only thinking about ourselves and forgetting that we have a responsibility to God and ourselves to look out for others and help those who need help along life’s journey. This is particularly wrong in government, because it affects people  who are depending on the people they have elected to represent their needs to Government. 

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