CHRISTIAN ETHICS

Definition

Refers to standards of right and wrong based on the Bible and the true teachings of Jesus Christ the
Old testament prophets and the New testament apostles.

Can also be defined as the systematic study of the way of life set forth by Jesus Christ applied to the
Daily demands and decisions of a personal and social life.

Ethics centre on what one ought to do or not to do as guided in the teaching and the way of life of our
Lord Jesus Christ.

Etymology ethics comes from the Greek word Ethikos that refers to standard, rule, and norm by which
people us as social and rational beings distinguish what is right and what's wrong.

SCOPE OF ETHICS

WAS IT COVERS OR ENCOMPASSES

1. Behavior; this comprises of one's visible conduct actions lifestyle inclusive of how one works talks
dress up etc.

2. Attitudes (mind); this pertains to our mindset and way of thinking.

Attitudes encompasses are structured posterior type mindset and opinions of a moral phenomena ,
they involve our subjective feelings and thoughts although the patterns.

"As a man thinks so he is"

"I think so I am"

"Think so we leave"

People have various attitudes of things like;

People of other gender

People of different profession

other races or color or tribes

Marriage,sex, money etc.

"Always think about people so we treat them"

3. Values
This refers to what One believes and cherish moraly.

They are more qualities of standards which one approved hornet valued and considered non-
negotiable by person or society.

Values I got it jealously and are often rewarded punished for when violated.

Values are held in people's heart of hearts and like attitudes they are invisible but act behind curtains
to dictate a person's behaviour.

EXAMPLES THE VALUES

 Virginity
 Fidelity
 Love
 Gentleman ship
 Truth
 Respect
 Dignity
 Unity
 integrity etc.

NB values define our moral boundaries.

In the sermon on the mountain ( matthew chapter 5 to 7) we find many of the values approved Our
Lord Jesus Christ for the people fit for the kingdom of God.

ASSIGNMENT

THE MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 TO 7

LIST DOWN THE VALUES YOU COME ACROSS PROVIDING A BRIEF EXPLANATION ON HOW YOU
UNDERSTAND EACH ONE OF THEM (5MRKS)

ANALOGICALLY CHRISTIAN ETHICS CONCERN ITSELF WITH

Hands/Body= actions how we live

Head = attitudes =How we think

Heart =How We Believe.

It is purposed towards transforming character by dealing with four dimensions of our actions;

Actions themselves

Attitudes about actions

Motives for our actions or intentions.

Results of consequences or returns of actions.

In attempting to transform character Christian ethics targets to transform a person holistically at a
deep level worldview. Thus it targets transformation of values and attitudes and heart and mind of
individuals.

ANALOGIES USED TO ILLUSTRATE CHARACTER TRANSFORMATION AT HEART AND ATTITUDE LEVELS

1. Deep of an iceberg

2. Building a foundation

3.Tree trunk roots and taproots

4.Treating a skin disease from within

5. You can take a village to a city but you may not remove a village from an individual.

KEEP THOUGHT

YOU CANNOT TRANSFORM CHARACTER (BEHAVIOR ) WITHOUT CHANGING VALUES AND

ATTITUDES.

READ ROMANS 12:1-2

"BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND"

LECTURE TWO
WHY DO WE STUDY CHRISTIAN ETHICS
A) Christian ethics teaches us how to live to the glory of God.

The pertinent question of Christian ethics is; how shall we live?

There are many fake ways of life but Christ is the way.

1) 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 31 "do all things to the glory of God"

Living according to the glory of God means;

I) character that glorifies God or Christ like character.

II) that glorifies God ( a life that bears abundant fruits for the glory of God.

III) Life that glorifies God or life that is obedient to God and lived in personal relationship with God.

B) Ethics helps us formulate to commendable work ethics.

2)Work ethics refers to putting forth our best efforts and to work with our whole Heart and souls at
whatever we do ( Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse 10 second Timothy chapter 2 verse 15)

It is to work with a sense of responsibility and accountability to God who is our ultimate boss.

It encompasses being excellent stewards of the gifts talents and resources God has given us.

Work ethic commands that all our work flows with excellence and out of a place of gentleness to God.

3) arouses awareness by blessings of obedience (Isaiah chapter 1 verse 19 to 20)

Study John 15:10, John 16:22, Col 1:10

Being made a vessel for honourable use (2timothy 2:20)

Being an answered prayer (1Peter chapter 3 verse 10 to 12) (John 15:7)

Abundant holistic life (John 10:10)

Being made invincible ( Matthew 7:24-29)

Joy of clean conscience (1John 1:5-19)

4) Shaping a balanced holistic life on its scope covers holistic transformation.

HOLISTIC INTELLIGENCE
a) intelligent Quotient (IQ); this is the mental intelligence and capacity or ability to comprehend and
to settle matters which are academic in nature. It involves ability to understand quickly, interpret,
analyse and think critically.

(a) Emotional Quotient (EQ); this is the ability to manage and control

Self-awareness and correction

Ability to manage defeats victory stress and not to act selfishly.

Ability to work under pressure.

Being honest humble loving you knowing and considerate.

Keeping calm, I know how to manage criticism.

Ability to solve conflict and work out peace with others.

Ability to identify opportunities out of every challenge.

Setting goals and sticking to them.

Examining and correcting your attitudes.

(c) Social Quotient (SQ);

Ability to relate well with others.

Capacity to friend rise or to make friends and keep them.

Being a blessing rather than a nuisance to society.

Providing solutions rather than being a burden to the society.

(d) Spiritual Quotient (SQ) ;

Knowing god through a personal experience or relationship with him.

Ability to commune or fellowship with God daily and intimately.

Ability to descern God's will through our renewed minds.

Ability to comprehend Divine revealed mysteries of God with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Leaving a life which is aligned with God's character of love Holiness truth and justice.

In John 3 and 4 we have classic examples of people who were religious but did not fathom the deep
spiritual things of God.

(e) Moral Quotient (MQ);

Ability to live with a sense of moral responsibility and accountability.

Ability to stand out from the average ordinary man in the things which defeat him morally.

Example

The story of Samson.

Ability to put your character and manners in check.

Ability to Forego momentary pleasure for long-term satisfaction of freedom.

Integrity

(f) Physical Quotient (PQ);

Striking a healthy balance between your chronological and biological age.

Understanding and applying the metaphor of one's body being the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

Working on factors that destroy our biological age (abnormal aging) like; poor eating habits, work
without resting, drug abuse for hygiene, obesity.

Being aware and protecting self organs self destruct destructive behavior and lifestyle diseases like
hypertension, diabetes, cancer, bone and muscle weakness.

Ability and practice of living actively.

5) provision of guidance through day by day ethical dilemmas, like greatest sin and lesser sin,
situational problems, politics and Christianity, employment in brewery, marrying non-believer,
premarital pregnancy and abortion.

6) enhancing a value-oriented society.

 LECTURE 3
FOUNDATIONS OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS
Introduction
Like every house must have a foundation Christian ethics is built on a foundation which makes it
unique from any other form of ethics.

Some forms of ethics are founded on principles of things like;

 Culture
 Philosophy and human generated ideologies eg;

Rationalism; which means autonomy of reason and common Sense.

Relativism-when right and wrong is subject to circumstances.

Situationalism-judge right or wrong contact by context.

Pragmatism- follow and results ignore the means.

Hedonism-follow what pleases the body.

LAW

However, many of those foundations can be shaky and inconsistent, the Bible in Matthew 7:24 to 27
counsels us to construct our lives on a farm foundation. Christian ethics simply does that, being
constructed on the following foundations;

(I) JESUS WAY OF LIFE

CHRISTIAN ETHICS ethics thrives on a systematic study of Jesus Christ's way of life.

Jesus lived absolutely holy and righteous life which is worth emulating.

He told all that lived.

He is God-incernate who was entirely right and without any wrong.

He is that our model and source of Christian ethics.

Therefore Christian ethics is impossible without the ethical Life of Christ.

Christian ethics in a sense is faith in action.

It encourages life lived in right relationship with God and people.

Christian ethics is not a philosophical thing; it is the way of life of Christ as foreshadowed in Micah.

(II) Christian ethics is established in the teaching and things of Jesus Christ.

It applies this teachings to the manifold problems and decisions of human existence.
SOME OF FOUNDATION OF SAYINGS OF JESUS CHRIST;

a) the Beatitudes; Matthew 5: 1 to 12 the Beatitudes depicts on beautiful and blessed life that must
be persuaded by people who belong or desire to belong to the kingdom of God.

True happiness is in those Beatitudes which include; but you have spirit (5:3), mourning (5:4),
meekness (5:5), Hungarian and testing for righteousness (5:6) mercy (5:7) purity in heart (5:8),
peace-making (5:9), righteousness sufferers(5:10) the resilient for Christ (5:11 and 12)

(b) The Golden rule Matthew 7:12, this is a golden saying in which our Lord Jesus Christ urges us to
seek the highest good for others, the same way we want them to do good for us. Those who want
mercy show Mercy and those who want to be given must give. Thus we ought to put on other
people's shoes if we are tempted to harm them.

(c) The great commandment Mark 12:30 to 31 Jesus instructs us towards a duo, vertical and
horizontal relationship.

On one hand (vertical) to love God "with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength"

On the other hand, (horizontal) we must love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

This love does not mean exclude our enemies but extends Goodwill to all people.

It's true nature is decided in 1st Corinthians 13: 4-13.

It is exemplified in Jesus Christ's death on an accursed cross for sinners (John 3:16) and
consummates or is implied in charitable deeds by those who follow and love Jesus Christ.

According to Jesus Christ, love is what fulfils all the love and Prophets of the Old testament.

(d) The rest of the salmon of the mountain and the four Gospels.

In the sermon the mountain (Matthew 5:7) Jesus and encapsulates the Holiness, righteousness,
Justice, love and grace of a personal moral God whom he reviews and embodies in his own
character.

Therefore, pertaining to Jesus being the foundation of ethics, Christian ethics is geared towards
disciplining, mentoring, nurturing and grooming Learners towards the good of becoming like Jesus
Christ (forming a Christ-like character).

Christian ethics shapes the behaviour, values and attitudes of Learners in the bid to raise people who
live life which is pursuant to doing God's will ideally.

2. GOD'S ABSOLUTELY HOLY CHARACTER COUPLED WITH HIS WILL

God's character is the second foundation of Christian ethics.

Christian ethics is grounded in the character of God who is understood to be a Trinity.

NB Trinity implies that God is one but he exists in three persons or offices but not in three separate
individuals or separate gods.

First, the holy character of God determines human contact it's the yardstick or standard for all
human behavior, values, and attitudes.
Human beings must be holy because the Lord our God is Holy;

Leviticus 19:2

Matthew 5:48

1st Peter 1:15

God's holiness is the highest good (summum bonum) that only humanity must aim at.

All principles of human conduct and action which are discussed by Christian ethics aim at realizing
that God of holiness.

Second, Christian ethics is constructed on the wil and purpose design of God for the universe.

The Bible comes that God reviews his will and purposes for humanity.

Therefore, humanity is exorted to concern all its life, desires, ambitions, and affairs with his will and
purposes.

Humanity must relentlessly pursue righteousness (Matthew 5:6) and the values of God's Kingdom (
rule in all creation)

Like our Lord Jesus Christ, our character, life, values, attitudes and general conduct must manifest
the purpose, will, and values of God's Kingdom.

3. God's written white as a whole Psalms 119:11, 105

1 Timothy 3:16 to 17

Psalm 119 testifies to the truth of the ability of God's word.

God's word is a "lamp to my feet and a light to my path" psalms 119:105.

Christian ethics is founded on the Mosaic law and the prophets of the Old testament in which God
revealed himself and Jesus Christ fulfilled in the New testament Matthew 5:17.

Both new and the Old testament work together to provide a foundation for human behavior, values
and attitude.

The inherent link between the New testament and the Old testament is that old is considered to be
preparatory to what happens in the new.

The Old testament presents God's plan and promises whereas New testament affirms the fulfillment
of those promises.

Thus, as St Augustine put it forth ,the Old testament is revealed in the New and the New is
conceaded in the Old.
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT
JOHN 14:16, 26

GALATIANS 5:16, 22 TO 23

In the Trinity the holy spirit is the person who affects and powers Christlike character in us.

This character is figuratively known as the fruit of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:22-23)

The antidote to this beautiful character is the fruit of the flesh (Galatians 5:19 to 21)

Christian ethics is futile without the Holy Spirit.

Our lives must believed in the holy spirit so as to do God's Will and not to satisfy the flesh ( Galatians
5:16)

The Holy Spirit facilitates, regeneration, creating in us and new God-powered life which is after God's
will.

He satisfies, moulds, beautifies us so we can be more and more like Jesus Christ day by day.

He comforts, counsels, encourages, rebuilds, restores, revives and renews as everyday.

He convicts yet assures us of God's unconditional love and forgiveness.

He informs, reforms and transforms us to make us fit for God's Kingdom.

 CHRISTIAN ETHICS NOTES 2
HUMAN TRAFFICKING

I. DEFINITION & INTRODUCTION

Human trafficking is a process by which unsuspecting people are recruited in
their communities in the disguise of employment opportunities but are instead
exploited for cheap labor and subjected to various kinds of physical,
psychological, emotional, social and economic abuse.
MOTIVE FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Human traffickers trick vulnerable people into dubious activities which include
but not limited to
 Drug trafficking
 Human organ trade
 Sex slavery & prostitution
 Cheap or unpaid labor
 Forced marriage
 Human sacrifice and witch craft
 Indulgence in petty crimes
 Begging
 Participation in armed combat
 Illegal adoption

NB: The international labor organization (ILO) estimates that more than 40
million people are indulged in different forms of human trafficking

 Among these, 36 million people are victims of forced labor globally

 Trafficking for sex constitutes 58% of the victims of human trafficking.
 Of people who are trafficked for sex, women constitute 60%
 Children constitute 27% with two thirds of them being girls.

TRAFFICKERY/ METHODS USED FOR TRAFFICKING

a) Forceful kidnap
b) Fraud
c) Coercion
 d) Victimization
e) Threats and intimidation
f) Using debt bondage
g) Repeated false promises
h) Multiple means of control e.g. Brainwashing, demeaning, no allowing
questions, e.t.c.

MEANS OF ENSLAVEMENT AND RETENTION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

VICTIMS
i.) Victimization
ii.) Retention of earnings
iii.) Restriction of movement by retaining travel documents
iv.) Isolation from the meaningful or helpful contacts e.g close friends and
relatives.
v.) Restrictions of communication
vi.) Electronic monitoring systems
vii.) Psychoactive use of substance (Drugging)
viii.) Trickery in overworked signed documents
ix.) Corruption of security and aviation organs
x.) Terrorization by exposure to torture methods and consequences
xi.) Containing victims to places with poor living conditions without basic
facilities like clean water proper air circulation, electricity, and heating.
xii.) Over charging trafficking victims with transport taxes with wages taken
directly from their accounts so as to impoverish them.

WHY HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS A BIG ISSUE TO CHRISTIAN ETHICS

i. It is an offense against the gospel and the liberation agenda of our Lord
Jesus Christ
The gospel agenda is well outlined in Luke 4:18
ii. Human trafficking is an affront of God’s character of mercy and justice to
the oppressed
Exodus 3, Deuteronomy 14:28-29
iii. It is modern day slavery. Jesus calls us friends, not slaves. John 15:14-15
By calling us friends, Jesus revolutionizes our relationship with Him.
Therefore, essentially Jesus detests slavery.
 iv. Human trafficking is a crime against humanity. (It is inhumane) Humans
are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, any efforts
towards human welfare must be geared towards enhancing, not
undermining that image.
v. Human trafficking violates human dignity and sexual morality.
vi. It takes advantage of the poor and the vulnerable people. People who are
disadvantaged need those who can help them out of their predicament
without condition
E.g the unemployed must be supported without taking advantage of their
predicament and those who are in a bondage of debt should be
redeemed by people of good will.
vii. In conclusion, human trafficking is ungodly and not consistent with God’s
will to deliver His people and promote their welfare.
(Jeremiah 29:11) It undermines equality and equity of people who were
made in God’s image and causes disorientation, confusion, fear and
trauma among its victims.
A BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING
i.) Note that God commands us to do justice Micah 6:8 and not to oppress
those who are already disadvantaged.
ii.) Those in power and are blessed by God with prosperity and plenty must not
plunder the poor. (Isaiah 3:14-15)
iii.) God’s people must be the prophetic voice of change as far as this evil is
concerned. We should speak up for the victims of trafficking in society.
iv.) We have to get engaged in the work of building hope among the youth and
other marginalized people to look out for self-development opportunities
within their communities.
v.) We should encourage young people towards careers that will protect and
care for the abused.
vi.) Pastors, and Christian educators should teach Biblical foundations and
principles of justice.
vii.) We should teach openly against pornography, exploitation, violence and
the objectification of women as we expose the evil of human trafficking.
 HIV/AIDS
INTRODUCTION
HIV-HUMAN IMMUNO-DEFFICIENCY VIRUS
AIDS-ACQUIRED IMUNNE DEFFICIENCY SYNDROME
AIDS is a pandemic which was first diagnosed in 1981.
By March 2008 (15 years ago), it had killed more than 25 million people
globally.
Much as there has been relaxation by some people in the fight against this
scourge, it continues to spread.
70% of people infected with HIV live in Africa.
According to the ministry of Health in Uganda, by 2020, the HIV prevalence
is as follows;
5.4% among adults aged 15-49 (About 1.4 million people are currently living
with HIV in Uganda.)
Prevalence among women = 7.2% of all infected
Prevalence against men = 4.3%

According to HIV/AIDS data,

 Approximately 570 young women aged 15-24 get infected with HIV/AIDS
every week in Uganda.
 Uganda is second to South Africa where 2636 people get infected every
week.
 HIV prevalence is highest in the central region (10.4%)

AGENTS OF HIV AIDS

a) Infected semen
b) Infected blood (contact with it) through injection or blood transfusion.

WHY HIV/AIDS CONTINUES TO STING

i.) Ignorance of the disease: How it spreads and how it can be prevented
ii.) Carriers of the virus may not show the sign of illness due to improved
medication. Therefore unsuspecting people indulge in unprotected sex
with them.
iii.) Stigma- some people who carry the virus fear to come out openly to
declare their states for fear of being discriminated against.
 iv.) Some risky cultural practices e.g widow inheritance and unsafe
circumcision.
v.) Sexual violence: Some inhumane & brutal sexual practices still happen e.g
rape.
vi.) Unhumanitanian motives by companies which produce the life-sustaining
drugs needed to treat HIV. They overprice the drugs making it inaccessible
to the poor.
vii.) Traditional attitudes towards sex also account for the spread of HIV/AIDS
e.g one may refuse to wear a condom.
viii.) Drug and alcohol abuse: When in a drunken state, people may lose their
sense of judgement and indulge in unprotected sexual activity.
ix.) Fear and denial: People fear to test for HIV for not wanting to face the
truth of their true status, others live in a state of denial that HIV/AIDS is
not real or it cannot get them of all people.
x.) Not talking openly about HIV/AIDS: Many young people stay unaware
about the magnitude of this disease and how to handle their lives if
infected.

ETHICAL ISSUES RELATED TO HIV/AIDS

I. HIV and personal moral decision and choice
 God created us with the power to make responsible choices and
decisions. We have an inherent capacity to
 Restrain from pre-marital and extra-marital sex which is the
main avenue of HIV infection.
 Not abuse drugs or indulge in risky behavior which may lead to
infection.
 Therefore we must know that our moral decisions and choices about
our lifestyles have personal and social consequences.
 HIV/AIDS cannot be blamed on God but on the choices we make.
II. SUFFERING OF THE INNOCENT
 However, we must understand that though a chain of HIV infections
may begin with someone who acts unethically, the disease can spread
to innocent people who are leading moral lives. The innocent
 sufferers may include faithful spouses, babies, victims of rape and
defilement, victims of accidents, etc.
III. UNINFECTED BUT AFFECTED PEOPLE
 HIV/AIDS affects family members who are not infected. Grandparents,
pastors, friends, and relatives take on the responsibility of orphaned
children when their parents die.
 Government economies are affected as money meant for education,
industries and other sectors may be relocated to HIV/AIDS care and
prevention programs.
 Children living in streets may increase and street crime become more
rampant, thus affecting society.
IV. HIV/AIDS AND ECONOMIC BUSINESS
 There are theological questions raised by the pandemic e.g
o Is HIV a divine punishment or judgement?
o Should the church let couples be tested for HIV/AIDS before they
can be married? (What if they refuse to test?)
I.e. should testing be mandatory or voluntary?
o What should the church do when an engaged couple prove to be
positive? Should the Church marry them?
o What if only one partner is infected?
o What about the issue of confidentiality? Can the pastor inform the
uninfected personality about the infected status of their spouses?

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON HIV/AIDS

i.) IS HIV/AIDS A DIVINE PUNISHMENT OR JUDGEMENT?
The answer is NO and YES.
No because:-
a) Not every case of HIV is caused by sexual promiscuity
b) Jesus warned us not to interpret calamities as God’s specific
judgement upon evil people. (Luke 13:1-5)
c) Some innocent people may suffer for the manifestation of God’s
glory. John 9
YES because:-
a) At the most basic level, sin is responsible for human suffering. It is at the
root of every disease for if there was no sin, there would be no disease.
 b) Sometimes we can suffer because of sin, though not our own sins but
the sins of others. Exodus 20:5, 2Samuel 24:1-17.
c) There is also a sense in which we reap what we sow. Gal 6:7. (This is a
cause-and-effect-mechanism at work).

 We need to know that evil actions that evil actions bring evils bring evil
consequences.
 Any kind of careless lifestyle displeases God.
 Such choices and decisions make us susceptible to disease and
premature death.

A CHRISTIAN ETHICAL RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS

Our response centers on the following on the following aspects:-
i.) Combatting ignorance and myths surrounding the disease through mass
education, open talk, and sensitization campaigns.
ii.) Embracing our responsibility proclaim the holistic gospel of love, hope,
abundant life, justice, healing and deliverance. Luke 4:18 , John 10:10
iii.) Embodiment of Jesus Christ’s heart of compassion and mercy to the
suffering people. Luke 10:27-37 , Malachi 6:8 , James 1:27
iv.) Exercising the Good Samaritan spirit by not passing on the other side
when others suffer but to satisfy the authenticity of our religion by taking
care of orphans, widows, the infected and the affected.
v.) Embarking on our Christian social responsibility as we are the light of the
world.
vi.) Putting into practice the Golden Rule Matthew 7:12 (i.e. doing good to all
people, Gal 6:9-10)
vii.) Exercising charity and authentic neighour love. Working on promoting
fidelity and sexual purity atmosphere in society.
viii.) Gain authentic biblical message about sin and suffering.
ix.) We should resist simplistic claims about the disease as always being the
result of personal sin.
x.) Working on promoting fidelity and sexual purity atmosphere in society.
xi.) We ought to get a wider picture about sin and suffering. John 9 (Whole
story)
xii.) Practice prayer, intercession, discipleship and evangelism.
xiii.) To withdraw all judgmental and condemning attitudes by emulating the
example of our Lord Jesus Christian and the woman caught in adultery.
John 8:11 , Luke 6:37
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
1) Why is HIV infection considered a major among women and children?
2) How is poverty a connection to HIV infections?
3) What issues exacerbate the spread of HIV?
4) What are the social cultural issues that may escalate the spread of HIVAIDS?

SEXUALITY
1.0 Definition
i.) State of being male or female. This embraces the totality of what a full man
or woman is.
Question: What defines a complete man or woman?
When we hear statements such as “man up” what do we make of them?
 NB: There may be stereotype definitions or perception of a man or
woman.
Physically, Psychologically. Emotionally, socially, e.t.c.
 There are also stereotype roles generalized or perceived to belong to
particular genders: Can you think of any?
ii.) Sexual intercourse
 A physical, mental, and sometimes spiritual and emotional intimate union
between persons.

Ethical issues pertaining to sex

1. Sexual vulgarization. – This centers on desecrating sex by taking it away
from its original purposed frame work. It involves using sex in the most
demeaning way or forms of abuse, e.g
 Rape
 Bestiality
 Pamphilia
 Incest
 Pornography
 Sadomasochism –sex with anyone, anytime, anywhere, anyhow,
anything.
2. Sexual Worship (Idolization)
 Putting sex above all things as though it were all in all, e.g the view that
man is a sex animal.
 The assumption that an average man thinks about sex 6 times every
minute
 That humans think sex, talk sex, breath sex, walk sex, dress sex, e.t.c.
 Sexualized entertainment, dressing, advertisement, e.t.c.
 Sex worship is what undermines self-control, some people putting
themselves under the mercy of their lusts and sinful passions.
3. Sex addiction (Persistent, compulsive sexual behaviour)
 Sex that stems from emotional pain rather than emotional desire.
 Fertile is a situation where the addict is involved in a dysfunctional
relationship with a mood altering substance or activity.
 Addicts use sex to mask or medicate emotional pain.
 Sex addiction is deteriorating in that:-
 It avoids the underlying pain rather that deal with it.
 It provides temporary relief rather than long term resolution.
 Sexual addiction entangles a person in a downward spiral of
increasing involvement in sexual activity which eventually goes
beyond control.
  The addict then experiences increasing pain, shame and
loneliness.
 Addicts put their families at stake, expose them to risks of scandal,
and compromise of their long-held values.

Apparently, addiction goes through these levels

a) Continuous exposure to sexual deviations.
b) Indulgence in pornography, masturbation, promiscuous relationships or
sex with prostitutes.
c) Exhibitionism, voyeurism and phone sex
d) Sex crime and violence including rape, incest and child molestation.

Sexual addicts are people of low self-esteem and thrive on isolation.

Therefore any important part of the healing process is to break through the
isolation and denial barrier.
Helping them out of addiction may necessitate:-
 Working through the unresolved pain
 Bringing them out of isolation to care giving or support groups.
 Exposure to new beliefs, values and attitudes and coping
alternatives.

SEXUAL HARRASSMENT
Definition
Unwelcome sexual advance, demand for sexual favors, remarks or conduct of a
sexual and coercive nature.
Sexual harassment includes the following range of behaviours:-
 Sexual jokes
 Offensive phone calls or social media comments
 Display of obscene pornographic photographs, pictures, posters, reading
literature or objects.
 Sexual propositions or persistent unwelcome requests for dates
 Obscene gesture towards some uninterested person
 Persistent staring
 Physical contact such as patting, pinching, pecking or touching in a
sexual way.
  Unnecessary familiarity such as deliberately brushing against a person or
putting an arm around another person’s body at work.
 Uncalled for remarks or insinuations about a person’s sex or private life.
 Suggestive comments about a person’s body or appearance.
 Leering, wolf-whistles, cat calls, obscene or indecent exposure.
 Sexual assault and rape
 Girl watching and evaluation
 Sexual saturated humor

Common places and situation for harassment

 Workplace
 Home
 Shops
 Lifts
 Car (automobiles) /Boda Boda
 Online
 Teacher-student relationships
 Doctor-patient relationships
 Counsellor-client relationships
 Student-student relationships

Cases of harassment
i.) Power ego
 People especially men, may harass to show power
 Harassment centers on the idea that a person in power has the right to
impose his sexuality on another regardless of that other person’s wishes.
 Therefore harassment is inherently violent and seeks to insert the
dominance of the attacker.
ii.) Masculine Patronage
 Another issue related to power ego is masculine maintenance: When
some men feel threatened, they use sexual harassment as a tool to
reinforce or assert male dominance.
iii.) Uncontrolled attraction: Some harassers have fatal attraction towards
other people but fail to control their sexual urge. This also goes hand in
hand with feeling of entitlement to every available beauty.
iv.) Objectification of people of other gender: Some people see women or men
merely as play things or objects of sex. They vulgarize other people’s
bodies, seeing them as sexual pleasure tools to satisfy their sexual appetite.
v.) Misunderstanding: Sexual harassment may arise from misunderstanding,
misjudging or misinterpretation of gestures of love, remarks, motives or
intentions e.g a girls smiles at a boy and the boy interprets the smile as a
sexually inviting gesture.
Some of the misunderstood gestures include:-
 Words of endearment e.g darling
 Gifts of appreciation
 Consistent care about you
 A girl or boy sitting closer to you or sleeping on your bed.
Think about this: When a woman calls you sweetheart, is she saying it loosely
or is she expressing feelings for you?

vi.) Ignorance
 A perplexing fact about sexual harassment is that some perpetrators may
be completely unaware that they are actually harassing you.
 Also a few targeted victims may also not be aware of what is actually is
happening. At least they may be confused.

Ethical Impact of sexual harassment

i.) It demands God’s original purpose for creating man and woman. Both were
created in God’s image to complement and support each other: not to
dominate, control or see each other as objects of self-gratification (Genesis
1:26-27)
Man and woman are equal in that they have equal value before God.
Therefore, all relationships including marriage should be characterized by
mutual submission, love and justice.
Mark 12:31, Ephesians 5:21-33, Colossians 3:18 - 4:1.
Our sexual attitude to one another must be marked with purity, care,
compassion and true love.
ii.) Sexual harassment may subject the harassed person to adverse effects of
fear, suspicion, tension, mistrust, stress, social disorientation, anger,
embarrassment, shame, trauma, e.t.c. These effects are not what God
intends for any human being. God intends to make us prosper Jer 29:11,
 make us free Gal 5:1, take away shame from us Psalm 34:5, rid us of the
spirit of fear Rom 8:15.
God desires our peace Philippians 4:6-7, our purity, Philippians 4:8 and our
joy John 16:22, e.t.c
iii.) Sexual harassment may create a hostile and unsafe or offensive work
environment.
iv.) May result in adverse employment or vacancy decisions such as the victim’s
demotion, firing or resigning. All these effects are contrary to God’s divine
nature of love and justice.
v.) Harassment may further more produce post-complaint retaliation and
backlash against the victim, that is:-
 The victim becomes the accused or subject of blame.
 Victim may be hated or accused of blackmail.
 Some women after become jealousy over victims and hurl all sorts of
accusations.

RESPONDING TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT

i. Acknowledge its existence: Do not live in denial. It is a reality which we
live with in different contexts such as home, school, and workplace even
in religious settings.
ii. Deal with stereo-type traditional roles which preach false
submissiveness. Negative or false submission limits complaints against
sexual harassment while giving liberty and security to the people in a
position of power to pursue inappropriate and illegal behaviour.
iii. Provide an environment which is free of power imbalances which make
sexual harassment possible.
iv. Encourage relationships in which people value each other as persons in
their own right, discouraging attitudes towards people as sexual objects.
v. Provide education and sensitization on the unacceptability of behavior
which constitute sexual harassment.
vi. Give care, counselling and other support mechanisms to those with
problems in the area of sexual harassment.
vii. Respond to victims of sexual harassment with compassion. Remember
that they are victims and check out on their teachings of guilt, anger,
 powerlessness, vulnerability and conflicting loyalties. Look out for the
possibility of there being physical or other forms of injury.
viii. Perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions but may also
need counselling and support in order to change and recover from their
experience.

SEXISM
Definition
Sexism refers to attitudes or actions that discriminate against women or men
on the grounds of gender.

Manifestations of sexism in our day to day lives

i. Tolerating and legitimizing social, cultural and legal practices which favor
one gender against the other.
ii. Tolerating lower wage rates for women even though they share the same
workload with men.
iii. Denying married women the right to own property.
iv. Excluding women from holding many church or public offices
v. Using derogatory language or comments against a woman holding a
position of responsibility.
vi. Legitimizing male superiority by imaging God in male ways.
vii. Expressing surprise at a woman who is driving or doing mechanical work.
viii. Using the generalized statements against a given gender e.g all men are
cheats, women are silly, e.t.c.
ix. Restricting leadership to men and referring home-maker lifestyles for
women: some people assume that the male role is to lead and the female
role is to follow.
x. Lack of some gender inclusive terms in some languages e.g until recently,
the English language used the word Man to refer to both male and female.

Ethical response to sexism

 i.) The Holy Scripture do not encourage gender discrimination or demeaning.
That’s why practice and attitudes which demean women and men such as
rape, assault and lust and covertly, and gender oppression are rejected.
ii.) The Bible affirms the equality of men and women as both of them were
created in the image of God. Genesis 1:26
iii.) Both men and women are eligible for salvation in Christ. Christ saves both
and makes them a new creation, fit for God’s kingdom which has no gender
distinctions.
 Therefore whereas we may emphasize the distinctive roles of male and
female, we must affirm their equality of essence and opportunity for
ministry.
 We ought to appreciate the incredible distinctiveness of masculine and
feminine aspects of human nature without promoting or undergirding
detrimental sexist attitudes which demean people in their respective
genders.
 We should be sensitive to the needs and assurances of each gender, adapt
politically correct language and live in a way that compliments each
gender’s roles and strengths.
 POLITICS & POWER
POLITICS
Broad definition
 The organized conduct of relationships in any form of human community.
 Therefore it is the art of organizing human society or community.
 In this broad sense of politics, there can be; ecclesiastical politics, sexual
politics, school politics, classroom politics, e.t.c
Narrower scope
The commonest definition of politics is “the government of human society in
the state.”

DIVINE LEGITIMACY, PURPOSE AND EXPECTATION OF GOVERNMENT

(POLITICAL AUTHORITY)
 Christianity regards political authority as a necessary feature of human
society in the world.
 Political authority comes from God and all human governments owe their
legitimacy to God.
 Rulers are chosen by God and given a divine mandate implement God’s just
rule in their political domains.
 Therefore political government are ideally God’s appointed servants to
execute justice. They are given power to intervene to protect God’s most
vulnerable subjects from their powerful subjects from Psalm 72:4, 12-14,
Jeremiah 22 :15-16
 Government are entrusted with the responsibility to serve in the interest of
all and especially protect the rights of the weakest.
 Their institution and success is to be critically evaluated in the light of the
Biblical concerns namely:-
a) The equal rights and freedom of all
b) Justice for the most vulnerable
c) Discerning and exercising God’s will in all matters of
society.
 Governments therefore are set apart by God to ensure freedom and
equality for all people and equality for all people, economic justice and
peace between nations.
JESUS CHRIST’S TAKE ON POLITICAL GOVERNMENT
CF MARK 12 : 13-17
 In Mark 12:13-17, Jesus distances himself from the radical positions of
Jewish religious nationalists who rejected the legitimacy of Caesar’s rule
over God’s people.
 The devoted Jews thought that they had to be subjected only to God.
 Against the Jewish position, Jesus makes the point that God’s rights over
His people do not exclude Caesar’s legitimate rights.
 God’s people must pay God what is due and to Caesar what is due to
Caesar.
 People must worship and serve their God faithfully but they must also
pay taxes to Caesar so as to execute His responsibility of organizing
society.
 However, it is worth to note that Jesus’s saying and emphasis on giving
God’s due does not mean an absolute demarcation between Caesar’s
sphere of authority and God’s.
 Political affairs are too subject to God.
 Therefore, by affirming Caesar’s right to collect taxes, Jesus does not
mean condone the oppression of actual Roman rule (Mark 10:42)

ST PAUL’S POSITION ON POLITICAL AUTHORITY (ROMAN 13)

 Like Jesus Christ, St. Paul also asserts the legitimacy of the Roman
government.
 Paul has the Old Testament mindset of a THEOCRACY (God ruling his
people through human agents i.e. Kings and political rulers)
 According to St. Paul:-
a) All authority comes from God.
 b) God’s people are subjects of the empire, with no special
privileges and must not expect to be exempted from Roman rule.
c) God’s people, therefore must render the ordinary duties of
citizens to their government.
d) Human government have a God-given role which even pagan
rulers can fulfill.
e) Political authority are thus entitled to the respect and co-
operation of citizens including Christians.
THE QUESTION ON SUBMISSION TO OPPRESSIVE POLITICAL
GOVERNMENT
I. Having affirmed the legitimacy of political governments however, it is
worth noting that the legitimacy of government is called to question
under any of the following circumstances :-
a) A government setting itself against God’s rule (e.g factors leading
to the rejection of King Saul.)
b) Exercising unjust governance
c) Flouting divine justice
d) Making divine justice
e) Making totalitarian claims
f) Usurping Divine rule
g) Persistent abuse of power
II. There are also biblical examples of where legitimacy of some political
authority may be called to question e.g
 In Acts 5:29, the government’s right to absolute is objected to
obedience to political government is being depicted as being relative.
 Psalm 94 was written to forfeit the God-given legitimacy of
governments who act with flagrant injustice instead of implementing
God’s just rule. Psalm 94:20.
 The psalmist actually can pray for their overthrow (Psalm 94:1-2, 23)
 In revelation chapter 13, the Roman imperial power (the beast) is seen
to derive its power and authority from the Devil.(Rev 13:2)
The evil of the beast is that it absolutizes itself, demanding from its
subjects the absolute loyalty due only to God. (Rev 13:4-14)

CHRISTIAN REPONSE
 i.) In the face of totalitarian claims by secular governments, Christians must
witness to the ultimate rule of God by refusing the absolute allegiance
demanded by the state.
ii.) Example should be derived from the world-wide Christian martyrs of the
early church who accepted to die because of their acknowledgement of the
leadership of Christ and refusal to participate in the political religion which
absolutised the Roman state.
iii.) However, believers must acknowledge and affirm the positive role
government towards promoting God’s kingdom.
iv.) Believers must submit to government and co-operate with it in regard to its
involvement in liberating God’s people as it was in the time of Exodus.
v.) Political leaders must be reminded constantly that all power comes from
God and belongs to God. Matthew 26:64, John 19:11
Political power is delegated power. Political governments are human agents
to whom God delegates His power in the form of authority or office
(Genesis 1:26-28)
Psalm 8:5-8. Some of the delegates of God’s power include priests, judges,
rulers, apostles and elders.

vi.) Believers must also remind rulers of the purpose of God’s delegated power.
The purpose of God’s delegated power. The purpose of power is threefold :-
a) To promote good
b) To resist evil
c) To carry out God’s will as God’s representatives

vii.) Believers must not see political power as sinful per se. Although in Acton’s
famous dictum it is purported that power corrupts. It is also true that
powerlessness or unwillingness to use legitimate power can also corrupt.
viii.) We must be careful never to pervert power by puffing it in the hands of
sinful people. Sinful people given power can bring about widespread
destruction, pain and immorality. Micah 2:1-2, James 5 :1-6
ix.) We must emphasize that power is servant hood :-
Mark 10:42-45, John 10:17-18, Romans 1:16, 1 Cor 1:18
x.) Therefore all forms of power including political power must find their true
place in a life of love lived in the power of Jesus Christ (John 13:1, Phil 2:5-
11)

TECHNOLOGY
Definition: May be understood in 3 ways:-
a) The production of actual objects e.g computers, cars (ARTEFATS)
b) Involvement in the processes of getting things done e.g oil mining,
producing medicine, purifying water, preserving milk or food, e.t.c.
(PRODUCTION & PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY)
c) Specialized knowledge about things people do or produce (TECHNICAL
KNOWLEDGE)

NB: Today technology is more central than ever to social, political and
economic life. It may now be thought of as an aspect of cultural life. It is
expanding at an accelerating pace, prompting expensive research programs
and leaving people to play a catch up game with it all the time.
 Biblical Understanding of technology
 Biblically, technology is the human response to the divine mandate,
responsibility to open up the potential of the creation. (Gen 1:26-28)
 From the earliest times, human beings have made tools and used them.
 The use of technology from Biblical times can be traced in activities such as
 Hunting
 Cooking
 Fighting
 Transport
 Farming
i. Technology has evolved through different eras such as :-
 Bronze age
 Iron age
 Industrial age
 Enlightenment age
 Modern age
 Post-modern age
 Computer age , e.t.c
ii. Before the modern world era, technology, along with science, was not a
major social institution in its own right.
iii. Rather it was embodied in and integrated with Christian doctrine,
perspectives and practice.
E.g Isaac Newton emphasized that all diligent world labor must bring glory
to God through discovering his wisdom. According to Newton, technology
cannot be divorced from God’s revelation because it is a manifestation of
God’s wisdom as revealed in His creation.
iv. However, since the Victorian times, technology has been divorced from
Christian perception, making it solidly responsible for human progress.

CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

i.) Reduction of pain and drudgery.
ii.) Improve on the material quality of life, comforts and security.
iii.) Making communication and transport easy through phones, planes,
satellites, internet, e.t.c.
iv.) Simplified commerce & trade
 v.) Production of medicine, therefore improving in health standards and life
span
vi.) Simplifying work
vii.) Improved research methodology
viii.) More control over the hostile environment
ix.) Provision of worship technology to facilitate worship and enhance sermon
presentation
x.) Tele-evangelism and radio evangelism improved
xi.) Extension of education to all places via e-learning.

ABUSE OF TECHNOLOGY
i. Using technology in a way that does not reflect the rubric of God’s
character and attitude to the world.
God sustains creation out of love in faithfulness and justice. Technology is
expected to be aligned with that character.
ii. Promoting anti-social and in human technologies and using technology as a
destructive weapon against human relationships, e.g the making of sex dolls
and other sex technologies to demean marriage, human organ harvesting
and trafficking.
iii. Making technology an object of transferred trust in a way comparable to
relying on chariots and spears. (Isaiah 31:1-3) and the story of the tower of
Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)
 In cases such as that of the tower of Babel, technology is idolatrous in
intention. It is a typical case of misdirected and idolatrous technology.
iv. When technology is not geared or purposed towards Glorifying God as the
Bible admonishes us to do all things whole heartedly as unto the Lord.
(Colossians 3:23)
v. Directing technology away from the eschatological goal of being
transformed from the destructive to the social useful e.g in Micah 4:3,
swords are to be transformed to pruning hooks. That is the Biblically
commendable goal.
vi. Creating and promoting a death culture. Through technology, death is made
cheap and faster through
 Abortion
 War mongering
  Euthanasia and suicide
 Lethal injections
 Mustering show killing poisons
 Production of biological and chemical weapons, e.t.c.
vii. Using technology as a tool of neo colonialism by creating a new form of
dependency and control of the weak by the powerful e.g the powerful
restrict the weak from producing vaccines and other life essentials to
continue their dominance.
viii. Sexual exposure made rampant. Access to pornography is made easy via
internet and the readily available gadgets e.g. smart phones, computers, &
Wi-Fi.
ix. Forgery, fraud, and cyber-crime is made easy too.
x. Too much tinkering with divine order and design e.g through genetic
engineering, private parts tinkering, e.t.c.
xi. Over rating and creating a god in technology by taking it to be :-
 A means of utopian redemption
 A dominant controlling force to all areas of life
 A means of explaining social changes
 As being omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.
 Technology has been presumed by some people to revolutionize the world
in a way that renders God unnecessary! Such people hold the Utopian view
that technology will totally
 Abolish or eliminate scarcity
 Remove all human conflict and suffering
 Increase crop yields (green revolution)
 Produce space weaponry to create a defensive shield
ETHICAL ISSUES IN TECHNOLOGY
i.) Technological pessimism
Due to its rampant abuse, some people are skeptic and blind to see the myriad
of its functions and usefulness. It must be noted, however that the world at
large lives in the salience of three features namely:-
a) Creation
b) Fall (broken covenant of sin)
c) Redemption
  Many things were created good, fell by sin, and made redemption
necessary. Abuse if something must not make us neglect or ignore the
aspect of technology which can facilitate our cultural divine mandate to
improve on our work.
ii.) Technological Utopianism and over optimism
There are however, those who have made idolatry out of technology, thinking
of it as being all powerful and sufficient to solve all human powerful and
dilemmas.
These have to be reminded that God alone is sovereign and technology useful
as it is cannot save from sin, give eternal life or remove all pain and suffering.
iii.) The neutrality of technology
There is a view that technology is neutral or amoral. It can be used or abused,
depending on the user.
It must be noted that technology is the product of purposive human activity.
Humans can choose to use technology for the purposes of creation-care and
human benefit within the limits of the demands for justice and love.

STEWARDSHIP
 Stewardship refers to delegated or entrusted responsibility to keep,
manage and take care of another person’s wealth, property or resources in
a responsible, careful, transparent and accountable manner.
 A steward acts on behalf of his master to ensure that what he is entrusted
with is kept or used well in a way that honors and is profitable to the
master.

Dimensions or scope of stewardship

a) Stewardship of the earth
Psalm 24:1, Genesis 1:28-30
God put human kind at the summit of His creation and entrusted Him
with dominion and power to fill the land and subdue it.
b) Personal stewardship: Encompasses how we use God-given money,
time, talents, spiritual gifts, resources, our bodies, e.t.c.
 c) Stewardship of Human resources: This encompasses taking care of our
unemployed population. We attempt to attend to what causes mass
unemployment.
 We assess human activity to see whether the predicament of
unemployment skins man-made problems of reducing humanity to
terms of profit or economic worth.
 We assess and respond to the impact of technological changes and ask
whether such changes have been pursued without respect to human
values.
NB: WE ARE OUR BROTHERS’ KEEPER GEN 3:9
d) Stewardship of the gospel
 The household of God is entrusted with the faithful handing on of the
gospel through the spirit-endowed ministry of the whole body of Christ.
1Cor 4:1, 1Pet 4:10
 The church of God has been entrusted via the gospel with two mandates
a) The cultural mandate
b) The gospel mandate (Cultural commission)
 The cultural mandate (Cultural commission) is to proclaim the goodness
of holistic salvation Luke 4:18 and to adjust their life and life styles to the
values of God’s kingdom.
e) Stewardship of Social and Church resources.
f) Stewardship of our subjects (God’s people) as leaders

STEWARDSHIP AND THE GRACE OF GOD

The principle of stewardship is closely related to the concept of grace. By
grace we acknowledge that:-
 Everything comes from God as a free gift and is to be administered
faithfully on His behalf.
 We neither deserve or merit anything, therefore we minister with
gratitude and humility on behalf of God our Living King.

CHANGING TREND IN STEWARDSHIP

Out of ignorance, arrogance and selfishness, people today are changing the
concept of stewardship from stewardship to ownership.
 People are hesitant to acknowledge the lordship of God over His creation
and want to take the honor due to Him. You hear people say my church, my
people, my gospel, my country, my oil, m body, my choice, e.t.c
 This trend causes patronizing attitudes and indifference to worship and
expressing gratitude to God’s mercies.
 Further it makes leaders and other people to live without any sense of
accountability to God our ultimate boss.

MANIFESTATION OF BAD STEWARDSHIP & FORMS OF ABUSE OF

STEWARDSHIP
a) Ingratitude (Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 103)
b) Extravagant co-operate lifestyles (People squander public resources
widening the gap between the rich and the poor and creating a power
imbalance as the powerful seek to enrich only themselves)
c) False or foul acquisition of wealth. Many people attempt to limit the
concept of stewardship to the use and disposal of wealth.
d) Political exploitation: Leaders who care less about their subjects but subject
them to servitude and unjust taxation.
e) Confinement of stewardship to money collection using coercive and
manipulative fundraising styles or techniques.
f) Legalistic activism: Abusing Biblical passages and verses on giving and
loading the weight of