Week 2: Discusion1 Reply

I’m working on a Business exercise and need support.

1. Nikita

As we incur worldly changes, we must not conform. Moral principles have been identified in social ethics. The Ten Commandments were founded in Old Testament ethics. It is considered the backbone of the Christian way of life. Rae (2009) advises, “In the Old Testament, personal and social ethics were more overlapping. What was moral for the individual (personal ethics) was also generally moral for the society (social ethics)” (p. 34). If we look at the Ten Commandments, we can apply it to the laws of society. You should not murder is an example of the same moral principle. Murdering is not accepted no matter your age, color, background, or religion. I found it interesting that we are currently having an issue with injustice. Injustice was advertised in the Old Testament of ethics. Rae (2009) also says, “Injustice against the vulnerable and failure to advocate for them and take up their cause also characterizes a society that has gone spiritually astray” (p. 38). Just to imagine there was an issue with injustice at that time. It is still prevalent today. “You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16, NLT). This is integrated with a failure to advocate for the vulnerable. The Ten Commandments are personal morals that you can see in social ethics. The commandments do not change or alter. Society laws can frequently change or be made new. The Old Testament foundation is set in place as a guide for then and now. When Christians show obedience to the Old Testament foundation, it sheds light on Him.

Rae, S. (2009). Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics. (3rd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. ISBN 978-0310291091

2. Shelby

After finishing the reading from Moral Choices, the discussion the writer found most interesting about Old Testament ethics is how God placed special emphasis on helping and protecting the poor. According to Rae (2009, pg. 37), “God set up Israel under the Mosaic law with laws and structures in place to protect the vulnerable. The Law was structured to proactively prevent exploitation of the poor and vulnerable.” When discussing social and political issues of today, there seems to be a great divide on ways to protect the poor. Largely, conservatives tend to want much stricter regulations on who is eligible to receive federal or state government aid, while liberals seem to have more compassion for the poor and lobby for expansion of services for the less fortunate. God structured the Mosaic law so that it would be unlawful to exploit people who were poor. The contributed largely to Israel being a nation that was “set apart” for God. Proverbs 13:41(NIV) says, “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” The purpose and spirit of God teaches to be a servant to others, and the Old Testament ethics and Mosaic law lay out the guidelines on how to serve others in order to please God. The writer found the law of gleaning and the law of redemption especially interesting as they directly relate to the protection of the poor. Leaving the perimeter of the crops for the poor to harvest and allowing a man that loses his land to earn it back is evidence that God had compassion on the poor and vulnerable, and this example should prick the hearts of all Christians today (Rae, 2009).

Rae, S. (2009). Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics. (3rd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI:

Zondervan.