Christians recognize not only the duty to proclaim the Gospel, to profess thefaith, youcultGod, but also to live your whole life according to the will of God. Being God's people means following God's willlei, which means to walk in the way of truth (Psalm 25:4–5; 86:11) and obey it (Romans 2:8; Galatians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:22; 3 John 3–4). The double commandment is valid: love God and love your neighbor (mateo22:37–39). “Abide in love” is to abide in God, who is truth and love (1 John).
historically christianethicalTeaching has had two biblical foci: the Ten Commandments (Exodus20:1–17; Deuteronomy 5:6–21) and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Emphasis on one or the other has varied across time and space. The Decalogue, asTen commandmentsare sometimes called, is still valid for Christians, although thedivineground basecovenantbetween God and his chosen people was amplified, according to Christian belief, by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, a move reflected in the change of the main weekly "holy day" to the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 6). :12–15) on Sunday, the day of the Lord's Resurrection, when the Christiancommunitygathers to celebrate the new covenant in his blood and the beginning of the new creation. Christians hold that the "second table" of the Law - honoring parents and rejecting murder, adultery, theft, false witness and covetousness - applies universally, the core of a "natural law" that extends beyond community that received the will of God. “Special Revelation”. In that sense, it works at least to preserve society against the worst ravages ofsinuntil the preaching of the gospel reaches its full scope and ultimate goal.
NoSermon on the Mount,Jesusradicalized the Law, for example, making murderous anger and adulterous lust (Matthew 5:21–22, 27–28) and calling hisdisciplesto be “perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). At thebeatitudes(Matthew 5:1–12), the blessings Jesus offered in the Sermon on the Mount declared that the qualities and powers of God's impending kingdom were available among his followers in such a way that they would bear a distinct witness for God before the world (Matthew 5:1–12). 5:14–16). Christians believe that walking the “difficult way” (Matthew 7:13–14) is possible because of God's gift ofHoly Spirit(Lucas 11:9–13; cf. Mateo 7:7–12).
In Paul's epistles, the indicatives of gospel and faith serve to substantiate theimperativesof attitude and behavior. Following his exposition of God's saving actions in Christ in the first 11 chapters ofletter to the romansPaul states, "Therefore, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living body."sacrificeholy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this world [or was], but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may see what is the will of God, which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1–2). .
Christian ethical teaching and practice areintrinsicto the community of the faithful and to its life. In the early centuries, certain occupations were considered incompatible with being a Christian. According toApostolic Tradition, brothels, prostitutes, sculptors, painters, idol keepers, actors, coachmen, gladiators, soldiers, magicians, astrologers and soothsayers could not become Christians.Moral instructionit was given throughout the catechumenate, and many patristic homilies reveal the ethical teaching and exhortation practiced by preachers in liturgical assemblies.Medievalcatechesis included the Decalogue, the Beatitudes, and lists of virtues and vices. The regular administration of sacramental penance served to form individual character and conduct.
Much of the material was encoded inchurchmanrules known ascanon law. Although the early Christians could exert little or no influence over civil rulers, the "conversion of the Empire" under fourth-century emperorsConstantinoand Theodosius allowed bishops to have a say in the personal and political affairs of the emperors and in the wider life of society. In Christendom, legal systems claimed foundations in Christian teaching.
Modernity has brought a decline in the direct institutional role of churches in society, but the rise ofdemocracymotivatedchurchleaders assume a consultative capacity in the formulation of public policies, seeking to guide not only the members of their own ecclesiastical bodiescommunitiesbut also the wholebody politics. On the part of Roman Catholics, this has occurred all over the world through the so-called "social encyclicals" of the Popes ofLeon XIII(of new things, 1891; “Of new things”) throughJohn XXIII(Peace on earth, 1962; “Peace on Earth”), Paul VI (Development of Cities, 1968; “Progress of Peoples”), and John Paul II (exercising work, 1981; "Through work" andthe hundredth year, 1991; "The year 100"). Protestant denominations often make pronouncements and initiate programs through their national or international assemblies and agencies. HeWorld Council of Churches, a fellowship of Christian churches founded in 1948, formulated what are sometimes called "intermediate axioms" (for example, the notion of a "responsible society" or "justice, peace, and preservation of creation"), which should be ground common in which Christians andsecularbodies could meet to think and act.
A theological problem lies in the passage from the story ofsalvationin its broadest terms (the message of the gospel and the content of the faith, concisely and comprehensively formulated) to its promulgation in particular issues and instances. For example, it is sometimes held that certain acts are simply contrary to God's will and purpose for mankind and therefore are always morally wrong; however, there is also a view that circumstances can affect cases so much that the good can be served differently in different situations. The difficulties that accompany the passage from the general principle to the concretedisciplineare illustrated in the report of theAnglican-Roman Catholic International Commission,Life in Christ: morals, communion and the Church(1994). There it is stated that "Anglicans and Roman Catholics derive from Scripture and tradition the same controlling view of the nature and destiny of mankind and share the same fundamental moral values." Disagreements over issues such as "abortion and the exercise of homosexual relationships" areloweredat the level of “practical and pastoral judgment”, without taking into account the intermediate processes that could allow the development of material divergences. Here are questions not only of ecclesiastical but of civilization that the next generation can decide to review in the light of the moral teaching proposed to the church and the world in theencyclicalletters ofJohn Paul II,The Splendor of Truth(1993; “The splendor of the truth”) andthe gospel of life(1995; “OGospelof life").