Making Ethical Decisions
The overall goal for making ethical decisions should be to understand and then obey the teaching of the entire Bible with regard to any particular situation. Here are some steps readers should follow when having to make important ethical decisions:
(1) Pray. All decisions should rely on praying for God’s wisdom at the beginning and throughout the process (James 1:5).
(2) Study the Bible. Search for and seek understanding of all biblical passages and their principles that have relevance for the situation under consideration.
(3) Study the situation. Understand the situation by gathering and assessing relevant information (it is often impossible to make a wise decision until the facts become more clear).
(4) Study the people involved. Try to understand the character, motives, and values of the people involved or affected by the decision to be made, including any relevant background, personal habits and characteristics, motivations, and relationships, as well as special interests that may be influencing the reactions of each relevant party.
(5) The goal. Understand that the glory of God and the good of others are ever the twin purposes of moral action, and that the merely good or permissible must never be allowed to obstruct the quest for the best.
(Excerpt from ESV Study Bible p. 2537)
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