One definition of ethics I found was,
“Personal rules for behavior. Ethics are rules for behavior, based on beliefs about how things should be.“
From the above definition, it seems are ethics are akin to ‘what I think is right or acceptable is ethical to me.’ If you are not ethical like me then something is wrong with you because you are not like me.
So, let’s say I live in the Amazon jungle in a distant, secluded tribe of head hunters. In this tribe, cannibalism is ethical. If I eat someone else’s flesh then I supposedly receive their strength. This is not true of course, but could be an example of ethics.
To me, it seems ethics sometimes reside in the scope of a culture. At its core, ethics are subjective to the individual. In this subjectivity, ethics may not necessarily be true or real. I do not believe ethics are inspired by God, but by the self-imposed law on mans’ heart. If this is true, then ethics are a form of self-righteousness. People can have good, sincere motives in their self-righteousness, but no liberty or power in their life.
Truth aligns all things with itself. Things that are not real or true are not able to align with truth. Truth surpasses any and all realms of existence. Truth is eternal and never changes. Christ is the truth. The truth is in Him. This truth ‘knits’ together His Body, the Church, in love, by revelation of Him through grace unto godliness. This is a contrast to being ethical.
Ethics are limited to the person, culture, nation or even planet, but Truth is universal and omni-dimensional.
Ethics are based on man’s reasoning within himself and not Christ’s faith. Ethics require approval. My righteousness does not not. I am righteous by His faith in me through grace.
In Christ, we are ministers of the New Covenant, 2 Cor. 3:6.
I cannot mix the ‘required approval’ of ethics with the New Covenant otherwise it is no longer the New Covenant, but ‘another gospel’, 2 Cor. 11:4 & Gal. 1:7. The Testator and Mediator of the New Covenant has fulfilled, shelemed, and completed any and all requirements for my righteousness in Him!
In ethics, I am required to change or conform to it. The Gospel according to the New Covenant supernaturally changes me by grace, truth and revelation of Christ in me.
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