Ethics and the Sermon on the Mount

For those who might be interested, below is a paper I wrote titled "Ethics and the Sermon on the Mount." It was for a class at Denver Seminary so there were certain instructions to be followed in terms of what to cover.

The pain was intense. The ringing in my ears was so loud that I could not hear my wife when she talked in a normal voice next to me. I had awakened from the night’s sleep with blisters on both of my eardrums. The pain was growing worse. I quickly made my way to the doctor who prescribed some medicine that would temporarily help with the pain. I ingested the two pills and laid down on the couch. It was only a matter of minutes until the medication took effect and I began to notice the pain decreasing. As the pain went away I also noticed that my demeanor began to change as well. One hour prior I had been edgy and sensitive to everything around me; now I was very calm and actually enjoying life! It was an amazing thing to see the effects of merely ingesting the medicine I had been given. It had changed my whole outlook on the situation and changed the way I responded to what was occurring.

The same can be said of the Sermon on the Mount. While it is not medicine to cure one’s pain, and it is also not a means to salvation, it is something that needs to be internalized. In addition, as it is internalized it will begin to shape our attitudes and behavior. The Sermon on the Mount provides us with principles that will shape our attitudes and actions so that they are more consistent with the life of Jesus Christ. These attitudes and actions are at the heart of a personal Christian ethic that reflects the character of a person who is being transformed from a life of sin to a life of righteousness. This paper will first consider the relevance the Sermon on the Mount has for ethics. I will then look at several moral challenges that most likely will be present in my future ministry, and I will analyze how the ethical principles gained from the Sermon on the Mount can guide my ethical conduct.

The first thing that we need to recognize when reading the Sermon on the Mount is that it’s not a legalistic code that must be literally followed. Rather it is comprised of various teachings that are either general principles in themselves or possess underlying principles. It is these principles that must be understood and internalized by Christians today.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was correct when he stated that Jesus only had one idea in mind when He spoke the words now known as the Sermon on the Mount. “Humanly speaking, we could understand an interpret the Sermon on the Mount in a thousand different ways. Jesus knows only one possibility: simple surrender and obedience, not interpreting it or applying it, but doing and obeying it.”[1] While not minimizing this need to surrender and obey, it also important that we know what it is that we are to surrender to and obey. Are we to literally never make an oath or swear allegiance to something (Mat. 5:33-37)? Was it a sin for me to take an oath of office when I became an officer in the Army? Did Jesus really forbid these things? Or is it the principle to which we surrender and not necessarily the precept used to illustrate the principle?
J. H. Thayer provides a clear delineation between a principle and a precept. He states, “A precept is…definite, precise, specific, fitting and belonging to particular cases. A principle…is comprehensive and fundamental; it prescribes, not particular actions, but a course of conduct; it is the source whence precepts are derived.”[2] The principle that is present in Matthew 5:33-37 is to simply let your word be trustworthy enough to stand on its own. It is not sinful to make oaths or swear allegiance to something. In fact, the Old Testament tells us to take our oaths in God’s name (Deut. 10:20) and in the New Testament Paul frequently calls on God as his own witness (Rom. 1:9, 2 Cor. 1:23). In this particular situation Jesus was addressing the Jewish Mishnah, which was a code of law that, in part, detailed which oaths were binding and which were not.[3] Jesus was simply instructing his audience to let their speech be so truthful that their “yes” meant “yes” and their “no” meant “no.”

The principles that are found in every section of the Sermon on the Mount are timeless truths as they can be applied to any people in any era. Some sections, like the beatitudes (Mat. 5:3-12), contain only principles. Other sections, as in the case of taking oaths, have precepts that are pointing to an underlying principle. The principle is what we need to surrender to and obey and not the specific precept that is either an illustration or a example tied to the context of Jesus’ audience.

The second implication from the Sermon on the Mount for ethics is that the principles derived from this passage need to be internalized by a Christian to the degree that they shape his or her character. It is from the character of a person that the majority of his or her actions spring forth. It is also clear from the teachings of the Bible that God is not merely concerned with just actions but also the motivations behind our actions. Thus the principles of the Sermon on the Mount need to be internalized so that they shape both our behavior and our motivations.
Christians must not neglect the teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount; we must hear them, internalize them, and live them out. Jesus made this point at the end of Matthew 7 when He contrasted two men. One heard the words of Jesus and put them into practice. This man was compared to a wise man who builds his house on a solid rock foundation so that it withstands the wind and rain. The second man heard the words and did not put them into practice. He was likened to a foolish man who built his house on sand and then it fell down when the storms came. It would be foolish for us to hear the words of Christ and not internalize the principles that can influence our lives for ethical living.

The shaping of our character to produce righteous motivations and actions is part of the lifelong process of transformation that occurs within a Christian. Martin Dibelius goes so far as to say that we cannot fully perform all that is required in the Sermon on the Mount but that we can be transformed by it.[4] Sadly, this process of transformation appears to be weak among Christians in the United States. Many Christians are content to live in a manner that is not very different from their unbelieving neighbors. The roots of this disease might be found in our theological basis of evangelism. Too many of us think that the goal of evangelism is to make a convert and get someone saved. If this is our goal, then it is easy for us to be content with a saved sinner whose life is not being transformed. However, if evangelism is just the first step of a life of transformation, as it should be, then there will also be an investment in people that must include the ethical shaping of character. Gordon Smith summarizes this point, “Within evangelicalism there is a propensity to think of conversion in minimalist terms: What is the very least that a person needs to do in order to be freed from the horrors of hell and assured of the glories of heaven? But when we take this approach, the outcome is hardly a genuinely Christian theology of conversion.”[5]

Transformation in a Christian means that we are being changed from a life characterized by sin to one that is more consistent with the righteous principles found in the Sermon on the Mount. We will be different from our unbelieving neighbor and thus embody the salt and light that Jesus refers to in Matthew 5:13-16. A life that is not transformed has no saltiness that would distinguish it from others nor does it have the ability to be a light in a dark place; it is just as tasty as a salt-less cracker and as good as a burned out light bulb!

Finally, if the principles found in the Sermon on the Mount are to be truly internalized, shaping our character, and leading to right motivations and ethical behavior, then we must identify how we are to achieve such an ideal. The ideal standard that Jesus sets forth in His commands is humanly impossible. These principles are not like the stated values of a company which often serve as a minimum standard for acceptable conduct. Rather Jesus gives these commands to his audience, and likewise Christians today, with the expectation that they will be fully adhered to. (And as mentioned above, he requires not just the right actions but the right motivations as well!) Such a process is not something that can be accomplished through shear willpower and determination.

While it is impossible to perfectly live-out the demands of this Jesus on this side of heaven, we are still expected to mature in our “saltiness.” Jesus states, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mat. 5:48) This impossible standard is why any study of these principles should also contain a brief treatise on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who enables believers to internalize the commands of Jesus and to live them out with the right motivations behind their actions. In Romans 8, Paul contrasts a life lived as a slave to the sinful nature and one that is led by the Holy Spirit. Christians have “an obligation” to live according to the Holy Spirit that is living inside of them and it is this Spirit that empowers us to live according to the righteous principles found in the Sermon on the Mount.

Furthermore, the principles for ethical living in the Sermon on the Mount are to be like the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) in that they are exemplified in the life of a believer. We could almost call them the “Ethical Fruit of the Sermon on the Mount.” Just as the fruits of the Spirit provide evidence of our love for Christ and love for others, so too does our ability to live according to the ethical principles of the Sermon on the Mount. And Jesus Himself said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." (John 14:21)

Implications for Ministry
The high standard of ethical behavior set forth from the very mouth of Jesus has multi-faceted implications for anyone who’s vocation is full-time ministry (and really for any believer). First, leaders in vocational ministry must know the principles found in the Sermon on the Mount and internalize them so that they can be applied to every aspect of their lives. Second, leaders must remain in humble dependence on God for the application of these ethical principles. The role of the Holy Spirit cannot be overstated. Danger lurks when leaders become comfortable in their ability to live ethically and rely less on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our enabler and we cannot forget His power. As leaders depend on the Holy Spirit we also continue to abide in God as describe in John 15 and then we will bear much fruit. Finally, we need to be ever maturing in our ability to live ethically. This is similar to the way that we continue to get older in age but yet we are never fully as old as we will be. So too we must continually mature ethically realizing that we will never be fully “ethically mature.” We will continue to abide in God as we depend on the Holy Spirit for an ever-increasing internalization of right ethical behaviors and motivations.

The need for internalizing ethical standards implies that there are, and will be, situations in which one must choose between an action that would be deemed “ethical” and one that would be “unethical.” These situations may present themselves as one-time events in which there is a moral dilemma to be solved or they may be ongoing patterns of behavior that require continual choices of conduct. In discussing the implications of the Sermon on the Mount it is beneficial to consider situations in which I will be required to make such ethical decisions.

I believe a pattern of ethical behavior that I will be challenged with is how I present myself to the people I minister to. I have a healthy desire to live above reproach (1 Tim. 3:2), but this can easily slip into a deceitful pattern of behavior if I intentionally portray myself as someone I am not. The principle found in Matthew 5:33-37 is one of truthfulness in what we say. I need to be truthful in what I say and how I present myself through my words (and actions). If I am trying so hard to live above reproach that I begin to say things that deceive others, then I am violating this principle of truthfulness. The intention of my actions must be to live above reproach while not deceiving others as to who I truly am. If I am not living above reproach, then I need not pretend that I am just so that I present a good image to my followers.

The positive side of this principle requires that I consistently speak so that my words can always be trusted. Lewis Smedes states, “The model of such speech is God himself (2 Cor. 1:20), whom one thing is true above all else: he can be depended on to mean what he says.”[6] I too must develop the trust of people so that they can depend on what I say because a large portion of my ministry is dependent upon what I speak. If I cannot be trusted in this one area then the foundation of my ministry will erode.

Dealing with the principle of truthfulness is much easier when it is kept in general terms. However, it becomes a greater challenge when dealing with specific situations that often have consequences weighing in the balance. For example, as a Hospitality House director I will be dependent on the Army chaplains for access to the post. They are under no contractual obligation to provide me this access and so I must maintain a good relationship with them in order to have this privilege. So how do I respond if I know that the post-chaplain, the one responsible for issuing me a pass, is involved in unethical behavior? Do I risk my access to the post for the sake of truthfulness? Clearly the answer to this question depends on a multitude of factors and most likely will have a several different courses of action that I could pursue. But the underlying principle is that I must seek to be truthful. In this case, truthfulness probably will not mean just avoiding a lie, but also to not deceive those who trust me to be honest. I may have to actually jeopardize my post-privileges and be forthcoming with information even when not asked. The important thing is that my character is on the line even if no other people know what I know about this particular chaplain. I must remember that the ethical principle set forth in Matthew 5:33-37, and supported by many other passages to include the ninth commandment, calls me to a high standard of honesty.

A second pattern of ethical behavior that I must be careful to safe guard is that of sexual purity. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Mat. 5:27-28) I would be naïve to say that sexual lust is so foreign to me as to never be a potential problem. James Montgomery Boice correctly points out that “the sexual instinct as we see it and know it, has gone wrong.”[7] Or as C. S. Lewis states, “This [sexual] appetite is in ludicrous and preposterous excess of its function.”[8] It’s not that sex is wrong, but the instinct and the way that instinct is fueled by our culture means that most men will be challenged to live sexually pure lives.

The challenge to avoid sexual lust requires that I take to heart the words of Jesus. This passage provides me with the standard that I must pursue if I am to live ethically in terms of sexual morality. The standard is not that I just refrain from sexual intercourse with another woman, rather it is that I do not even lust after another woman (whether she be present or merely on the pages of a magazine or the screen of a computer). I must supplement this thought with Paul’s command to not even allow a “hint of sexual immorality” (Eph. 5:3).
Jesus’ words pertaining to marriage and sexual faithfulness will also benefit me as I minister to those who do commit adultery. Just as in the rest of the American society, the Army culture struggles with the problems of adultery. This problem often perpetuates itself during deployments in which married spouses are separated for a long period of time. This passage will help me to teach men and women what God’s standard for marital faithfulness and sexual purity is. My goal will be to help the people in my ministry internalize this principle so that it will influence their behaviors when tempted to commit adultery. And the degree to which we are to avoid sexual sin is evident in Jesus’ illustration to gouge out our eye or cut off our hand if it causes us to sin. The point Jesus is making is that “we are to deal drastically with sin. We must not pamper it, flirt with it…We are to hate it, crush it, dig it out.”[9] I will take a proactive approach and help people understand the standard of sexual purity we are called to. Within this I will also develop practical strategies to help people deal with this ongoing temptation.

The Sermon on the Mount provides Christians with a high standard for ethical living and right motivations. It is provides a solid ethical foundation to stand on in a morally-compromising world. However, just as the pain in my ears did not subside until I took the medicine, so too the principles found in the Sermon on the Mount will have no effect on our behavior unless we internalize them as well. I must personally use these ethical principles to shape my actions and attitudes and I must also teach others how to internalize them as well. It is through this internalization that our character will be shaped towards a consistent life of ethical conduct.

Works Consulted
[1] Clarence Bauman, The Sermon on the Mount: The Modern Quest for its Meaning (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1985), 249.
[2] Tal D. Bonham, The Demands of Discipleship: The relevance of the Sermon on the Mount (Pine Bluff, AR: Discipleship Book Company, 1967), 94.
[3] D. A. Carson, The Sermon on the Mount: An Evangelical Exposition of Matthew 5-7 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House Company, 1978), 47.
[4] Martin Dibelius, Sermon on the Mount (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1940), 136-137.
[5] Gordon T. Smith, Beginning Well: Christian Conversion & Authentic Transformation (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 135.
[6] Lewis B. Smedes, Mere Morality: What God Expects from Ordinary People (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1983), 222.
[7] James Montgomery Boice, The Sermon on the Mount (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), 115.
[8] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958), 75.
[9] Carson, 44.