August 3, 2011: Ethics
Group Theme Verse
Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (N.I.V.)
This week the College and Career Group from First Baptist Church in Orillia, Ontario, discussed ethics.
Weekly Scripture
Jeremiah 6:13-22 13 “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. 14 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace. 15 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD.
16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’ 18 Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them.
19 Hear, you earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law. 20 What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.”
17 I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’ 18 Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them.
19 Hear, you earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law. 20 What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.”
21 Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I will put obstacles before this people. Parents and children alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish.”
Questions:
- Have you witnessed peers (school or work) who have participated in questionable behaviour for their own personal gain?
- How have you experienced temptation to use ethical shortcuts for personal gain?
Statistics
- 80% of college students admit to cheating at least once[a]
- 36% of undergraduate students admit to plagiarizing written material
- 90% of students believe cheaters are never caught or have never been appropriately disciplined
- 79% of US citizens polled believe it is wrong to cheat on taxes (only 79%?)[b]
- 15-18% of people who are or were married have had extra marital sex[c]
"In the last 10 years, there's been a marked increase in all forms of cheating," says philosophy professor David Glidden of UC Riverside. "I see it in plagiarized papers, particularly among freshmen."[d]
What is the context of this passage?
- Jeremiah lived 655 – 586 B.C.
- Born into a priestly family
- Was called by Yahweh to prophesy ~625 B.C.
- Regarding Jerusalem’s destruction due to the people’s unfaithfulness
- The people had even erected alters to Baal for child sacrifice
- Started during place of reign of King Josiah, and also King’s Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoichin and Zedekiah
- King Josiah had turned Israel back to God, but it was not enough to account for the generations of unfaithfulness
- Jeremiah has been referred to as the “weeping prophet”
- Jerusalem invaded and conquered in 597 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
- Temple of Solomon’s destroyed
- Elite taken into captivity in Babylon and city razed to the ground
How does this apply to us?
v. 13-15: From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. 14 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace. 15 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD.
- In this passage, we see addressed how the priority is personal gain through deceit
- The prophets and priests were in it for themselves, as well as the whole population[e]
- Here is where I see our society – college instructors for the most part are still actively combating cheating in school, but this may be changing
- People are starting to believe in relative or subjective truth
- What is true for me is not necessarily true for you
v. 16-20 16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’ 18 Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them.
19 Hear, you earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law. 20 What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.”
17 I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’ 18 Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them.
19 Hear, you earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law. 20 What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.”
- God was directing Israel to walk in His ways
- They rejected this, and refused to listen to his messengers
- Because of this, disaster was imminent for them
- We do see people rejecting truth and ethical behaviour today
- “The means justifies the ends”
- Students today are focusing more on the outcome than on the learning process itself
- 43% of all grades in US colleges are A’s – an increase of 28% since 1960[f]
v. 21 21 Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I will put obstacles before this people. Parents and children alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish.”
- Israel was warned that there would be wide ranging consequences for their unethical behaviour
Questions
- What are the consequences that you could see if our society were to stop combating unethical behaviour?
- How can we effectively witness to others in this area?
“Statements and creeds won’t win people to Christ. God will. Does our faith rise above well argued propositions?”
John Njorge, RZIM, Wheaton, Illinois 2011
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[a] http://www.plagiarism.org/
[b] http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/how-many-people-cheat-on-taxes-0469/
[c] http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/28/sanford-ensign-affair-opinions-columnists-extramarital-sex.html
[d] http://www.pe.com/lifestyles/stories/PE_Fea_Daily_H_cheat18.d9f54f.html
[f] http://www.academica.ca/top10/stories/13353
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