Jesus’ Ethical Teachings

Society is a living organism. Just like the immune system, the army and police provide protection against invaders and criminal elements. Just like the digestive system, industrial plants draw out energy from raw materials. Just like our veins and arteries, roads, waterways and railways transport these products around our bodies, and just like the colon and bladder, waste products are collected by garbage dumps and sewage systems.

However, on top of all these vital organs lie our bones, which frame our bodies and enable us to move forward correctly. And like Jesus, the importance of our bones is often forgotten.

Jesus is the model of 21st century Christian life by providing a frame that enables society to move forward in a morally correct manner. This frame is what is known as Jesus’ ethical teachings.

One example of Jesus’ teachings is found in Matthew 7:13-14.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” If God presents humanity with the liberty of choice between an easy or difficult life than it is inevitable that humanity chooses the easier option, even if it ultimately leads to destruction. Imagine standing in front of two gates; in one direction the gate you see is attractive and alluring you to enter. You look inside and are confronted by enticing advertisements jumping at you from every angle, promising power, wealth and happiness. It looks simple. There doesn’t seem to be a toll, and the road is wide enough to enter with ease. Crowds of people, places and things that promise to offer all the tools that make life more appealing and comfortable, a...

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...and contempt. This leads to violence. Violence results in abuse. Abuse gives birth to war.

Each side aims to end each other’s attacks by retaliating on a scale so great that the other cannot endure. Unfortunately, the intended result of such a paradox is almost never achieved. How can one even gain victory from ‘swapping an eye for an eye, or on a more realistic level, by part taking in war? This is the foundation Jesus is trying to establish. We find ourselves wired in a struggle in Iraq that seems to have no solution. Maybe with the help of Jesus’ teachings we can find that solution.

Jesus serves as a role model of 21st century christain life by providing society with a frame or guidelines. Maybe through Jesus' teachings we can find the heart beneath the organs of hatred, materialism and power.