The Golden Rule is a wonderful thing. I think it was one of Jesus’ most revolutionary and profound statements- that we should treat others as we would want to be treated (Matthew 7:12). I am not alone in my thinking: many great philosophers and theologians would agree with me on this- even if that is the only thing we agree upon. Who wouldn’t want to be treated this way?
Therein is the problem: we all want to be treated this way, but we don’t want to dish it out. Who wants to treat others better than they deserve? To treat others according to the Golden Rule is to loose face, forget justice, and swallow our pride. This is what is so stupid about Kant, and others, who make this the sole point of ethics- it might sound good but no one wants to do it.
I think there is a context behind what Jesus is saying that becomes lost by these philosophers and liberal theologians. That is our justification. Only when we acknowledge in faith that our sins have been paid for and our righteousness is not our own but credited to us because of Christ’s obedience can we afford to loose face, forget justice, and swallow our pride to treat others better than they deserve.
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I am using this blog to expand on a couple of ideas that have been running through my head. I find myself spending time thinking about how things relate to two basic topics: our justification by faith in Christ and now this faith influences how we interact with our culture.
