HOW DOES BELIEVING IN GOD AFFECT MY MORALS?
- No one should judge another person based on their sexual orientation
- If someone sincerely believes that their religion is the right one, they should be entitled to their own opinion
- Whether a mother has her baby or not should be completely up to her
- If I am a good person, that's all that is really important
- If two people really love each other, no one has the right to tell them they can't live together
- Claiming Christianity is the only path to God is intolerant and arrogant
1. What do you think of these statements? Do you agree or disagree with the thinking here?
2. Have you ever heard someone say that there is no moral absolute truth? If so, what has your response been in the past when you've heard that?
THE ORACLE - read Matthew 25:31-46
1. How does Jesus describe the actions of those who follow him (the sheep)?
2. If Jesus described the actions of sheep in today's culture, what types of activities do you suppose he would include?
3. How does Jesus describe the actions of those who are not genuine followers (the goats)?
4. If Jesus described the actions of goats in today's culture, what types of activities do you suppose he would include?
5. Jesus talks a lot in this passage about 'the least of these.' Who were ' the least' in this passage?
6. Does Jesus' teaching match up with what you would have thought the moral standard is supposed to be for a Christian? Why or why not?
7. Notice how integrally Jesus tied the idea of moral behaviour with how we treat people. How does that impact the way you think about moral behaviour?
SELF REFLECTION
1. What is it that determines your moral behaviour? Is it rooted in anything concrete, or (in all honesty) does the way you happen to feel today influence what you believe is wrong and right?
2. What stops you form looking to Jesus for moral guidance?
3. How would your life look different if you decided to follow Jesus' words?
* taken from Following After God - What difference does God make? By Daniel Hill