How ought we live?

When we "do" ethics, what level are we operating on? Are we concerned about actions (i.e. weighing up an action to see if it's ethical) or about virtues (e.g. It's ok to lie to the Nazis about Jews in the basement because you're a compassionate person).

What is your measuring stick? What are we measuring?

How about doing ethics based on GOD's virtues? (I.e. God's own character is the measuring stick). It's just an idea that I'm throwning out there. The Bible seems to say God himself is the motivation for right living.

Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

~ Lev 19:2

Christian conduct, it seems, is based on God's character. Because we are made in God's image and have the imprint of his character, we ought to behave accordingly.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

~ Col 3:5-10


And his character doesn't just change individuals' conduct. The Corinthian church should organise their church in orderly manner. Why? "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." (1 Cor 14:33)

In Paul's letter, all people are indictable because they knew God's character but didn't give him due worship (resulting in sinful attitudes and behaviors).

since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

~ Romans 1:19-23

That is, God's attributes were clear and therefore people should have responded by shunning sinful living. I'm still not sure how God's character relates to the way we live.

But somehow, God himself is the measuring stick and goal of our behavior.