LESSON XLVI. Christian Morality

Questions to Lesson 46^{*Of what order is the morality which Christianity teaches? In what are its great principles contained? Into how many lessons may Christianity be divided? To what does the first teach obedience? What is the other? What are we taught by the one? What by the other? Is it enough to believe and to profess faith? What says Peter? What is he that lacks these things? How must we love God? How our neighbor? How must we do to others? What is the foundation of all moral duties? What is the promise if we do these duties? Into what will the obedient enter?}

The morality which christianity requires, as taught by the apostles in their epistles to the churches, is of the very highest order. It is nothing less than living out, in thought, in word and in deed, all those holy principles of love to God and man contained in the ten commandments of God. This is the great and important lesson of Christianity.BIC 107.2

We might consider Christianity as divided into two lessons. The one teaches obedience to those outward acts which express our faith in Christ; the other is a perfect system of morality. One consists of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ; the other teaches us to go on to perfection. Hebrews 6:1. By the one we are taught to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, by an outward profession; by the other we are taught to walk in him, that is, live out that profession. Romans 13:14; Colossians 2:6. Both of these are necessary. By the one we should boldly profess that we are the children of God by faith in Christ; by the other we should prove to all around that we are such. This is the love of God that we keep his commandments. The commandments and the faith must both be kept. How shall we who have been buried as a sign that we were dead to sin, live any longer therein?BIC 107.3

It is not enough that we believe in Christ and profess our faith. Peter says, Add to our faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 2 Peter 1:5. This addition table should be committed to memory, and reduced to practice, by every one who professes faith in Christ. Says the Apostle, For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Verses 8, 9. So we see that though we may be purged from our old sins by faith in Christ, yet if we add nothing to our faith it will not benefit us.BIC 108.1

We must love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourself. We must do to others as we would wish them to do to us. This is the teaching of the law and the prophets; of Christ and the apostles. We must study the writings of the apostles, and practice all the particular duties pointed out by them. They all have their foundation in the law of God, the great standard of morality. And we cannot be too diligent in learning this great lesson of Christianity. In the words of Peter, If ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.BIC 109.1