Aretaic Graded Absolutism by Dr Paul R Shockley

4c.Itverywellcouldbethatthereisa“network“or“web”ofmotivesinvariousqualitiesandonewherebysomesortofinterplay(perhapsinaprimafacieway)occursinviewofdifferingcontextualsettingswherebysomemotiveswillbeemphasizedoverothers(appealingtoinsightsofSirDavidRoss).4. TheintegrationofVTwithothermodelsofabsoluteethicsissignificantforthefollowingreasons:a.b.GAmaynotbethebestmodel(e.g.,guiltimputedfortheunavoidable).GAisoftenaccusedofapossessingautilitariannuance.III.AdvantagesofAretaicGradedAbsolutism(AGA):SinceAGAisatrait‐deontologicalcomplimentarysystem,itemphasizesholisticworshipbeforeGodasawayoflife.Thesetraitsarenotmeretheoreticalabstractionsisolatedfromeverydaylife.A. AbalancedemphasisonbothobediencetobiblicalcommandsandpossessingarequisitedispositionthatreflectsJesusChrist.1. TherecognitionofmoralobligationfromScriptureshouldprovidesufficientmotivationforaction.Yet,theintegratedmodelenhancesGAintermsofmotivationsinviewofpurposefullycultivatingavirtuousdispositionthathonorsGod.2. Atsalvationoneisplacedina“positionofethicalnormality”statesC.F.H.Henry.Chaferobserves,“ThebelieverisinChristandChristisinthebeliever.ThebelieverisinChristastopositions,possessions,safe‐keeping,andassociation;andChristisinthebelievergivinglife,character,anddynamicforconduct.”AsRonAllenasserts,“InChristthereistherediscoveryofwhatittrulymeanstobehuman.” 7 B.Atwo‐foldmotivationalcomponentwherebyonepositivelydelightsinpursuinganddevelopinggodliness.Saiddifferently,apropercharacterofmoralexcellencewillbeabletobetterresistsinandbringinwardmotivatingglorytoGodeventhoughtheknowledgeofScriptureshouldprovidesufficientmotivationforobedience.7CarlF.H.Henry,ChristianPersonalEthics.,384;LewisS.Chafer,Grace:God’sMarvelousTheme,305;RonaldB.Allen,TheMajestyofHuman:TheDignityofBeingHuman,179.

5C.Atwo‐foldfocusonboththedevelopmentofhabitsthatpromotehumanexcellenceandobediencetomoralobligations‐alluntothegloryofGodasanindividualandasamemberofthecommunity(s)1. ItisnecessarytodevelopGod‐honoringhabits:a. Wearecreatureswhopossesshabituatedwaysof“seeing”and“doing.”b. Missional:AsonemagnifiesChristbythechoicesonemakesbothinwardlyandoutwardly,peoplewillbeattractedtoHim(Phil.1:20).c. Disregardtheformationofcharacterandonedoesnotseriouslydealwithhabitualfrailtiesoftheflesh.d. Oneiscalledtoliveone’sutmostforthegloryofGodbothindividuallyandcorporately.2. ImitationofJesusChristincludesbothcharacterformationandcommitmenttofulfillmentofmoralobligations:itismissionalatitscore.a.Christembodiedbothvirtueanddeontology.Infact,asDouglasGroothiusobserves,onecannoteasilymakethedivisionbetweendeontologyandvirtueintheteachingsofJesusChrist. 8 b. FollowingChristinvolvesmorethanobedience,butaninculcationthatleadstoafull‐orbedimitation(1Cor.11:1).Saiddifferently,whileGod’sgiftofgraceandobediencetoGod’scommandsshouldmotivateonetorightaction,thecultivationofvirtuousdispositionenhancesthatmotivation.D. Thechronicproblemofindeterminancy,compromise,andimprecisionindecision‐makingdiminishesincertaincases.1. IntegratingVEwithGAmightperhapsshedlightindeterminingwhichmorallawishigher,especiallyingraycaseswhereonelacksthetimetoinvestigateortheabilitytoacquireallthecontextualinformationneededtomaketherightmoraldecision.a. Bycombininganinformeddispositionwithatri‐perspectivalmodelofnormativeclaims,existentialneeds,andsituationalsetting,perhapshardcasescenariosmightbebetterhandled. 9 8DouglasGroothius,OnJesus,69.9JohnandCharlesFeinberg,EthicsforaBraveNewWorld,31.

62. Combinedmeasuresagainsttemptationandmoralcompromise(committedtoobedienceandbeingacertaintypeofabeliever).IV.ThreePotentialMisunderstandingsofAretaicGradedAbsolutism:A.Ade‐emphasisonourpropensityforevil.1. Dr.J.DwightPentecoststates:Thingsjustdon’tgoasplanned.Werealizethatwe’relivinginanupsidedownworld,andwewondersometimesifwecanmakethingscomeoutasweplanordesire.Werecognizefullywellthatwearelivinginanunredeemedbody,inanunredeemedcreation,withanunredeemednaturewithinus. 10 AGAisexpectingtoomuchforourbodiesourtoocorruptedbysintocultivateaGod‐honoringdisposition.2.Three‐foldResponse:a.Theveryfactthat“wearelivinginanunredeemedbody,inaunredeemedcreation,withanunredeemednaturewithinus”revealsthedesperateneedtoenlargeourreasonsforobediencetoincludecharacterformationsothatwemaybetterresistthetemptationsoftheflesh,theworld,andthedevil.Infact,weshouldneverbeshockedattheevilinanotherforwerecognizeinourthoughtandworkstheevery‐presentseedofpotentialruin.Infact,purposefullyfosteringaGod‐honoringdispositionassumestheneedforbothmortificationandvivification.b. Jesusrepeatedlyconcentratesonmattesoftheheart(e.g.,theBeatitudesinMatthew5;theaccountofthepoorwidowinMark12:41‐44;theharshcriticismsofhypocrisyinMatthew23;thefruitoftheSpiritinGalatians5).Hisinstructionandillustrationsimplythepossibilitytogobeyondwhatoneeverthoughtpossible,especiallywhenabidinginfellowshipwithChrist(John15).c. SinceAGAintegratesbothdutiesandcharacterformation,thismodeloffersarobustanthropologythatinvolvesdesign,tendencies,motivations,andactions(non‐reductionistic)incontrasttoGAmodelwhichfocusesoncompliancetomoralobligations.10J.DwightPentecost,Man’sProblems­God’sAnswers,37.

7B.NegligenceregardingtheministryoftheHolySpirittoformulatecompliancetobiblicalnormsanddevelopmentofaGod‐honoringcharacter.1. Response:TheHolySpiritisassumed.OneshouldalwayslooktoJesusChristtoseehowoneoughttobeandlooktotheHolySpirittomakeitso.Thismodelassumesmorethan“letgoandletGod”approach.Rather,thismodelassumesan“undergoinganddoing”wherebytheinwardenablement,conviction,guidance,andilluminationoftheHolySpirittoglorifyGodisincooperationwithone’sresponsibilitiestoallowJesusChristtobereproducedinone’slivesbymeansoftheHolySpirit.Bothdivineenablement(divineside)andhumanresponsibilitiestoyieldtoGodareneededinordertoholisticallyreflectJesusChristbythoughtanddeed(Romans12:1‐2).Thoughfragilityoflifeiscentraltoanthropology,unlikeVE,nobelieverishostagetoluck(e.g.,certainexternalgood)inordertobecomevirtuousfortheHolySpiritisgiventoallatsalvation.C.MisplacedpriorityontheroleofScripture.OnemaythinkthatAGAmisplacesthepriorityofScriptureinfavorofcharacterformation.1. QuitethecontrarysincethereisacorrespondencebetweenbiblicalcommandsandtheinculcationofthosecommandsintoGod‐honoringhabits.Forexample:Duty(obligation) Virtue(inculcation):Commandtotellthetruth(Exod.20:14): BeTruthfulCommandtobefaithful(Exod.20:1‐5): BeFaithfulCommandtoloveneighbor(Mark12:31): BeBenevolentCommandtobeHoly(1Peter1:16): BeHolyCommandtocontendforbiblicaltruth(Jude3)BeVigilant2. Howtodevelophabitsthatshapeone’scharacterisbyrepeatedactionsofobedienceindependenceuntotheHolySpiritwiththelargergoalinmindthanobedienceforthesakeofobedience.UndersubmissiontotheHolySpirit(Ephesians5;Galatians6:15‐26)strivetoberepeatedlyobedienttillitbecomesideally“secondnature.”ButIrealizelikeoneoldtheologianoncesaidtome,“ThesinsofmyyouthstillhauntmetodaybutasI’vewalkedwiththeLordtheyhavelosttheirattractiveness.”Yet,theHolySpirit“promptswillingconformity”andwearecalledtoyield. 11 11Henry,ChristianPersonalEthics,412.

8V.Conclusion:MyattemptistointegrateVTandGAtogetherinsuchawaythatfocusesonbothoutwardobedience(obediencetocommands)andinwardconformity(inculcationofvirtue)toJesusChrist.ReceivingeverythingfromChrist.SeeingeverythinginChrist.DoingeverythingforChrist.Thisislifeinitssimplicity,sufficiency,andsatisfaction.Thisisministryinpeace,power,andprogress.Awayfromthisisdisappointment,depression,discontent,despondency,anddespair.ButwhenChristisourlife,ministrybecomesaprivilege,ajoy,adelight;aneverdeepeningexperience,andever‐heighteningtoglorytoGod.SoletussumupallbysayingthatforlifeandministryChristisalwaysnecessary,Christisalwaysavailable,Christisalwayssufficient.~W.H.GriffithThomas.