VIRTUOUS LIVING - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

12). This pattern of a God - people link which started with Abraham was tocharacterise God’s relationship with the Israelite nation, Abraham’s descendants.Through Abraham God would bless all nations with similar blessings under-girded byGod-given moral standards, values and virtues (cf Gen.12:3; Exodus 20).God offered to the Israelites the Torah as a means of grace by which they would walkin his righteous (a high moral standard) ways and be blessed (cf Exodus 19-20). Thiswas in some way the beginning of a particular moral tradition in which God would bethe lawgiver whose language was articulated in the Judeo-Christian Scripture. This isthe Christian Bible or moral literature detailed in the Israelites’ narrated experiencesof God active in their history as a moral focus and guide for their own flourishing.These sources include the Old Testament narratives, wisdom literature andprophecies. The Christian world incorporated the New Testament with these texts.The New Testament gives details of God’s incarnation in Jesus Christ, inter alia, anevent that has moral implications for all humanity, whether they choose to obey Godor not.As for the Christian tradition we locate it at the beginning of the early church, perhapsafter the Day of Pentecost. Yet its roots are founded in the Jewish tradition, asChristians purport to be the “new Israel”. The Christian’s reading of the historicalnarratives (the stories of people’s lives in a relationship with God), wisdom andprophetic literature make claims with regard to the coming of Jesus Christ. This JesusChrist is the wisdom of God who is eternal beyond creation and he is the evidence ofthe invisible God. The fundamental aspect of Jesus’ ministry on earth was that oftransforming humanity from sin (contrary to morality) into relationship with (theagent’s goodness/righteousness) God. He is the power and wisdom working in therespondent moral agent in a community context to accomplish this task through theHoly Spirit. Human beings, as moral agents, need to “surrender” to him so that theymay experience a new kind of freedom in Christ in the arena of a divine moralrelationship.Alongside this theological tradition is the church, an institution of the believers inJesus Christ - the Christians. The Church is the custodian of the promises of JesusChrist, particularly the concept of forgiveness of sin, which has moral implications.148