Christian Values (Old Testament)

Christian Values

CHRISTIAN VALUES

Brief Review of Christian Teachings & Character Building

NOTE FOR NON-CHRISTIANS:

All cultures are influenced by the majority religion of those societies. All religions preach morality but not all societies observe those moral laws. All religions preach charity, compassion and caring, but only some societies really care for the wellbeing and welfare of its members-children, youth, females, seniors, needy, poor and unemployed, etc.

The non-Christians are urged to use the moral values of their own religion and culture to strive for reforms to advance morality, good governance, justice, equality, democracy, welfare state, and empowerment of the less fortunate. They can use the Christian values for additional help and moral guidance.

Old Testament Teachings

EQUALITY

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:28

( NOTE: In the New Testament, Apostle Paul said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3:28)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

(Given by God to Prophet Moses)

1. You shall have no other gods before me.

2. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

5. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

10 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

EXODUS 20:2-17

GOOD GOVERNANCE

“Endow the king with your justice, O God,

The royal son with your righteousness.

“May he judge your people in righteousness,

your afflicted one’s with justice.

“May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,

the hills the fruit of righteousness.

“May he defend the afflicted among the people

and save the children of the needy,

May he crush the oppressor.”

Psalms 72: 1-4

“So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”

1Kings 3:9

“This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”

Jeremiah 22:3

HELP THE POOR AND NEEDY

“There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I ( Lord your God) command you to be open handed toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”

Deuteronomy 15:11

THE BLESSINGS

“The Lord bless you and keep you:

the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you:

the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26

“May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse be cursed.”

Numbers 24:9

Scripture quotations from The Holy Bible New International Version NIV