Biblical Ethics - Chambers, Oswald

Biblical Ethics

Oswald Chambers

Copyright 1947 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association
Scripture is quoted from the KJV and the RV

Introductions

Source

These lectures were given by Oswald chambers at: the bible training college, 1 191115. League of prayer meetings in Britain, 190915. Zeitoun YMCA huts, classes for soldiers in egypt, 1917.

2 publication history

This material was first published as articles in the bible training course (BTC) monthly journal, 3 193245.

It was first published as a book in 1947.

Shortly after the bible training college opened in January 1911, Oswald chambers began teaching a class on biblical ethics. The class was open to resident and visiting students alike, and reflected chambers deep belief in the importance of thinking.

We must never forget that god is a great deal Bigger than our experience of him; that Jesus Christ is a great deal bigger than our experience of him, Oswald said. It is because people wont take the labour to think, that the snare gets hold of them; and remember thinking is a tremendous labour (thinking, tongues of fire, January 1914, p. 5).

Noted London pastor Dr. G. Campbell morgan4 spoke at the colleges first anniversary celebration and made special mention of the classes on biblical ethics and biblical philosophy, saying that such classes were unusual in a bible college of that day.

Throughout the years of the btc 5 (191115), biblical ethics remained a part of the syllabus, with chambers sometimes using James stalkers6 book the ethic of Jesus according to the synoptic gospels (1909) as a text.

Additional material on ethics and thinking appears in the moral foundations of life in this volume.

1. Residential school near clapham common in SW London, sponsored by the league of prayer. Oswald chambers was principal and main teacher; biddy chambers was lady superintendent. Known as the btc, it closed in July 1915 because of world war i.

2. Zeitoun (zay toon). An area 6 miles NE of Cairo. Site of YMCA camp, Egypt general mission compound and a large base area for British, Australian and new Zealand troops. Site of the imperial school of instruction (1916-19).

3. The bible training course monthly journal was published from 1932 to 1952 by Mrs. Chambers, with help from David Lambert.

4. G. Campbell Morgan (18631945), British preacher, writer, internationally known bible teacher. Pastor of Westminster chapel from 1904 to 1917, and from 1933 to 1943.

5. Bible training college. 6. James stalker (18481927), Scottish theologian, scholar, pastor, writer

 Biblical Ethics

                         Contents

Foreword ……………………………………………………………………………….. 89
The Moral Imperative—I ……………………………………………………….. 89
The Moral Imperative—II ………………………………………………………. 91
Moral Institutions—I ……………………………………………………………… 93
Moral Institutions—II ……………………………………………………………. 94
The Moral Individual—I ………………………………………………………… 96
The Moral Individual—II ……………………………………………………….. 98
The Moral Individual—III ……………………………………………………. 100
Spiritual Evolution ……………………………………………………………….. 102
Spiritual Construction—I ……………………………………………………… 104
Spiritual Construction—II …………………………………………………….. 105
Spiritual Construction—III……………………………………………………. 107
The Fundamental Offence …………………………………………………….. 108
Is Christianity Worthy of God? ……………………………………………… 110
The Ethics of Enthusiasm……………………………………………………... 112
Personality—I ……………………………………………………………………… 115
Personality—II …………………………………………………………………….. 116
Personality—III …………………………………………………………………… 118
Personality—IV……………………………………………………………………. 119
Where Jesus Christ Tells ……………………………………………………….. 120
With Christ in the School of Philosophy …………………………………. 122
I. How to Think about God ……………………………………………… 124
II. How to Think about the Lord Jesus Christ ………………………. 126
III. How to Think about Man ……………………………………………… 127
IV. How to Think about Sin ……………………………………………….. 129
V. How to Think about the Atonement……………………………….. 130
VI. How to Think about the Scriptures …………………………………. 131
VII. How to Think about our Fellow-Men …………………………….. 132

 Foreword

(to the original 1947 edition)

This latest book of talks, lectures, addresses, given by oswald chambers at different times and in varied circumstances as when the new theology was making its shallow appeal in 1909, or in the strenuous days of the bible training college in London, or when speaking to the soldiers in egypt in 1917 ( just before his own home-call)covers a wide range of religious thinking.

The earlier chapters on biblical ethics remind us that the ultimate aim of Christs atonement is that god may readjust man to himself. That calls for a moral response on our part, involving thought and feeling and will. And we need to recognise the ethical demands made in the scriptures on gods people.

Our lord gave us the sermon on the mount; it appears in the beginning of st. Matthews gospel. He also taught what appears later in the gospel, that the son of man must suffer many things . . . And be killed, and the third day be raised up (mat- thew 16:21; and that his life would be a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). The former without the latter would mock us. Oswald chambers based all on the atonement.

I have found in this book some of the most arresting truths i have yet met with. Those who have been most helped by the o. C. Literature already published will find fresh pastures here. For he was indeed a scribe bringing forth out of his treasure things new and old, whose ideas never become obsolete or stale, as he is divinely enabled to see old and precious things in new relationships. May god make this book to be a blessing to many.

            David lambert7