When Right Isn’t Clear: On Ethics, Discernment, and the Spirit-Led Life
Every Saturday, I find myself on the floor of a used bookstore, surrounded by stacks of books that have caught my attention. I skim the backs, flip through the pages, and see what draws me in. I usually gravitate toward formational, theological, or biblical works—but recently, I found myself twenty pages deep into a book on philosophical ethics. To say I was challenged by it would be an understatement.
At first, it was the language that stood out: moral realism, deontological frameworks, teleology—terms that felt far removed from my daily life. But as I kept reading, I began to realize these weren’t just abstract ideas. They were shaping everything around me: politics, education, family life, even the way we speak about “right and wrong” in church.
It struck me:
Behind every opinion is a philosophy, and behind every action is an ethic.
That’s precisely why we, as followers of Christ, need to take seriously the task of developing a Christian ethic—one that equips us to engage faithfully and constructively in the moral conversations of our time. Too often, the church has swung between two extremes: remaining silent in moments of moral tension, or speaking so loudly that we miss the nuance and complexity of the issues at hand. Silence can feel like avoidance. Loud certainty can come across as arrogance. Neither reflects the humility or wisdom of Christ.
Scripture must be our foundation. But forming a Christian ethic takes more than quoting isolated verses. It requires Spirit-led discernment, biblical literacy, and theological depth. Not every ethical dilemma we face today is addressed explicitly in the pages of Scripture. That’s why we need a wider framework—one that holds Scripture at the center while recognizing how God also reveals His truth through creation, reason, and experience.
The apostle Paul speaks to this layered understanding in Romans 1:20:
“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
This points to what theologians call general revelation—truths about God that are evident in the world around us. While special revelation (Scripture) is primary, Paul reminds us that God's wisdom isn’t confined to chapter and verse. It is echoed in creation, accessible through reason, and often affirmed through lived experience.
Dr. Robbie Waddell, a coworker of mine, once said to me, “We are not called to be biblicists, but to be moved by the power of the Holy Spirit through Scripture.” That distinction matters. It reminds us that Scripture is not a static rulebook, but a living Word—meant to be illuminated by the Spirit and internalized through relationship. It shapes not only our knowledge but our discernment, especially in the moments where wisdom is more essential than a rule.
And yet, even with Scripture and the Spirit as our guide, we still face moments when two biblical principles seem to pull us in different directions.
So what do we do when the “right” choice isn’t immediately clear?
One powerful example comes from Exodus 1. Pharaoh commands two Egyptian midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill every Hebrew boy at birth. The women defy his orders. They lie. They disobey authority. But they protect life—and God honors them.
“So God was kind to the midwives... and because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own” (Exodus 1:20–21).
Lying and disobedience are both condemned elsewhere in Scripture. So how can God bless what seems morally wrong?
This is where ethics becomes more than theory. It becomes personal. Spiritual. Communal. Faithful Christian living requires more than knowing the rules—it requires cultivating discernment. Wrestling with tension. Seeking the Spirit. And choosing actions that reflect the character and priorities of God, even when clarity is elusive.
So what do you do when two principles seem to conflict?
What does faithfulness look like when the path isn’t obvious?
And how do you weigh truth, justice, mercy, and obedience when they don’t align neatly?
These aren’t questions that can be answered with a formula. And they’re not meant to be. The goal isn’t to hand you a list of answers. The goal is to invite you into the deeper, lifelong work of ethical formation—grounded in Scripture, shaped by the Spirit, and refined in community.
So wherever you are in your journey:
Let Scripture guide you.
Let the Spirit lead you.
And let your ethic—your convictions, your decisions, your everyday actions—bear witness to the goodness, justice, and mercy of God.
Going Deeper
What core beliefs do you hold about right and wrong—and how have those beliefs been shaped?
Do you tend to prioritize rules, outcomes, relationships, or your own conscience when making ethical choices? Why?
How do you typically discern what God is asking of you when Scripture doesn’t offer a clear directive?
How do you read Scripture when you're seeking ethical clarity—do you look for rules, patterns, stories, or wisdom?
What assumptions have you absorbed from your family, education, church, or culture that you’ve never fully examined through Scripture?
Do you feel confident navigating situations that Scripture doesn’t address explicitly? Why or why not? How did you come to those conclusions?
If your life were the only example of Christ someone encountered this week, what would they learn about your view of right and wrong?
Here is the book inspo: Holmes, Arthur F. Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions. 2nd ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007.
