Introduction

Although the Bible was written for people who were living during the times when its authors were living, it certainly has important teachings, including values, which can be applied to our lives today. A value can be defined as a very important kind of belief, that is, a belief specifically about what is “good” or “desirable.” A value, then, can also mean “degree of excellence,” or something equivalent to the Greek idea of “virtue” Values, of course, vary significantly from one culture to another and can be judged as right or wrong only in relation to a particular belief system. So, if we consider values that are appropriate for Christians living in today's world, we certainly can use the Bible, as the basis of the Judeo-Christian belief system, as a kind of standard against which to determine “how right” or “how wrong” a particular value or corresponding behavior is.

Take a few moments to consider important values in your life. What beliefs are of central importance to you? Do you believe, for example, that love of family is an important value? Or, is the desire for material possessions and wealth more of a guiding value than love of family? How do you feel about sexual relations outside of marriage? What value do you have regarding faithfulness of marriage partners in contrast to extramarital affairs? What do you believe about homosexuality?