Ethics and Corruption

“God desires that Christians should live just and ethical lives in every sphere of society
– that includes our Church life, our business lives, and our social and political life”
~ Unknown 

The role of prayer in developing ethics and challenging corruption.

The Bible is clear that God desires that Christians should live just and ethical lives in every sphere of society – that includes our Church life, our business lives, and our social and political life.  The prophet Micah wrote ‘He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ (Micah 6.8 NIV).   In Proverbs 11.11 we read, ‘The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight’, and ‘Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.’ (11.11 NIV).

As a Christian you have a responsibility to live ethically in your personal life, to encourage others to conduct themselves in a just and ethical manner in their sphere of influence, and to pray that God’s Kingdom, which is just, merciful, and gracious, is established in the world.  Your prayer life should be the source from which you draw strength from God’s Spirit to do what is right in your home, your community, your place of work, and your nation.  It should also encourage you to challenge and engage those people and systems that are unjust and unethical.  Just as Jesus taught us to pray, the ultimate aim is to see God’s eternal peace, His wonderful ‘Shalom’ established on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6.10).

Why Prayer?

Prayer is central to all Christian action.  We pray for the development of ethics and the fight against corruption because:

  • Prayer brings our hearts, minds and actions closer to God’s heart.
  • As we pray and encounter God’s heart we are inspired to live clean and ethical lives.  We also gain the courage to stand against injustice.
  • Prayer helps us to remember that God cares for this world, and that there are people behind every statistic.  It reminds us that God loves the world.
  • Prayer sustains us as we seek to overcome our own inner ethical struggles, and also as we may be called to challenge powerful individuals and institutions that unjust and unethical.
  • Prayer empowers us to be powerful agents of social change.

What you can pray for!

Start by praying for:

  • God to raise up just and righteous leaders in government, business and the Church.
  • Greater transparency in the political and economic systems of the world.
  • Those who are persecuted because they have taken a stand for righteousness.  Pray that they will have the courage to prevail and that God would protect them and their families from harm and intimidation.
  • The poorest and least empowered members of society, most often children, women and minority groups in society, who face the brunt of immoral and corrupt leaders and systems.  Pray that God would strengthen them, meet their daily needs, and raise up Godly leaders who will champion their cause among the powerful.
  • Pray for the many Christians who work in the areas of ethics development and anti-corruption work across the work. Pray that God would strengthen their efforts, provide for their needs, and protect them from persecution and harm.

Add Action to your Prayer!

Unashamedly Ethical is a campaign promoting ethics, values and clean living.
Start by committing yourself to being a Christian who lives a life characterized
by Godly values, ethics and clean living.