Cottonwood Chronicle

The third point in the five spiritual laws concerns the condition and character that actualize the life of those who have experienced the new birth. This is the ethos of the kingdom of God.
The words “ethos” and “ethics” come from the same Greek term eθικά (ethikae) that primarily has to do with the moral code of the individual. Ethos, while derived from the same Greek term, is concerned with the character of a community. Ethos is best applied to the Christian experience because the Bible is concerned with the life of the new creation. This is not in opposition to, but is different than ethics; the Christian life is not controlled by a list of dos and don’t s but by the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Please understand, this does not mean a Christian can do whatever he or she wants. A person who is a new creation should bear fruit in keeping with their commitment to Christ. However, this fruit must be intrinsic to who they are in Jesus. In other words, the Christian life cannot be imposed from the outside, but must be supplied the the Lord himself. The outside observer who sees a Christian living in Christ-likeness will simply say that they know the difference between right and wrong and typically do what is right. The believer living in Christ-likeness will explain his behavior as an expression of the new life welling up from within him. In our use here Ethos is provision supplied by God that remakes the character of the recipient. One might even say the ethos produces the ethics.
Again, none of this means a Christian doesn’t bother to try to do what is right. It means he is not striving to live according to the law, but lives in joyful relationship with his savior. An observer should be able to look at the church and see that the character and culture of that community are very different than the rest of the world. In short, the Christian community must have an identifiable ethos expressing Christ’s in their midst. It should be something flowing naturally from their shared commitment to Jesus Christ, the King.
It is significant that “Ethos” is at the center of the five spiritual laws. This becomes obvious when we understand the five spiritual laws as found in Luke 11:1-4 are presented in the form of a chiasm – a literary device revealing a point of emphasis. The chiastic structure of Luke 11:1-4 looks like this:
A. Father, your name be honored as holy
(Sovereignty).
B. Your kingdom come (Representation).
C. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins (Ethos).
B. For we also [feed and] forgive everyone who sins against us (Sanctions)
A. And do not lead us into temptation (Continuity).
“A” at the beginning and end of the chiasm tells us God is in charge, he protects us and therefore we know his kingdom has an eternal future. With the first and second “B” the world is blessed through us because of our restored relationship with God in Jesus Christ. “C” Is the point where the first A and B are realized so the final A and B can be accomplished in a new age.
We will return to this topic next week.