Illumination and inward leading are just two of the ways that the Holy Spirit works in human beings to reveal the truth about God. Illumination is given as a free gift of knowledge to both believers and unbelievers, while inward leading is displayed in individual consciences.

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass form the Law until all is accomplished."- Matt. 5:17-18. Because of Jesus' work on the cross, we are no longer slaves to the law - but that doesn't mean believers have no obligation to obey the law. The law is still the standard for behavior and is compatible with the gospel's good news of grace!

It’s generally obvious to most people that actions can properly be considered right and wrong. The Bible teaches Christians to conform every aspect of our lives and beings to God's moral standards. So, Christian ethics must address not only behavior, but also emotions, orientations, predilections, inclinations, preferences, thoughts, imaginations, beliefs, and even our very natures.

The Bible consistently speaks of God’s own personal goodness as the absolute standard by which all ethical issues are to be evaluated. God’s law is right and good because it comes from God, who himself is right and good. Because he is righteous, everything he does and everything he expresses — including his laws for us — manifests his goodness.

When we say that Scripture is “clear,” we don’t mean that everything in the Bible is easy to understand, or that everything in the Bible is stated plainly and directly. Instead, we mean that the Bible is not obscure. It’s not filled with hidden meanings that can only be discovered through mysterious means, or through special spiritual gifting, or by those who hold special offices in the church.

Although some theologians treat the Ten Commandments as if they were just another portion of the Mosaic law, the Bible indicates that the Ten Commandments have a special primacy over Scripture’s other commandments.

To introduce our approach to the proper standard, we’ll touch on three aspects of God’s revelation.

All good works must be done with the proper goal in mind. If our works are to please God, immediate goals like caring for our families, honoring our parents, going to church, and the like, must be part of a bigger picture.

When theologians speak of God’s simplicity, they have in mind that God’s essence is not a composite; it’s not divided.