Dave Rich examines the glory of God as the central purpose of Christian living in this lesson on Christian ethics. The glory of God represents the ultimate telos—the motivation and purpose—behind every ethical decision believers make. Throughout Scripture —from Psalm 86 to Revelation 4 —the glory of God emerges as the reason for creation and the believer's chief end. The Hebrew word kavod and the Greek word doxa reveal three distinct biblical meanings: God's inherent gloriousness, the glory due Him through praise, and the created brightness surrounding His revelation.

Believers cannot make God more glorious, yet they glorify Him by reflecting His character as image bearers. The glory of God manifests through twenty biblical activities, including living with purpose, confessing sins, praying expectantly, and proclaiming the gospel. Christian ethics remains both deontological—adhering to God's commands—and teleological—pursuing the glory of God as the ultimate purpose. Whether eating, drinking, or whatever believers do, all should aim toward the glory of God, fulfilling the Reformation principle of Soli Deo Gloria.

Dave Rich examines situationism, the ethical system popularized by Joseph Fletcher, which claims that love is the only moral absolute. Through careful biblical analysis, Rich demonstrates why situationism fails as a Christian ethic despite its appealing simplicity. Fletcher's system collapses ethical decision-making into a single principle: do whatever seems most loving in any situation. However, Rich reveals how situationism misunderstands divine commands, ignores the greatest commandment to love God first, and ultimately reduces to ethical egoism.

While love is indeed central to Christian ethics, it cannot stand alone without God's revealed law to define it. Rich shows how situationism prioritizes neighbor love while neglecting the primary command to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind.

Dave Rich examines the foundational ethical frameworks of deontology and teleology through a Christian lens. Deontology emphasizes rules-based ethics where acts conform to authoritative commands, while teleology focuses on purposes and intended results. Rich explores how secular systems like utilitarianism and ethical egoism attempt to establish moral authority apart from God, yet ultimately fail to answer the critical question: "Says who?"

The presentation demonstrates that Christian ethics incorporates elements of deontology and teleology but grounds both in God's personal authority revealed through Scripture. Believers are called not merely to follow rules or pursue favorable outcomes, but to obey God's commands while cultivating right motivations and godly character. Through examining various philosophical systems—from Kantian categorical imperatives to utilitarian calculus—Rich shows how every secular attempt to establish ethics without God collapses under the weight of its own inconsistency. True Christian ethics recognizes that God's commands carry inherent authority, that our purposes must align with His glory, and that developing Christ-like character matters eternally.