A recent article in Time magazine started with “Ethics, often dismissed as a prissy Sunday School word, is now at the center of a new national debate.” According to Webster, ethics is the study of standards of conduct and moral judgement. Christians in business have the Bible as their “standard of conduct,” but is it being applied appropriately in an increasingly competitive and complex business environment?

Another Time article caught our eye, "Publish or Per­ish or Fake It". This June 8, 1987 issue deals with a medi­cal researcher who falsified his research findings. De­scribing the current academic environment, Time uses words that sound similar to those bandied about in the business world. "The competition is savage. Winners reap monumental rewards; losers face oblivion. It's an atmosphere in which an illicit shortcut is sometimes ir­resistible-not least because the Establishment is fre­quently squeamish about confronting wrongdoing."

The Wall Street Journal reported in its October 10, 1987 edition that ethical lapses in business, especially in large corporations, are becoming increasingly common. After reviewing 10 different academic studies on ethics in busi­ness, the Journal said: "The studies together indicate that even the most upright people are apt to become dishon­est and unmindful of their civic responsibilities when placed in a typical corporate environment."

All of this sounds ominous, but what are some of the typical kinds of ethical issues faced by a Christian in business or at work? Do Christians have any safeguards available that make them less susceptible to the kinds of situations described above?

Most ethical issues differ, in our judgment, from ques­tions of honesty. Making copies of copyrighted material is dishonest. Cheating on an expense account is stealing from an employer or client. There are no great ethical issues involved in these kinds of run-of-the-mill acts that go on in thousands of businesses every day. Christians shouldn't even consider participating in such illicit ac­tivities. But there are other less clearly defined ethical issues with which Christians will struggle.

Snapshots from the Present

Frank, a financial planner, said that, "Greed is at the root of most ethical breakdowns. The company I worked with for many years has shifted to a strictly bottom-line approach with less attention to quality. This leaves me cold. They have every right to make this shift; they own the company. There is nothing illegal; it is simply a mat­ter of priorities."

Al said, "I've always respected people who keep their word, even when it involves insignificant matters or small details. I used to have a boss who did absolutely everything he said he would do; he never had a lapse. If he said he would call someone on a certain date, he would do it without fail. I think that carelessness in our commitments can represent a breach of ethics. It seems to me that people who are absolutely dependable are in very short supply these days."

Bill talked about oil companies leasing land from farm­ers. "When we negotiate a lease, we often know more than the landowner about what is under the ground and what is planned in the way of drilling in the area. And, we know the going market value for leases. An unethical landsman can take advantage of the situation and negotiate a lease far below market value. This isn't dishonest, but it is certainly unethical. Fortunately, it doesn't happen too often, but the opportunity exists."

Greg told of a case where he had advanced notification of a planned interstate highway route. This information was to be held in strict confidence until publicly released. During this waiting period, Greg learned that farm land located on the designated corridor was for sale. "I could have bought a large block of this land for $200 an acre. After the announcement, the land would have jumped immediately to over $1,000 per acre. My finding out about the land being available was a coincidence, but it wouldn't have looked that way to the public. Naturally, I didn't do it."

Mark, who works for a large corporation, noted that in bidding for certain large contracts, information some­times leaks out about the customer's budget or about what competitors are likely to bid. "Sharing price infor­mation with competitors violates antitrust laws; you can go to jail for that sort of behavior. But, there are cases where valuable information comes into our hands that could give us a competitive advantage. When this hap­pens, there is always a question of what to do."

The treatment of employees can also raise ethical is­sues, according to Mark. "What are fair pay standards? And, are fringe benefits what they should be? Are we making additional profits by penalizing our employees?" Another area of concern is the sale and distribution of products that may not perform as advertised. In some cases, there are real questions about product perfor­mance. "It's a gray area," Mark said.

John noted that a number of ethical issues surface in the practice of medicine. "There are numerous opportu­nities to cheat a patient in terms of the procedures or medicines used. A young physician, trying to establish his or her practice, may be tempted to perform certain medical procedures that could be better accomplished by a specialist (for example, a family practitioner decid­ing to interpret X-rays and set broken bones)."

Ted, a political scientist and consultant with many years' experience in Washington, D.C., noted several examples of questionable ethics in decision-making within the Federal Government. "The special interest groups in this country have gotten out of control. Is it proper to maintain an obsolete military base in a com­munity just to preserve jobs in that area? The tobacco industry has, for years, successfully resisted efforts to present the truth about what tobacco does to the human body; we even subsidize farmers who grow the stuff! Facts in research reports are distorted to prove a point. Information that could be valuable to another person is withheld. The list goes on and on. What really gets to me is that we have gotten so used to this sort of thing that it doesn't seem to bother us any more."

A friend of one of the authors recently told him of an ethical dilemma he faces relative to his boss. "My boss and his secretary are very close; they have lunch together nearly every day, and she spends a lot of time in his office. She obviously takes advantage of the situation, coming in late for work or taking off when she shouldn't. This has been going on for two years. My boss's super­visor is so busy he doesn't know what is going on in our shop. I know it isn't right, and maybe I should say some­thing to either my boss or his supervisor. Of course, by blowing the whistle, I risk losing my job. In the mean­time, our company is being ripped off."

Snapshot from the Past:
Daniel Faced Compromise (Dan. 1)

Would Old Testament Daniel compromise in a job set­ting? If so, how and why? What were his convictions? Where did he "draw the line"? Daniel faced hard ethical questions at his work.

Daniel and others were taken captive by Nebuchad­nezzar from religious Jerusalem to secular Babylon. Because of his fine appearance and abilities, Daniel, along with others, was selected for training to work in the king's court. Daniel was instructed for three years in the customs and language of the pagan Chaldeans. He was also given the Babylonian name of Belteshazzar.

Daniel attended the pagan schools, learned the lan­guage, and received the name the Chaldeans gave him. There was no problem here. However, despite his con­formity to much of the Babylonian system, Daniel de­clined to partake of their royal food and drink. He "drew the line" here because this violated his convictions con­cerning God's dietary laws. The food in question was also tainted through ceremonial contact with idols.

At their request, Daniel and his friends were allowed to eat only vegetables and drink water. As a result they were in better health than the other trainees. The super­visors observed this and concluded that these Jewish youths possessed great skill and wisdom.

Daniel faced ethical questions wisely. He willingly embraced some job standards but graciously declined others that violated his conscience and convictions be­fore God.

Daniel was fully convinced that he wanted to do God's will. We have no indication that his commitment to God ever wavered. How would you describe your own level of commitment at this point in your life?

Scripture and Personal Application

Proverbs 24:26 says, "An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips." What does this mean within this discussion of marketplace ethics?

"Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not ac­cept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous" (Deut.16:19). What sorts of "bribes" are you faced with?

Does Proverbs 6:16-19 have anything to do with eth­ics? Explain.

"If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held respon­sible" (Lev. 5:1; please also see Deut. 1:17 and Prov. 21:3). How might this warning apply to you when you face ethical questions on the job?

In his testimony before Felix, Paul said, "So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man" (Acts 24:16). What was Paul's "conscience" based upon?

Read Deuteronomy 25:13-16. How does this warning affect you and your work?

Please read Proverbs 11:1; 16:11 and 20:10. Why so much emphasis on weights and scales? How does this apply today?

Discussion Questions

1.  What are some examples of ethical decisions, or is­sues, in your work?

2.  What do you look for when evaluating the ethics of people you work with: fellow employees, suppliers, customers? Are there any clues that we should look for?

3.  There is a tendency for many people to blame others for their problems or for adverse circumstances. When problems occur they often blame someone else. Have you ever seen this sort of "passing the buck" - avoiding responsibility for one's own actions? How does this relate to our discussion of ethics?

4.  Karen Moy, a systems analyst with an insurance com­pany, offered these reactions to playing office politics. "My experience has been that in the business world, honesty and sheer hard work will eventually get you farther than any amount of games-playing. After all, God is a rational God. I don't think He selected honesty as a virtue for arbitrary reasons. He did it because it works. Even in the marketplace.... Now, does this mean you should sit passively by and await the outcome? Cer­tainly not! So many of the college students I've talked with seem to think that as Christians in the marketplace they'll automatically come out on the short end of the political stick-that their ethical standards will prevent them from being 'winners.' Well, it doesn't work that way. Good guys and gals do win sometimes. Many times, in fact." This quote is from Marketplace Networks, Janu­ary, 1988. What is your reaction to this philosophy of the payoff from ethical business practices?

5.  Can you be guilty of unethical behavior by not taking action? For example, is it unethical for a business to with­hold support from certain important community services, like United Way? Should your organization be look­ing for opportunities to employ mentally or physically handicapped individuals? We know there are sins of omission; does the same apply for business ethics? Ex­amples?

6.  Have you ever taken a stand on an ethical issue in your business or where you work? Please describe the situation and what you did about it.

7.  Describe the most ethical person you have ever worked with or been associated with in business. Was Christian­ity a part of this person's ethical standards? If so, how did his or her spiritual values seem to influence behav­ior?

8.  How do you decide when to “stick it out” – to try to correct a situation – or when to resign?

9.  Is being ethical in business or at work “good for business”? In other words, based on your experience and observations, is ethical behavior rewarded?

From Dean Coddington and Donald Orvis, Christianity in the Workplace: Your Faith on the Job (Lay Action Ministry Program / David C. Cook, 1989).  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.  Content distributed by HisChurchatWork.org > Used for non-profit teaching purposes only.

• More from His Church at Work