The Christian Love Ethic
by Dr. Norman L. Geisler

Jesus summarized our entire moral duty in two commands: Love God and love others (Mat. 22:37-40). Taking these words seriously, this book constructs the whole Christian Ethic on life-and-death issues in terms of these commands. This book was first published in 1973 as The Christian Ethic of Love. It was revised by Dr. Geisler in 2012, retitled The Christian Love Ethic.

The 2012 edition is not available at this time. Bastion Books intends to republish it in 2022 or 2023.

Contents:
Chapter 1 – LOVE: THE MORAL ABSOLUTE 9
THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF DENYING ABSOLUTES 9
AFFIRMING AND DEFENDING MORAL ABSOLUTES 11
COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF MORAL RELATIVISTS 14
CONCLUDING COMMENTS 15
Chapter 2 – GOD: THE NATURE OF ABSOLUTE LOVE 16
THE SOURCES OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AS LOVE 16
THE NATURE OF GOD AS LOVE 17
THE RELATION OF WRATH TO GOD’S LOVE 19
SOME IMPLICATIONS OF GOD’S LOVE 22
Chapter 3 – LOVING ON TWO LEVELS 23
THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS 23
CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS 25
RESOLVING THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO LEVELS OF LOVE 27 IN SUMMATION 28
Chapter 4 – LOVING OTHERS AND ONE’S SELF 29
LOVING OTHERS COMPREHENSIVELY 29
LOVING OTHERS COMPLETELY 32
LOVING ONE’S SELF CORRECTLY 33 SUMMARY 35
Chapter 5 – LAWS: PUTTING LOVE INTO WORDS 36
LOVE IN THE LAW OF MOSES 36
LAW AND LOVE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 38
THE RELATION OF LAW AND LOVE 40
A FINAL THOUGHT 42
Chapter 6 – CHRIST: PUTTING LOVE INTO LIFE 43
CHRIST: THE PERFECTION OF THE LAW 43
CHRIST: THE BELIEVER’S PATTERN 46
SUMMING IT UP 48
Chapter 7 – THE ALTERNATIVES OF LOVE 49
THE FIRST WAY: THERE IS ONLYONE ABSOLUTE DUTY OF LOVE 50
THE SECOND WAY: THERE IS ALWAYS A THIRD ALTERNATIVE FOR LOVE 52
THIRD WAY: PERFORMING THE LEAST NON-LOVING ACT 55
THE FOURTH WAY: DO THE MOST LOVING THING, SUBORDINATING THE LOWER LAWS OF LOVE TO THE HIGHER ONES 57
A BRIEF SUMMARY 58
Chapter 8 – THE CONFLICTS OF LOVE 60 LOVE FOR GOD VS. LOVE FOR OTHER HUMANS 60
LIFE-SAVING VS. TRUTH TELLING 61 LOVE FOR PERSONS VS. LOVE FOR THINGS 63
LOVE FOR MANY PERSONS VS. LOVE FOR FEW PERSONS 64
LOVE FOR THE UNBORN VS. RIGHTS OF THE MOTHER 65
IN SUMMATION 66
Chapter 9 – LOVE AND OTHER MORAL DUTIES 68
GOD IS ABSOLUTELY ONE IN ESSENCE 68
GOD HAS MANY MORAL ATTRIBUTES 68
HOW ARE DIFFERENT MORAL ATTRIBUTES COMPATIBLE? 68
Love and Murder 69
Love and Truth 70
Love and Justice 70
Love and Stealing 70
Love and Jealousy 71
Love and Adultery 71
Love and Coveting 71
A FINAL WORD 72
Chapter 10 – THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF LOVE 73
GREATER AND LESSER GOODS 73
WEIGHING THE ALTERNATIVES FOR LOVE 76
THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 78
CONCLUDING COMMENTS 79
Chapter 11 – LOVE AND LIFE-TAKING 80
LOVE NEVER DEMANDS LIFE-TAKING AS SUCH 80
LOVE AND SUICIDE 81 LOVE AND THE ULTIMATE SACRICE 83
LOVE AND THE UNBORN 83 LOVE AND LITTLE CHILDREN 83
LOVE AND THE HANDICAPPED 84 LOVE AND THE ELDERLY 84
LOVE AND THE TERMNALLY ILL 85
LOVE AND THE UNRESCUABLE 86
LOVE AND ANIMAL RIGHTS 87
LOVE AND ASSSTED SUICIDE 88
LOVE AND SACRIFICING ONE’S LIFE FOR OTHERS 88
LOVE AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT 89
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS 91
Chapter 12 – LOVE AND WAR 92
LOVE AND THE COMMAND OF ONE’S GOVERNMENT 92
LOVE AND THE COMMAND OF JESUS NOT TO RESIST EVIL 94
LOVE AND A JUST WAR 99
LOVE AND A PREMEPTIVE STRIKE 102
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS 103
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 104