倫理：外顯的行為和內在的動機
By Sergio Fortes
在企業界和專業的領域，儘管有很多進步和改變，但是倫理一直都是一個挑戰，尤其是在二十一世紀。倫理這個字是從古希臘字來的，意思是「我們住的地方」或者是「我們的家」。
這讓我想到，我的父親會在晚餐之後在餐桌上對著全家人說一些他認為無法接受的行為。他會很明白地說：「在這個家裡，這是不能做的。」他基本就是在告訴我們一些家規、希望我們維持的標準、行為和傳統。
很明顯地，身為一個人類，家是我們居住、結婚、參與社交的地方。也是我們居住的社會、城市、社區、我們做禮拜的教會，或是我們賺錢的地方。在聖經裡面這個稱為我們日用的飲食之處。用個人和專業倫理的話來說，就是一個讓我們覺得很舒適的地方。
一個巴西的哲學家和教育家，馬力歐․瑟吉歐․寇特拉(Dr. Mario Sergio Cortella)教授，對倫理下了一個重要的定義：「倫理就是一套原則和價值觀，它能夠回答三個人生主要的問題：第一、我想要甚麼嗎？我應該怎麼做？我能做甚麼？有些事情我們想要做，但是不能做。也有些事情是我們應該要做，但是我們不能做。有些事情我們可以做，但是我們不想要做。」
我們每天的生活當中都充滿著這些矛盾，在我們外顯的商業行為和那些看不見的內心力量兩者之間拉扯。
使徒保羅指出我們去做一些不應該做的事情，是被我們一種內心叫做原罪的力量所驅使。「若我去做所不願意做的，就不是我做的，乃是住在我裏頭的罪做的。」 (羅馬書7章20節)
有人是這樣解釋原罪的：「沒有集中目標。」意思就是說，我們知道自己應該要做甚麼，並且試著去做，但是卻沒有做到。
解決原罪最神聖的方法就是原諒。當我們承認自己的罪並且承認它的時候，神就會幫助我們去克服它們，讓我們能去饒恕，讓我們不去做不想做的事，而有能力去做我們應該要做的事。「我們若說自己無罪，便是自欺，真理不在我們心裡了。我們若認自己的罪，神是信實的，是公義的，必要赦免我們的罪，洗淨我們一切的不義。」 (約翰一書1章 8-9節)
但是，我們也需要一個倫理的指引，幫助我們做出正確的倫理行為，這比特意要去遵守好行為、價值觀和原則更重要。要做到這一點我們需要更多想要改變的渴望、內在的改變以及新的心態。
在羅馬書12章2節告訴我們：「不要效法這個世界，只要心意更新而變化，叫你們察驗何為 神的善良、純全、可喜悅的旨意。」被改變，不是我們自己的能力能做到的。
©版權所有 為賽爾吉澳․佛提斯 是一位策略管理顧問，專長是企業領導。他也是巴西CBMC的會員。
反省與問題討論
你對倫理的看法是甚麼？ 你認為倫理的原意為什麼是我們的家？ 在你的看來，是甚麼讓人無法做正確的事呢？ 你認為驅使人無法做想做的事情，卻去做那些不想要做的事情，是因為原罪嗎？
備註：如果你手上有聖經，希望閱讀更多關於這個主題的經文，請參考以下的經文：
箴言4章23節
4:23 你要保守你心，勝過保守一切（或譯：你要切切保守你心），因為一生的果效是由心發出。
傳道書 12章14節
12:14 因為人所做的事，連一切隱藏的事，無論是善是惡，神都必審問。
馬太福音 5章37節
5:37 你們的話，是，就說是；不是，就說不是；若再多說，就是出於那惡者（或譯：就是從惡裏出來的）。」
馬太福音7章9-12節
7:9 你們中間誰有兒子求餅，反給他石頭呢？
7:10 求魚，反給他蛇呢？
7:11 你們雖然不好，尚且知道拿好東西給兒女，何況你們在天上的父，豈不更把好東西給求他的人嗎？
7:12 所以，無論何事，你們願意人怎樣待你們，你們也要怎樣待人，因為這就是律法和先知的道理。」
馬可福音12章17節
12:17 耶穌說：「凱撒的物當歸給凱撒，神的物當歸給 神。」他們就很希奇他。
腓立比書4章4-5節
4:4 你們要靠主常常喜樂。我再說，你們要喜樂。
4:5 當叫眾人知道你們謙讓的心。主已經近了。
ETHICS: OUTWARD ACTIONS BASED ON INNER MOTIVES
By Sergio Fortes
Ethics has always been a challenge into business and professional world, and despite many advances and changes, it might be an even greater challenge in the 21st century. The word “ethics” is derived from the ancient Greek, ethos, which meant, "our place while human," or "the place where we live." In that sense, ethos or ethics can be regarded as "our home."
This reminds me of when my father would address our entire family around the table after dinner. Concerning certain actions or behaviors that he considered unacceptable, emphatically he would say, "Here in this home, this shall not be done." Basically, he was informing us of the “house rules,” the standards, practices and traditions he expected each of us to uphold.
Obviously our home or place, as humans, is the home where we live, our marriage, the social group which we participate, the society where we live, our city, the neighborhood where we reside, the church where we worship with others, and the company where we earn our livelihood, what the Bible calls “our daily bread.” Living according to a personal and professional code of ethics, in effect, means actions that make us feel “at home.”
The Brazilian philosopher and educator, Prof. Dr. Mario Sergio Cortella, has presented a masterful conceptualization of ethics: "It is the set of principles and values that we use to answer three major questions of human life: Do I want? Should I do? Can I do? There are things we want, but we should not (acquire them). There are things that we should do, but we can”t. There are things we can do, but we don't want to."
Dilemmas like these permeate our everyday lives, invading the depth of our business relationships and the unseen, inward origins of our professional actions.
The Apostle Paul points out that when we do what we don”t want, it is because we are dominated by an inner force or impulse which he calls "sin": “Now if I do what I do not desire to do, it is not myself that acts, but the sin which dwells within me fixed and operating in my soul” (Romans 7.20).
One of the concepts of sin I have learned – I can't remember from whom – is that "sin is hitting the wrong target." We know what we should do, but trying to accomplish it, we have lost the target and hit something else instead.
The divine antidote for sin is forgiveness. When we admit our sins and confess it, God will help us to overcome them, providing forgiveness, empowering us to not want what we should not, and giving us the ability to do what we should: “… He will forgive our sins and continuously cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1.8-9).
However, having ethical guidelines and displaying proper ethical conduct – our home” – is more than possessing the intention to follow good practices, values or principles. It requires more than a simple desire, or even the exercising of our will. It demands an inner change, a new mindset.
In Romans 12:2 we are told, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Being “transformed” is not something we can accomplish on our own. It is something that, as the Bible tells us again and again, only Jesus can do! As Galatians 2:20 assures each of His followers, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (by His Spirit).”
© 2018. J. Sergio Fortes is a consultant in strategic management and a specialist in corporate leadership. He also is a member of CBMC Brazil.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
What is your concept of ethics? What did you think of the original concept of ethics as "the place where we live? In your opinion, what can lead someone to stop doing what is right, and choosing instead to do the opposite? Do you think that the force that drives people to do what they really don”t want to do, and not do what they really want to do, is the sin? Explain what this means for you.
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about his subject, consider the following passages: Proverbs 4:23; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Mathew 5:37, 7:9-12; Mark 12:17; Philippians 4:4-5
