The doctrine of the Christian life — also known as ethics — is about Christian wisdom.

It is not about merely having the proper answers to a list of tricky moral questions, but discerning between good and evil in a changing and complicated world. Whether it’s in-vitro fertilization, stem-cell research, or human cloning — just to name a few — today’s challenges simply are not the same issues as yesteryear, and tomorrow’s moral dilemmas won’t be the precise set we face today.

It won’t do to memorize the answers to the last generation’s flashpoints. We must become the kind of people who deeply know biblical revelation, what it says about God and man and the world, and how to apply it to everyday life. It demands discernment. Christian ethics requires a broad vision of what the kingdom of God looks like, what pleases God, and what it means to love neighbor in an ever-changing society.

In tackling the doctrine of the Christian life, we couldn’t think of anyone better than Russell Moore, dean of theology at Southern Seminary and leading ethicist among evangelicals. In this episode of Theology Refresh, we asked Moore for a swift primer on Christian ethics. We think you’ll find these 13 minutes well worth the investment.