Article by Cameron Spink

Goldman Sachs, a global investment bank that has total assets valued at around $850 billion and has over 31,000 employees, has been put on trial in front of the US Senate for its actions leading up to the global financial crisis last year. In layman's terms Goldman Sachs bet against their own clients effectively putting the bank's financial interests ahead of their clients.

This reveals the dilemma between Christian morality and corporate ethics. Many times in western society we have a choice between that which could be financially beneficial but perhaps morally reprehensible. A lot of the activities of Goldman Sachs regarding securities were technically legal but not in the best interests of some of their clients.

There are many times in life, no matter at what level, when the lines are blurred and one must decide what to do for themselves. From a Christian prospective Jesus commands us to “be on guard against every form of greed; life is not is possessions”(Luke 12:15). But sometimes it is so hard to say no because the rewards are so tempting and the ethical boundary so gray. Sometimes it is difficult to morally discern what is the Christian thing to do.

To determine how to act we should look at Jesus' commandments. He told us to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength. This includes us loving God with our money, our time and any other important asset. The second commandment Jesus gave us was to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:32). One question we could ask is how are our actions benefiting others? If such an act is putting yourself in a position above others then it is unlikely to be ethically valuable.

Goldman Sachs acted in such a way to place themselves in a position where they would be a major beneficiary while their clients, by their advice, got hit financially. Do not get caught into the trap of believing that stretching the ethical lines is permissible. God has charged us with being His ambassadors to this earth.

To an investment bank like Goldman Sachs money is everything. However, to a Christian money should have no significance. Jesus tells us to render to Caesar what is Caesar's. When struggling on the ethical boundary pursue God with all your heart mind and soul and your ways will be blameless.