Christianity is not principally about ethics. It was the Cross on the Hill rather than the Sermon on the Mount which produced the impact of Christianity upon the world.
The Church becomes anti-church when the new world order Christ inaugurated by eliminating demographic division through the commonality of Baptism is exploded by allegiance to cults of personality.
No matter how dark it gets you have more reason to have “increased joy” and to “rejoice and be glad” (verse 3) because you have the word of promise and its fulfillment in Christ.