The Moral Law & Human Conscience

[PeterC]

If someone stole your phone right now, you wouldn’t just say, ‘That’s inconvenient for my personal goals.’ You would feel, ‘That is wrong.’ Where does that deep sense of ‘ought’ and ‘ought not’ come from?"

This is a pretty human and common experience. Can we all agree that certain things, like protecting an innocent child or being honest, are truly right, while things like unprovoked cruelty are truly wrong across all cultures?

If the universe is strictly the result of random physical processes and natural selection, where does a moral obligation come from? Evolution can explain why we might develop cooperation for survival, but it cannot explain why we ought to sacrifice ourselves for a stranger, or why objective evil exists beyond personal preference or cultural majority rule.

The answer is simple. It is a Biblical worldview. This is what naturally accounts for what we feel.

We are made in the image of God (Imago Dei)

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

Human beings have intrinsic worth and dignity because we reflect the character of our Creator. That’s why treating a person cruelly isn’t just a social mistake; it’s a violation against God.

Even if we do not understand it, the moral law is written on our hearts.

“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” Romans 2:14–15

You don’t need a copy of the Bible to know that murdering or betraying a friend is wrong. God stamped His moral signature onto the human conscience from the beginning. Which, of course, begs the question, “If a universal Moral Law exists, then there must be a Moral Lawgiver. Right?” When we examine our own hearts against that Moral Law, every single one of us falls short of our own standards, let alone God’s standard (Romans 3:23).

Therefore, the Moral Law points us to our need for a Savior. Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the Law on our behalf and offers forgiveness where we fail. Remember this. It can be used to find common ground when discussing the right and wrong of humanity.
Peter

[Edward429451]

@PeterC

If someone stole your phone right now, you wouldn’t just say, ‘That’s inconvenient for my personal goals.’ You would feel, ‘That is wrong.’ Where does that deep sense of ‘ought’ and ‘ought not’ come from?"

If someone stole my phone, I believe I would feel relief and praise God. All my phone has become at this stage of my life is yet another advertising medium which they charge me for! Not a good deal. My phone rings between 5 to 50 times per day, my family doesn’t really call me on it so I might as well let it go and let them email me if they wish.

@PeterC

This is a pretty human and common experience. Can we all agree that certain things, like protecting an innocent child or being honest, are truly right, while things like unprovoked cruelty are truly wrong across all cultures?

Yes, I agree. Even Unbelievers know what is wrong and what is right.

@PeterC

If the universe is strictly the result of random physical processes and natural selection, where does a moral obligation come from? Evolution can explain why we might develop cooperation for survival, but it cannot explain why we ought to sacrifice ourselves for a stranger, or why objective evil exists beyond personal preference or cultural majority rule.

Moral obligation comes from the conscience. It’s God’s built in device to convict people of right and wrong. Our conscience also speaks well to us when we do right and assures us that we have acted correctly. That’s in scripture.

@PeterC

The answer is simple. It is a Biblical worldview. This is what naturally accounts for what we feel.

Amen, Brother.

@PeterC

We are made in the image of God (Imago Dei)

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

So men and women both have a conscience and this proves it. So if women do indeed have a conscience then their (modern) lack of accountability they display are outright lies, their not really as dumb as they usually act!

@PeterC

Human beings have intrinsic worth and dignity because we reflect the character of our Creator. That’s why treating a person cruelly isn’t just a social mistake; it’s a violation against God.

Now there’s a scary statement.

@PeterC

Even if we do not understand it, the moral law is written on our hearts.

“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” Romans 2:14–15

You don’t need a copy of the Bible to know that murdering or betraying a friend is wrong. God stamped His moral signature onto the human conscience from the beginning. Which, of course, begs the question, “If a universal Moral Law exists, then there must be a Moral Lawgiver. Right?” When we examine our own hearts against that Moral Law, every single one of us falls short of our own standards, let alone God’s standard (Romans 3:23).

Sometimes I wonder if there will be more than 100 women who make it to heaven? Scripture says there will be no liars in heaven, period. And women treat lying like some sort of social construct which allows them to lie about everything with impunity. I’ve seen many women who are so used to lying that they even will lie about piddling things that no one has reason to lie about. Weird. And we all know deep down inside that we should not lie, yet they still do. Why do people lie so much? Does it become an addiction? Open the door for a lying spirit to inhabit them?

@PeterC

…

Therefore, the Moral Law points us to our need for a Savior. Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the Law on our behalf and offers forgiveness where we fail. Remember this. It can be used to find common ground when discussing the right and wrong of humanity.
Peter

Amen, Brother.

Sorry Brother, I didn’t mean to trigger about lying but it made me think about it. It’s dangerous to lie. Towards the end of working for me it became somewhat difficult for me to work for customers and not lie to them but at the same time, not give up too much information of my employer which allows them to make a profit on material. Good topic.

[KPuff]

Well said, brother @Peter.

Of course, I concur with you. As I have thought about these things, I support your assertions about the origins of morality, and ethics in general; I believe what you have stated is accurate. I will say, however, the atheists, and antitheists have developed a well-rehearsed response to this position; one from which they rarely budge. I believe what you are saying is truth, but unfortunately, accurately reporting truisms does not do a very good job of implanting life into a dead brain, at least not in my experience.

Your theory raises a secondary, and thought-provoking question; “Why have saints been charged with spreading The Truth, if, (as is so often witnessed), accurately reporting truisms does seemingly little to alter the thinking of recalcitrant sinners?” To me, if God designed a global dispensation of “The Good News” for the purpose of convincing people to accept His offer of eternal life, then He seems to have designed one of the most inefficient methods of public persuasion ever recorded in history. If public persuasion is the goal, then it seems the enemy of truth has a much better track record; the “anti-truth” campaign has surely won far more converts.

What do you think?

KP