April 2020

God created the universe with laws that govern everything that goes on. Those laws pertain to both the operation of the physical universe and the moral universe. Physical laws are the natural laws that govern the material universe. In addition to these natural laws, God has given us moral laws that govern our behavior.[1]

Law Defined

Law is the rule or standard governing both the physical and moral universe. Physical law is the rule of action, and moral law is the rule for action.

• Of action refers to how things work, natural law.
• For action refers to the moral quality of the action or choice. It relates primarily to why certain things ought to be done or not done.

Physical Laws defined

The laws of the Physical Universe are natural laws driven by necessity and force. They govern involuntary actions. For example, the law of entropy, the laws concerning the movement of stars, planets, and galaxies, the law of gravity, and the countless involuntary actions of our mind and body, most of which we understand very little about.

Moral law defined

The law of the Moral Universe is a law of liberty and free choice (free will) as opposed to the law of necessity and force. The law of the Moral Universe is the rule of voluntary action, free will, and free choice.

It is the principle behind voluntary action and behavior. It involves rewards and punishments (sanctions) to encourage obedience to the rule. Obedience to moral law is a free and voluntary choice because it doesn’t rely on brute force or necessity like physical laws do.

Morality Defined

Moral law is a code of conduct or set of laws and rules, which differentiate right behavior from wrong behavior. Generally speaking, we consider an immoral person to be one who engages in behavior that is destructive. We consider a moral person to be one who participates in proper behavior.

Questions

Do the laws of physics operate within us? Is some of what happens in the human body and mind governed by physical law? We all know that is true. For example, we do not need to will each breath or will our heart to circulate blood or to digest food. Our bodies do these things automatically without our permission or conscious choice because of the rules of physical law.

Physical Laws explained

Physical laws do not ask for voluntary compliance. Obedience to physical law is mandatory, involuntary, unavoidable, and not a free choice. With your free will, you can’t disregard physical laws. All physical laws operate without anyone’s permission or agreement. These physical laws govern all substances and the entire material universe in an absolute sense; however, they do not govern the choices made by moral agents. Confounding physical law with moral law is a fundamental error. Well-known theologians throughout history have made this error. (Augustine and Jonathan Edwards, for example.)

Moral law legislates over what?

We are made in the image and likeness of God. This is Biblically true before and after the original sin of Adam. We have emotions, intellect, and will. Each of these faculties operates together yet is distinct in many important ways. We know that we feel. We know that we think. And we know that we make choices and are aware that our will is free. We are conscious of these mental states and actions, which is robust evidence of their truth.

What is meant by the term intellect? Our intellect encompasses, among other things, our reasoning, thinking, conscience, consciousness, and intuition.

Our emotions encompass a range of feelings and sensations, including pity, compassion, love, happiness, lust, anger, joy, amazement, and fear.

Our will is that faculty, given to us by God, that allows us sovereignty over our choices about right and wrong as well as other amoral decisions like what to eat, what to wear, and where to live. Our will is free to choose between alternatives.

I have found this chart helpful in understanding the critical attributes of these three faculties of our being. Hopefully, it will become apparent that sin and holiness reside primarily in the will, rather than in the emotions or the intellect.

                          Emotions          Intellect            Will

Control             indirect              indirect              direct

Choice              involuntary        involuntary        voluntary

Operate            force                  force                  free

States                passive              passive              active

Morality           secondarily        secondarily        primary

 

Control. Feelings and emotions are only indirectly controlled by us. We have direct control over our will and only indirect control over our emotions and intellect. For instance, we can’t choose to feel or not feel a certain way by willing. By willing, we can change the object of our attention and in that way produce the corresponding feelings indirectly. For example, we can’t by willing it, choose to feel pity. To feel pity, we must think about people or situations that excite our pity, and in that way produce the feeling of pity. We can not choose to feel anger by a direct act of our will. We can consider those situations or individuals that indirectly trigger the feelings of anger in us. And those feelings will, of necessity, arise in us under the rules of physical law because that is how God made us. You can’t help but have those emotions if your intellect contemplates certain situations or circumstances.

That does not mean that every person has the same degree of feelings. We all know people who feel intensely when thinking about suffering animals, suffering children, or listening to certain music (including worship music) or watching specific movies. In contrast, others do not experience the same level of emotional intensity. These folks may not feel anything measurable at all. That doesn’t mean that only those who feel great intensity are good people, and those who feel less intensity (or nothing) are not as good as those whose feelings often boil over into tears. Those who cry the most are not necessarily any more righteous than those who shed tears but occasionally. Virtue is predicated on choices and motives, not feelings and emotions.

Choice. We have direct control over our choices because they are all voluntary and free as they come from our will. Whatever we can do, it is done by willing it. My legs don’t move involuntarily unless I have a physical malady or an instinctive response. I must choose to walk or run before my legs move. I must will to walk, before I start walking. I make the decision. It’s not made for me. Emotions and the states of mind of our intellect are all involuntary and only indirectly controlled by us. Morality is primarily predicated on us having direct control.

We often hear that homosexuals do not have a choice. Many people believe that homosexuals are born that way. But what do they mean, that they are born that way? Does it mean that they are born preprogrammed to be homosexual? Does it mean that the only sexual expression they are capable of is with someone of their own sex? Many would say that is the case. But that ignores the reality that many thousands of former homosexuals have changed and become heterosexuals by the power of God in the gospel of truth. No person can change an immutable characteristic, such as gender, the color of their skin, or the color of their eyes. Sexual expression is not immutable, and many people have changed. You might not know that if you only listen to our corrupt politicians and national media. Contrary to the evidence, they only peddle the lie that homosexuals are born that way and can’t change. That is a lie from the very pit of hell.

This can get a bit complicated, but the next point is important. It may be true that only certain people are tempted toward homosexuality. Heterosexuality doesn’t tempt everyone, but most people are sexually tempted in this way. Too many Christians think that temptation itself is sin when it is not sin. When temptation is yielded to, then sin is conceived. Jesus was tempted but without sin. If you are a Christian who believes in the dogma of Original Sin, then it should not surprise you that some people are born homosexual sinners. You should expect that to be true and widespread. The dogma of Original Sin states that every person is born a sinner. So, clearly, some people will be born homosexuals, others will be born fornicators or adulterers, and others will be born thieves. If this dogma is true, which it is not.

Every human being is tempted to sin in various ways. Most are sexually tempted to sin in a heterosexual way (fornication and adultery) while others are tempted to sin in a homosexual way. In either case, yielding to the temptation is sin, but being tempted is not sin. The choice to yield to temptation, of any kind, is a free will choice. We can always choose not to yield to temptation.

Back to our question, “Are homosexuals born that way?” Let us say that they are born that way. Does that mean they can express themselves in an act that God has condemned? No, it does not. God abhors homosexuality/sodomy. So, does anyone believe that God creates people homosexual? Does anyone believe that God creates fornicators and adulterers? Never.

Operate. The functions and states of the emotions and the intellect all operate involuntarily by force under the rules of physical law. Only the will of mankind is voluntary and directly free to make choices. Everything else operates involuntarily by force and of necessity.

States. The emotions and the intellect are passive states of the mind for the reasons already mentioned. The will alone is active because it alone is under our direct immediate control. It is voluntary. It is free to choose and therefore it is active. As mentioned, we can’t decide not to feel specific ways when the proper subject matter is directed to our attention. Suppose we contemplate the plight of starving kids or the suffering of our family. In that case, we will automatically experience feelings such as pity and compassion because these emotions are passive, involuntary, necessary, and unavoidable states of the mind, and are only indirectly controlled by us.

Morality. All the above considered, it is clear that morality is based, strictly speaking, on the will, rather than our intellect or emotions. The will is the primary consideration in any moral matter. The emotions and the intellect are only secondarily moral for the reasons mentioned.

Sin. If all this is true, then sin must be predicated on a wrong choice or an immoral act of our free will, strictly speaking. Sin must then reside in our wills first and foremost and only secondarily in our state of emotions and intellect.

Temptation. Temptation comes to us through our intellect and emotions/feelings. We only indirectly control these faculties. If we could directly control all of our feelings and thoughts, we could theoretically eliminate temptation. But even Jesus was tempted, and His temptation is similar to ours because we are made in the image and likeness of God.

It appears that most “Christians” have a religion that resides in either the emotions or the intellect but does not move their will. There can be great feelings without love for God. There can be great thinking and much knowledge and no love of God. The opposite is also true. There can be little emotion and great love for God. There can be little knowledge and great love for God. To love God is to trust Him and obey Him irrespective of your feelings at the time. This is a vast deception that is leading many away from God and to hell. (See my article, Feeling Your Way to Damnation).

Every sinner, and even the worst of sinners, has emotions and feels love or strong affection towards some people, animals, or things. These emotions are not virtues and do not signify goodness or righteousness. These emotions make us human beings created in the image and likeness of God. Under certain circumstances, all humans have these emotions by the rules of physical law. Therefore, there is no virtue or vice in these emotions alone. Jesus said even sinners love their own, but God expects us to “love” our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. He was not commanding us to feel a certain way, but to act in a certain benevolent manner toward our enemies.

As mentioned, when we see the plight of starving children, many of us instinctively feel a sense of compassion. Many people, including Christians, recognize that these feelings are good and right and assume that having these feelings makes them good people. All humans, even the most wicked, experience these feelings and emotions. Some actually do good because of them, while others simply ignore or suppress these feelings and focus their attention elsewhere. The feelings fade away according to the laws of physics, not moral law.

But simply gratifying our feelings is just another form of selfishness. When we become a new creation in Christ, we understand and agree that the well-being of God and others is valuable in its own right and for its own sake. We realize that we are not the most critical being in the universe. We act on that basis and not simply to make us feel good about helping others. We obey God and help others because they are valuable and deserve to be treated as such.

When contemplating God or other noble and virtuous people, certain feelings and emotions will arise in all people involuntarily, by necessity, unavoidably, and by force. We were created to be attracted to virtue and repelled by vice. And all of us are, except when some selfish consideration blinds us.

However, these emotions have no virtue in them at all if the will is not moved based on the perceived value of God and others. Many people believe that because they experience strong emotions and positive feelings toward God or noble and virtuous individuals, it means they are good people themselves. Not so, that simply means they are human. These are all involuntary passive states of the mind, and sin or holiness can’t be predicated on these states of mind only.

Think of the Pharisees. They had a religion based on intellect, as many do today as well. They know much about the Word of God and the facts surrounding Him, but they had no love for God. They continued to disobey Him even while pretending to love Him. Jesus said many will come to Him on that day saying, Lord, did we not do all these wonderful things in your name? And Jesus responds by saying He doesn’t know them, “depart all you who are lawless and wicked”.

Most Christians, I fear, have a religion that resides in either the emotions or the intellect. There can be great feelings and much knowledge and no genuine faith, love, or virtue.

In the book of James, we are told that the demons believe in God and shudder. They know much about God, but that is where it ends. They do not trust or obey Him. Many so-called Christians know a great deal about God and think that means they are right with Him even while they knowingly disobey Him and continually make excuses for their sins. Their religion resides in the intellect and will never save them. This is a very great deception.

All true Christianity mainly exists in the will, and only secondarily in the emotions and intellect. When the will makes a choice, feelings automatically follow as a necessary, involuntary, and unavoidable result based on physical laws. The act of the will is where sin or holiness primarily resides, according to moral law. For example, when you pray for people you don’t know well and may not have any feelings for, the feelings of affection or concern will eventually develop in you because you have committed to pray for them.

What is the love required by God?

• Love is good-willing and good doing toward God and our neighbor even when our feelings run counter or are non-existent. Love does not consist in good wishes, good feelings, or good desires. Love is an action and behavior that brings blessings and life to those who are the recipients of that love because their well-being is valuable in its own right. God’s well-being is more valuable than mine, and my neighbor’s well-being is as valuable as mine.
• Love is the obedience of the will to the intellect wherein right action and behavior are determined. Our reason provides us with the distinction between right and wrong and is identical to the moral law.
• Love is the absence of malevolence (ill will) and the presence of benevolence (good will).
• Love is the promotion of the highest well-being and best interests of God and our neighbor. See first bullet point.

In the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, verses 1-3, it is written,

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity it profits me nothing.” KJV

 The translators of the KJV used the word “charity” instead of “love” for specific reasons. The English word “love” has many different meanings. You will notice that the Apostle Paul says we can give all that we possess to feed the poor and give our bodies to be burned at the stake and still not have love or charity. And it will profit us nothing. Most of us think that giving all our money and possessions away and giving our bodies to be burned at the stake is the apotheosis (prime example) of love. But Paul says both of these things can be done for selfish reasons and have it profit us nothing. Amazing truth.

The motive or the end/purpose for which we live, determines the quality of the act. Giving money to feed the poor is outwardly a good thing, and many mistakenly think that anyone who gives money to feed the poor must be a very good person. That is not necessarily the truth. The Pharisees were examples of those who gave alms, said their prayers, and fasted for the wrong reason: to be noticed by other people. It profited them nothing. Even worse, it deceived them into believing they were good people when, in fact, they were not. Jesus said, ‘Be careful that the light that is in you is not darkness, for how great is that darkness’.

The apostle also said that a person can be a martyr and have no charity, and it profits them nothing. Can you think of examples?

What is the right motive or purpose of life for a real believer in Jesus Christ?

A believer’s ultimate end, intention, objective, or purpose in life is to love, please, and serve God supremely and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Why? Their well-being and happiness are valuable in their own right and for their own sake. This perception of value is the foundation for moral obligation.

To be a law, which is binding on us, what are the necessary characteristics or attributes of moral law?

• Subjectivity. It is an idea of reason formed in our minds about what course of conduct is required of us in any given situation.
• Objectivity. A rule of duty required by a law giver, external to self. For instance, the 10 Commandments.
• Liberty versus force/necessity. Actions or choices of the will are and must be free, with no force. Physical law demands, by force, obedience to its precepts.
• Fitness. It is a law that corresponds to our nature. For example, Romans 1 talks about “receiving in their own person the due penalty of their error.” A moral violation of the natural law results in both adverse physical and moral consequences. The wages of sin are death, and death can be both physical and eternal.
• Universality. This law demands the same thing from every moral agent, including God, under similar circumstances.
• Impartiality. Moral law is no respecter of persons, and no one is above the law. The law requires that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and that we love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
• Practicability. That which is required by law must be doable. That which requires an impossibility can not govern the will. Inability to obey moral law is utter nonsense.
• Independence. It is an eternal idea for all moral beings, which the law of God prescribes to Himself as a moral being. It’s not a law of His will but of His nature and ours also. It is just exactly what being born in the image and likeness of God requires of us.
• Immutability. Moral law can never change because it is particularly suited to our nature.
• Unity. Moral law proposes but one ultimate end of being for all of us. That is to love God supremely and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
• Expediency. What is most wise is expedient and is demanded by the moral law.
• Exclusiveness. Moral law is the only rule of duty. There is no other.

What is moral obligation?

That rule of duty imposed on us by our reason. God reveals obligation via reason or intellect. It is what we should or ought to do. All men have ideas about what is right and wrong. Even without the written Word of God, we have these ideas about right and wrong that are revealed in our conscience and the moral rational nature God gave us when He created us. All human beings, for instance, know that killing someone is wrong even if they have never heard of the commandments of God. Read Romans chapter 2.

These ideas regarding right and wrong create the obligation to do what is right and to abstain from what is wrong. To him who knows the right thing to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.

Conditions versus the ground of moral obligation?

The ground or foundation of moral obligation (that for the sake of which) is the intrinsic value of God and our neighbor. Doing them good and not harm increases their happiness and well-being. They have inherent value and therefore we are under obligation to promote their well-being.

The conditions of moral obligation are the (that not without which), the sine qua non. We must possess the capacity for moral agency to be under obligation. Possession of these powers of moral agency can’t by itself create any obligation to choose good and not evil. The intrinsic difference between good and ill of being is the ground of the responsibility to choose good over evil.

The conditions of moral obligation are:

• Moral agency, which means we must have the ability to reason, to feel, and to choose. These faculties give us the ability to discern what is valuable.
• Light or knowledge of the obligation given the circumstances.

Is the will of God the ground of moral obligation?

Many believe that the will of God is the foundation or ground of moral obligation. For example, Martin Luther (and other Augustinian Calvinists before and after him) stated that there is no rule or ground requiring God to act in any particular way, for His will is the law. In other words, God could take a bribe, show partiality, and do whatever He wants to do without incurring sin if His will was the law. Not true, the moral law is absolute and it applies equally to all moral agents, including God Himself. No one can make any law-breaking or any sin a virtue by a direct action of their will.

We made killing babies legal in 1973. Hitler made killing Jews and other people legal in the 1940s. Before that, we made slavery legal by force of our wills, but these things were never anything but sin in the eyes of God. The absolute moral law governing the universe confirmed that slavery was sinful.

Why did Martin Luther and many other theologians insist that the will of God was the foundation of moral obligation? Because of the apparent injustice involved in making people sinners, condemning us for Adam’s sin, and by electing only a few to salvation. All these errors stemmed from the foundational doctrine of Original Sin and the Sin nature, which were introduced into Western Christianity primarily by Augustine. (See articles on Augustinian Calvinism.)

This is a brief overview of moral government and moral obligation, drawing on Finney’s Systematic Theology and my thoughts. This helped me understand many things in theology and practical Christianity.

April 15, 2020

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[1] Although people often overlook this truth, it is important to note that all the laws of the physical universe come from information or knowledge. Information is a non-material entity (spirit) and can never arise from anything other than an intelligent living being (God the creator. God is spirit.). Obviously, moral laws are based on information as well and can only come from the same source.