Definition of Law

Law is a rule of action established by recognized authority to enforce justice and prescribe duties and obligations to those governed. Physical law is the rule of action of the material universe whereby all things are kept perpetually in their own courses, working in harmony according to the divine plan. Moral law is the rule of action for free moral agents, directing them in their moral action and their own creative powers according to the divine plan. It is the rule of free and intelligent action and liberty as opposed to the law of bondage and unintelligent action.

The Purpose of Moral Law

The purpose of moral law is to reveal and declare the rule of moral action of free wills concerning the highest good of being and of the universe; and to govern the acts and intents of free wills in their relation to God and the universe. It lies in the reason and declares that which a moral agent ought to choose, will, and intend.

The Immutability of Moral Law

The moral law can never change or vary in its requirement that every being created with a free will consecrate themselves to the same end to which God is consecrated - the highest good of the universe and all things therein. The rebellion of those having free will will never change God's plan concerning the good of His creation. Because of this, moral law can never change.

The Obligation of Moral Law

Because the moral law governs the best good of being, it is naturally obligatory upon all. What is contrary to the good of being is plainly illegal and unwise and must be prohibited. Free moral agents must cooperate to bring about the greatest public good. They must be against that which brings misery and hardships to society. It is a mutual plan for the good of each person and of the universe as a whole, and all are obligated to keep the moral law on every occasion according to the light received.

The Requirement of Moral Government

In order to have moral law there must also be a moral government to direct, guide, and control those having free will. It must include rewards for good and punishments for evil, or no society can function. There must be in every community some standard of living to which all must conform to prove themselves worthy of being part of that society. There must be some means of dealing with rebels who disturb such society. Law without penalties and rewards is no law at all. It is merely advice which can be freely accepted or rejected without fear of punishment or hope of reward. Moral government is under obligation to execute faithfully the moral law.

Requirement of a Moral Governor

Since it is necessary to have a moral law and a moral government to execute this law, there must also be a moral governor whose will and decisions are considered infallible by the subjects of government. This moral governor should be authoritative, not merely advisory. He must be able to maintain the respect of his subjects by faithful and unselfish execution of his duties. He must be able to execute penalties and mete out rewards. Naturally, the one whose attributes and character best qualify him to rule and secure the highest good of all should be the one to rule. There can be no other person to meet these requirements but God. His natural attributes, His perfect moral character, His relation to the universe as creator and upholder of all things, and His history of absolute justice to all qualify Him to be the Supreme Moral Governor. As our good and His glory depend upon mutual conformity to the same end, he is under obligation to require of us to be holy and consecrated to help Him secure the highest good of being for everyone. Thus, holiness of life and conduct is a natural obligation to all alike for the best good of all creation.

Free Moral Agency Defined

Free Moral Agency consists of intellect, sensibility, and free will, and these form the foundation of moral obligation to moral government. The intellect includes reason and self-determination. The sensibility includes self-consciousness, sensation, desire, emotion, passion, and all feeling. Free will is the power of choice concerning moral law. It is man's faculty of choosing good or evil without compulsion or necessity. It was originally created in man, and he will have it throughout all eternity.

Biblical Proof That Men are Free Moral Agents

The fact that all men make moral choices and have free choice of action concerning right and wrong proves they are free moral agents. The fact that all men choose freely whether to serve God or Satan, to obey or disobey laws, to choose holiness and salvation or to reject it, proves they have the power of choice. All men of sound mind know they have the power of free choice concerning moral actions. Even if men are bound by sin and Satan they are free to turn to God and find full deliverance - thereafter living for God and the best good of all creation. They are also free to return to sin again if they so choose (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13). No man can deny the fact of free action in normal daily life without incurring the charge of insanity. Men, for the sake of proving some biased church doctrine, may deny the reality of free moral agency - they may even deny their very existence - but the fact remains that they know both.

The Bible declares that all men have the power of free choice and that God is limited in blessing them according to their free cooperation with Him (Jn. 3:15-20, 36; 5:40; 7:17; 9:31; 12:36; 1 Cor. 7:37; 9:17; 1 Pet. 5:2; Mk. 3:35; 16:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9; Rev. 22:17; Josh. 24:15; Pr. 1:29-33; Ps. 119:3, 173; Isa. 66:9; Mt. 6:24; etc.).

Every one of these and many other Scriptures plainly state that men are free to choose whom they should serve; that they are responsible for their destiny; that whoever meets the conditions of salvation will be saved and whoever does not will be lost; that God wills for all men to be saved, but if men do not will to be saved they will be lost; that God will judge all men on the basis of their own free choice in accepting or rejecting the gospel; that if it were left up to God's choice and will all men would be saved; and that all men have absolute freedom of choice.

That we have been created with free will is illustrated most clearly in the freedom of men to choose either sin or righteousness - to accept or reject Christ's offer of salvation. If we can exercise our will regarding moral choices, then we are free moral agents. This aspect of God's character with which we are created has far-reaching implications. It is clear from God's Word that those in bondage to sin and demonic powers - even to the point of almost total helplessness - still retain the power of choice. Those in bondage choose to remain in that condition, and they can make the choice to turn from sin and find deliverance in Jesus Christ. Born in bondage to sin, we have Jesus' promise of deliverance when we turn to God

Without this God-given power to turn from sin it might be argued that we are not free moral agents. For example, the fact that the Axis nations were overcome by the Allies during World War II is not proof that they did not have the ability to make a free choice. It only proves that the Allies were the stronger of two sets of free moral agents. Their resistance as well as their choice to make war and later to surrender proves they had the power both to will and to act freely. To argue that men do not have the power to choose between right and wrong is to be ignorant of the truth - or it demonstrates willful rebellion against what is clear to all.

The Basis of Right Choice

The obligation to always act for the highest good is the basis of moral action. Every circumstance we encounter is the result of choice - choices we've made or those made by others. It is important that the choices we make have an impact for the greatest public and private good. This moral obligation extends to the ultimate acts of the will or the intention. The moral agent is under obligation to choose holiness as the means to the best good and happiness of being.

The Basis of Justice

Judgment based on intention is the basis of justice under moral government. We also find that this is the basis of justice in civil governments. Whether good intentions lead to bad results, or bad intentions lead to good results, the one making the choice should be held responsible for their intentions and should not be judged on the basis of the results or consequences of their actions. The Bible respects the intention more than the results of outward actions (2 Cor. 8:12; Jas. 1:13-15; 3:9-14). Both vice and virtue are considered to come from the heart (Mk. 7:15-23). Where the heart is right, everything else is considered right, and where the heart is bad, all is considered bad (Mt. 7:15-21). Even sinners do some things outwardly that are required by God, but their hearts are not right. Their intentions are generally selfish, and the acts themselves do not change the heart. Virtue consists of consecration to the same end to which God is consecrated. Vice consists in consecration to the end to which Satan is consecrated - self-gratification contrary to both the moral law and the highest good of the universe.

The Extent of Obedience to the Moral Law

The foundation of moral obligation is our consecration to the highest good of all. Since this is true, then the complete consecration of free wills to secure this end must constitute obedience to moral law. Obedience must be whole and entire. One cannot choose the good of others and at the same time choose self-gratification. God cannot tolerate half-heartedness in choice and service (Rev. 3:15-16; Mt. 22:36-40). He cannot justify one who renders partial obedience. If a person is always falling short of full obedience to his known duty, then he is living under the curse of a broken law (Gal. 3:10-14; Jas. 2:10; 4:17). God cannot dispense with the execution of the penalty until repentance, forgiveness, and full obedience are realized (Rom. 8:1-13; Gal. 5:16-26; Rom. 6:16-23; Jn. 8:34; 1 Jn. 3:8-10).

Of What Does Disobedience to the Moral Law Consist?

Disobedience to the Moral Law consists of the willing pursuit of self-gratification as the end in life instead of the greatest good of the universe. It consists of the commitment of the will and the consecration of the life to serve sin, Satan and the senses instead of the Moral Law. It seeks to be governed by the impulses and passions instead of intelligence and reason. Self-gratification is the root of all sin. Man's selfishness is closely allied to the self-interests of Satan. The will is always free to oppose desire and lust; but when it does not, sin is committed. The mind knows its obligation, so when it chooses that which is contrary to the law, it is not a choice of ignorance. It becomes a free action and brings condemnation by the law.

Selfishness is always unreasonable. It is the denial of both true manhood and rational nature. It is contempt of the law of God in man's reason. No sinner chooses the way of reason and common sense. In fact, he seldom consults reason for any of his actions. He usually obeys lust and is in a position of stubborn rebellion against reason and the Moral Law. He is lustful at heart whether or not he is able to pursue every lust. As long as he remains so, he is condemned before God and needs the power of regeneration to bring him to obedience to the Moral Law.

The Basis of Degrees of Guilt and Virtue

Both reason and revelation affirm that there are degrees of guilt and virtue; that some are more guilty or more virtuous than others; and that one may be more guilty or more virtuous at one time than at another, whether he is a saint or a sinner. All guilt and virtue are dependent on the exercise of moral obligation, and this depends upon the light and knowledge concerning moral law. Degrees of guilt and virtue are measured by the knowledge of the value of the end chosen in life. the sinner's gilt is equal to his knowledge of the value of the interests he rejects. He is held more responsible today than of old, because he knows more (Acts 17:30; Jas. 4:17). A man's guilt or virtue then, is equal to the knowledge he has of the subject and his conformity to it (Rom. 2:12-16; Jn. 9:41; 15:22-24; Mt. 13:11-12; Lk. 12:47-48).

Selfishness is the rejection of all moral obligation, regardless of light. Sin lies in the intention, and this can be measured only by the knowledge under which the intention is formed and maintained. Thus, if a selfish man should preach the gospel, it would be for the reason that it is the most gratifying thing he could do for himself. He might even preach for the good of others and yet have personal gain as his chief motivation. Take away personal gain - financially or socially - and he would cease to preach. If the same man became a robber, it would be to the same end; not necessarily to do evil, but to gratify self.

If a sinner abstains from evil for the sake of loved ones, his reputation, for fear of judgment or disgrace, or for any reason, it is not because he is good at heart, or because he thinks it is wicked to do that thing, but merely for selfish reasons and personal gain. So it is with every phase of life in which the heart is not right. Natural man looks for gain or advantage in everything. It is only when the sinner consecrates himself to the end of the highest good of being that he ceases being a sinner by nature and practice, and begins to do things from unselfish motivations instead of for self-gratification.

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