Moral Obligation

Another “first truth” of our existence in this world is that man is a subject of moral obligation.  Just as in the case that every cause has an effect, in just the same way we can know that every man is under moral obligation.  People can argue to the end of time against this but the simple matter is that it is a “first truth” that cannot be denied and the very fact that some will try to use “reasoning’s of the mind” to argue against what their own inner conscience is affirming in no uncertain terms is further proof that they have this sense and are only fighting against what they know to be true in their spirit.  A good example of this is a recent court case where an atheist went all the way to a high court with a claim that the words “under God” were offensive to his daughter.  When the final analysis was made public, the daughter had no such thoughts but rather the argument was purely that of the father who tried to portray a mention of God as being offensive to all citizens.  His argument was not really with the court or the society at all, but it was with his own inner conscience. The truth is that the definition of sin is this:  “To miss the mark of the end and scope of life, which is God.” Moral law is to come to know God. This atheist was only admitting that he is lazy and has never tried to find God.  The Bible says that we will find God when we seek for Him with all our heart. His daughter loved the discussions of God and his rebellion against his own conscience prompted this attack on the Pledge of Allegiance.  He is a perfect example of a man that knew this “first truth” that we are all under moral obligation no matter what arguments we put forth to the contrary.  If the courts of our land would go back to some of the earlier conclusions of law they would realize that a belief in a higher power or “God” is a first truth of reason and that anyone denying this type of “a priori” truth is only admitting that he has a problem with his own conscience.  Even an atheist can come to know God.

The fact that man has a “free will” is something that is also a “first truth.”  Some have tried to create theologies that oppose this, but when it comes to practical experience, no one can deny that every man has a free will and that this is an integral part of what we know as moral law and moral agents in their relations to moral government. In fact, our whole American society is built around the philosophy that men are free to think and decide for themselves.  That is why we have elections in the first place. When a person wants to debate the obvious, it is possible to speculate any number of ridiculous things even that you don’t exist but the reality is that you do and that you are a free moral being.  When the truth stares you right in the face you can’t deny that it exists without question.  When it exists without question, it is a “first truth” of reason.

It is also true that every man possesses a conscience and has some inner idea of what is right or wrong, especially when it comes to the ultimate end of moral law, the law of love.  There is no human creature on the face of the earth that does not respond to love and that does not know down inside that love is the ultimate end or moral obligation.  Every living moral being knows that he or she has an obligation to the moral law and they can reason against it forever on end but the inner truth of it is a “first truth” of every living human being. Every human being of every country and in every walk of life will admit to the first truth that love is a foundation of the moral law.  There is even a popular song out entitled, “What the World Needs Now is Love.”   It is something that can never be denied. There is no debate.  It is a “first truth.” So we can say that no matter what arguments some may bring, down inside every living human is a powerful sense that they are all objects of moral obligation and though they may deny it in theory, they can never deny it in actual day to day practice.

”The truth assumed then, is a first truth, and not to be called in question. But if it be called in question, in theory, it still remains and must remain, while reason remains, a truth of certain knowledge from the presence of which there is, and can be, no escape. The spontaneous, universal, and irresistible affirmation that men, of sound mind, are praise or blame-worthy, as they are selfish or benevolent, shows beyond contradiction, that all men regard themselves, and others, as the subjects of moral obligation.” – Finney

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