Life presents in black and white. Doesn’t it? Right and wrong, good and evil, light and dark. I know metaphorical expressions wear us out, but these well-known comparations suggest for us what is and is not acceptable behavior. They’re a product of natural law. Unchanging principles and morality many believe endowed by God.
“A fundamental presupposition of Natural Law is that man’s reasoning power is a special dispensation of the Creator and is closely akin to the rational or reasoning power of the Creator himself. In other words, man shares with his creator this quality of utilizing a rational approach to solving problems, and the reasoning of the mind will generally lead to common-sense conclusions based on what Jefferson called ‘the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.’“ The 5000 Year Leap, A Miracle that Changed the World
Natural law is a precept embraced by our founders based on the thinking and writings of ancient Roman lawyer Cicero. Cicero defined natural law as true law.
“True law is right reason in agreement with nature; it is of universal application, unchanging and ever-lasting; it summons to duty by its commands, and averts from wrongdoing by its prohibitions…. It is a sin to try to alter this law, nor is it allowable to repeal any part of it, and it is impossible to abolish it entirely. We cannot be freed from its obligations by senate or people, and we need not look outside ourselves for an expounder or interpreter of it. And there will not be different laws at Rome and at Athens, or different laws now and in the future, but one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and all times, and there will be one master and ruler, that is God, over us all, for he is the author of this law, its promulgator, and its enforcing judge. Whoever is disobedient is fleeing from himself and denying his human nature, and by reason of this very fact he will suffer the worst punishment.” Cicero, taken from Great Political Thinkers and quoted in The 5000 Year Leap.
In a civil society, absent written laws, natural law is observed by humankind. At least by those who choose not to live in breach of humankind’s enduring principles and “the laws of Nature and Nature’s God.”
“(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)” Romans 2:14-15
I stand in good company proclaiming that we arrived in this world knowing right from wrong. Like freedom, it was written on our hearts. People argue against that. Especially if they do not accept the natural order or a Supreme moral authority. The moral authority that defines right and wrong. It’s the reason we do not need written laws to know that lying, stealing, and murdering are wrong. Going against what we inherently know, puts us in a place where people and nations lose their way. Life without contentment is frustrating. During our brief time in this world, contentment is impossible if there exists a nagging feeling that what we’re doing is wrong. Unnaturally wrong. When our man written laws make the unacceptable acceptable or turn evil to good then, as we say over here in the hills, we are on the rocky road to perdition.
It’s an age-old internal struggle. Spiritual warfare some call it. We choose to follow a Supreme moral authority or we cast it off and decide for ourselves what’s right and wrong. We become our moral authority with ever expanding boundaries. When boundaries expand to encompass others, others who may not hold to what we embrace as moral and natural, we see fits of rage and demands that they not be allowed to have a business or even exist in the public square. Observe today’s America. People cast off the concept of a Supreme moral authority, what is or is not natural, and then insist that others not only accept their behavior, but also endorse it. That is where the battle for the heart and soul of not just people, but for a nation ensues.
In the latest effort to rid ourselves of divine influence, Democrat led committees no longer require witnesses to end their sworn oaths with “So Help Me God.” They’ve removed the Supreme authority from the oath. So, who is it that’s holding them ultimately responsible for truthfulness? Go read Kelleigh Nelson’s excellent article on the subject.
If you’ve read this far without moving on, maybe your asking what exactly is it I’m babbling on about. It’s not hard, you know. I need not provide a list, but I will. Go read Romans 1. The letter from the Apostle Paul to the Romans may as well have been addressed to America and for that matter the entirety of Western Civilization. America cannot exist as America living in the gloomy gray between black and white, light and dark, good and evil.
© 2019 JD Pendry – All Rights Reserved
E-Mail JD Pendry: jd@jdpendry.com
