Morality is a simple word that has started some of the most complex and intelligent arguments known to man. Socrates said that morality is how we ought to live and why we ought to live that way (Rachels & Rachels, 1). This is one of the most basic definitions of morality, yet it is also the most complex definition that may be agreed upon. Some of the greatest minds in history have devoted their lives trying to decipher humanity and come up with a sound philosophy as to why we are the way that we are. The problem is, as inconsistent, imperfect beings, we will never be able to agree on one particular way to live our lives. Many have tried and failed to come up with sound theories, but all fall short.
One single moral theory that everyone can agree upon is the end goal of philosophy. We want a concrete system to tell us what to do, what to say, and when to say it. Humans have an innate sense of guilt that drives us. We look for a moral theory to explain why we feel the way that we do about doing wrong. If we feel guilty, then there must be a good that we should aspire to out there. To find this, we need a moral theory that will stand up to criticisms. A satisfactory moral theory will have simple absolutes. There may appear to be exceptions to every rule, but there is a general standard that everyone must be held to. If we are incapable of agreeing on a theory written by man, then a reasonable moral theory must be written by the absolute authority. For us to follow it, it needs to be modeled after someone who was morally pure. The only known evidence would be in Jesus of Nazareth. He was one who never sinned and lived a full, good life. When it’s all boiled down, there are some absolute truths that must be followed to the best of our ability; afterward, one must protect and take care of people, treat all individuals as equals in rights, and have mercy and compassion.
For a person to live a morally right life, such as that of Jesus, they must first acknowledge that there is an absolute authority. This will only be accomplished by accepting the Bible as the inspired word of God. This is hard to prove, but there is substantial evidence backing its validity. Things such as the Dead Sea scrolls, meticulous historical accounts kept by ancient peoples confirming stories, and it simply standing the test of time are some examples. If one can accept the validity of the Bible they can have a roadmap to morality. The book of Genesis states that God created the world and everything and everyone in it. If one agrees to this fact, they must also accept the fact the God has the authority over His creation. This is similar to the Divine Command Theory.
This theory is usually rejected with Plato’s Euthyphro question. That is, are morally good acts good because God willed them to be good or does God will them because they are good? (Gericke, 2) Something that this does not take into consideration is that, the Bible says that God Himself is goodness. He is the ultimate good. The ultimate good is not a rulebook or a formula. Goodness is one of the facets of God’s personality. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, God is the name we give to the highest form of reason. Most theories agree that we are to live as reasonable people. We should try to achieve the highest form of reason. As a flawed being, we are not able to reach absolute reason and goodness. We can, instead, try to emulate God’s son Jesus, who was the ultimate example of goodness in human form.
God gave Moses ten commandments on Mount Sinai, they were absolute commandments given to His people. (Exodus 10, NIV) All moral theories, in some way, follow these almost all of these truths. They benefit society, keep people safe, and keep peace among the people. No one would argue that adultery, stealing, or murder is wrong. Some may argue that there is an exception to every rule. One might have to kill one to save many, or lie to protect another person. A situation like this can feel impossible. Without all of the answers available to us we have to make the best decision we can based on what we know. This might include having to go against a moral truth. We may be in a position where we need to lie to protect someone. We have done the lesser evil but still have committed a sin.
This is where Natural Law theory has a strong point that can be made. The theory says that God built His laws into nature. (Rachels & Rachels, 55) We feel guilty because we have gone against nature, we have gone against what is right. We have done what may be morally justifiable to us but is still sin in God’s eyes. The sense of guilt drives us to seek forgiveness and restore the natural harmony that comes when we fall in accordance with the laws of nature and by definition, God’s laws. This keeps us accountable even in morally questionable situations.
In Jesus’ life, he showed us that it is important and morally right to take care of people. He calls us to take care of the widows and orphans. (James 1:27, NIV) We should do what we can to help those that we can. This naturally leads to us doing the most for the people that are closest to us. The needs of these people especially must take priority in one’s life even when it costs personally. The gospel of John says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (NIV) This does not mean that they always need to go to extremes to provide anything and everything. We don’t have to die for everyone to take care of them. But self-sacrifice is sometimes necessary. Happiness should not be the goal in one’s life. For example, someone has a job that is boring and has long hours. This is the only way that they can acquire means to support their family. The morally right thing to do would be to stick with it as long as needed so as to care for the family.
Another truth shown in Jesus’ life is that all are equal and deserve to be treated as such. When asked what is the greatest commandment Jesus replies, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-38, NIV) The second greatest commandment is love you neighbor as yourself, this includes everyone. Social status, race, gender, or age are not considered when interacting with people. He healed a rich man’s son (John 4:46-54, NIV) and a blind beggar (Luke 18:35-43, NIV). In the time of Jesus, Jews and Samaritans had a significant rift between them. They were alienated by racial and ethnic barriers, and saw each other as inferior. In John chapter four, Jesus, a Jew, speaks to a Samaritan woman who is astounded that he would do so. He offers her his message of salvation and more importantly shows that all people are equal and deserve it. In Mark chapter ten, children run up to Jesus and His disciples rebuke them. Jesus responds and says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (Mark 10:14, NIV) Time and time again, Jesus living His morally perfect life shows that careful consideration is owed to all people. Everyone is deserving of equal rights. It is morally wrong to treat someone differently because of how they look or who they may be.
A final truth Jesus teaches us is that everyone is worthy of mercy or compassion. Zacchaeus was a crooked tax collector that swindled innocent, poor people out of their money. He was despised by the people that knew him. He was a man of few morals. When he presented himself to Jesus, he had compassion on him and forgave his sins. He says, “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) The gospels are full of examples like this. Jesus spent his time giving people, that everyone else had given up on, a chance. The most striking is when Jesus is on the cross. The soldiers around him are reveling in his misery. Jesus has compassion on the people who put him in that place. He says, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” The very people who drove nails into his hands and a crown of thorns on his head were shown compassion.
There is much debate on moral theories. There will probably never be a universal truth that is accepted. An overall goal for humanity is to be reasonable and good. It is impossible for humans to reach a perfect level of good. This implies that there is an ultimate good out there to strive for. According to Aquinas, God is the ultimate reason and good. We are not God and we cannot be God. Therefore, He sent His son as a human to be someone we could endeavor to be like. Jesus showed us that there are ultimate truths, God’s laws, by living by them and showing us it can be done. He showed us that there is morality beyond these absolutes, such as taking care of those who need it, making sure people are treated equally, and showing mercy to everyone, even to those who did not deserve it. We follow this in hopes to quench our guilt that occurs when we stray from the natural laws that God instilled in us and in everything around us. Jesus’ life covers many topics and gives a clear outline to how life ought to be lived to be a full and moral life and why. This covers Socrates original definition of morality.