MORALITY IN AMERICA

By sgf1964 on July 25, 2024

Shelby G. Floyd

True morality originated from God, neither man nor government. The purest standard of morality has been derived from Moses and Christ. Morality is the proper relationship between man and his fellow human beings.

The lawful use of the law of morality is to be consistent about what is moral and what is immoral. Just as long ago, so today we have leaders calling what is darkness light and calling what is light darkness.

Paul advises that the law of God concerning morality was not made for those practicing morality, but for the immoral: " But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust" (1 Timothy 1:8-11).

As we approach the 248 birthdays of the Republic of America, it is good to reflect on the morality of the United States, the church and all of us as individuals in our various relationships. The founding fathers of our great country all for the most part inculcated the divine morality vouchsafed to us from Old and New Testaments of Moses and Christ.

For example, the House of Burgesses in Virginia set aside June 1, 1773, as a day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer imploring Divine blessings. Horace Greeley, from the New York area stated that "Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith." In the Declaration of Independence "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" was invoked as being indispensable to Freedom. "The Laws of Nature" were defined as the will of man's Creator. Thomas Paine whose book "Common Sense" made the case for Independence wrote, "But where say some, is the king of America? I'll tell you, my friend, He reigns above."

After the Revolutionary war ended many of those who signed the original documents went back and created their state constitutions. Delaware required of everyone appointed to public office to say, "I do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration."

Thus was the morality of America founded upon the morality of divine law. Let us all call our country back to its original purpose by each living a life approved by God and man!

Shelby G. Floyd, minister, Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142