WHY SHOULD MAN BE MORAL?

 

The above question under consideration suggests necessity, not doubt. It doesn't say "should man be moral or not?" It says "why man SHOULD be moral?" That means, MAN SHOULD BE MORAL, we just need to know the “reason.”

To be moral relates to principles of right and wrong behavior, or to conform to a standard of right behavior in line with one's conscience or ethical judgment.

First of all, man should be moral because, man is naturally a moral being. Man naturally has a CONSCIENCE, a MIND and a WILL to know what is right or wrong. Right from the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter two and three, after Adam and Eve had eaten of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, man had knowledge of what was good and what was bad. Therefore, every child born of a woman develops a conscience of himself as he grows, even without being taught. So man should be moral because it is innate.

Man should also be moral in order to keep the human race going. Morality sets order to nature and reduces the risk of violence. The knowledge of right and wrong is what keeps man in existence. Proverbs 6: 23 says “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:” So man should be MORAL in order to remain on earth; if not, violence will take over the world. Morality is the yardstick to measure what is fair and what is not, and it has helped man to naturally reward those who do the right things and punish those who do otherwise.

Meanwhile, think about the questions below; who sets the standards of morality? Nature or man? Who taught man the standards? How did he come to know what was right or wrong? Who told man that killing his neighbour was bad? After teaching man the standards, who gives him the will to go by those standards? Because a man can know how to be moral and decide not to be! What do you think? With the series of happenings over the years, man has observed and seen what hurt him, then he sought ways to change them, thereby setting principles to guide his actions. Asides that, God has been a centre of man’s actions and choices, through the conscience which He had put in man. Man cannot decide by himself what is right or wrong and choose to do it, except by the help of God. So man must be moral because we are social agents and to remain in existence, certain standards must be kept.

You may as well ask, “does morals have to do with the principles and standards alone and not the will?” It has to do with both, because to be moral means to know what is right or wrong; but behavior is a measure of morality. How do we know that a person is moral if he or she doesn’t show it in his actions? James 4 verse 17 says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

We must understand that morality is different from righteousness; in that, one is based on man’s laid down rules, the other is based on God’s principles. We as children of God should not just strive to be “moral” but we must go the extra mile to be “righteous”, by obeying the commandments of God and relying on His strength alone.

“Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Heb. 13:21. Morality wasn’t the trait that differentiated the disciples from other people during the time of the early church; it was righteousness. Think about this: some actions can be moral but aren't really right; and the standards of morality can change with time because it is dictated by man’s ethics; but God’s standards never change. So we must all strive to meet God’s standard by tapping into His strength through Jesus Christ, and holding on to Him daily.

Conclusively, man should be moral to be in order and remain in existence on earth, but much more than that, man should be righteous to, in addition, enjoy eternal life with God in heaven. A man can be moral (nice to people, not fight, not keep malice, and not kill, all by his own careful ability); but that alone without the power of Jesus has no reward in eternity. Righteousness is the key to the gate of heaven, not morality.