16^th June 2013

Amid the changing values and social context of today's world where people march behind the banner of personal freedom and self-fulfilment, Christianity is often portrayed as imposing a stern morality and a system that limits freedom. The Ten Commandments are seen as an ancient set of rules that are largely irrelevant and it seems reasonable to suggest that much of the New Testament is about the do's and don'ts of life. Christopher Hitchens sees Christianity as a "creepy movement to impose orthodoxy on a free and pluralist and secular republic." Like other atheists Hitchens views the scientific laws of nature as objective, but denies the thought of the existence of an absolute or objective morality behind life.

Many today are casualties of this way of thinking. We believe we can know scientific laws with certainty, but when it comes to values and morality this area is subjective and more a matter of personal choice and opinion. It would never occur to us to say to a scientist, "Don't impose your law of gravity on me." but it is quite acceptable to say, "Don't impose your beliefs or values on me." If Christians operate on a subjective level when it comes to life values they can be quickly engulfed in the game of power politics, and "who can shout the loudest." This in turn engenders an anxiousness that tempts us to revert to questionable tactics that are typical of secular lobby groups. In today's social climate, as we see evil gaining an upper hand, Christian action needs to rise from a more objective basis, a quiet confidence that God has given us a deep, enduring, natural moral order built into the DNA of the universe itself.

Today all sorts of things including popular opinion and social engineering influence our legislative process but from the Judaeo-Christian revelation a less obvious ontological law emerges. While technically the biblical account is not explicit about this, there is a consistent theme that points to a universal moral and spiritual law that is an indispensable part of the true nature of things, and that runs through all periods of history. It is a law that could be described as the true essence of life itself, the will of God that Jesus ultimately referred to as the Kingdom of God.

In Genesis the act of Creation is followed by the statement that, "it was very good." (Gen 1:31) This meant that everything in the universe from the biggest star to the smallest blade of grass brought joy to God's heart. It was a beautiful, material, moral, spiritual symphony, a functioning harmony where everything related perfectly to everything else. As part of this harmony Genesis 1 and 2 provide a number of creational ordinances or operating principles that are built into the order of the universe. They are foundational and relevant to the basic instincts of life and include the sanctity of God as Sovereign Creator and the inherent dignity and worth of people as social, moral beings who are meant to know and obey God. Other principles include gender, marriage, procreation, Sabbath, labour and replenishment of the earth.

The abuse of these principles on the dignity of humanity like violence and exploitation are a vandalising of that which is sacred. It is like striking at the Creator because people are created in the Creator's image and all order flows from Him. The relevance and sanctity of this order is established through history and biblical revelation. The Ten Commandments are given as a summary expression of this creational pattern and of the will of the Creator. They spell out unchanging principles of how life and order works best, but more than that they embody truths that lead to a fullness of life that are in harmony with the Creator. They speak of honouring God and parents, the sanctity of life, of sex, of property and truth.

When we come to the New Testament the term "law" is used in a very flexible, broad way. It is used in a legal, restricted canonical sense or in the sense of an in-built governing principle, the way things regularly happen. (Rom7:21) There are a number of passages of interest here that point to a universal spiritual and moral order behind the everyday events of life.

(1) In the Gospels when Jesus was questioned about Moses permitting divorce, Jesus made it clear that marriage had not been suspended. Moses neither approved nor condoned divorce because, "marriage was from the beginning." (Matt 19:8, Mark 10:6) Marriage was an unchanging creational institution, part of the moral fabric built into the creation itself. (Gen 2:4)
(2) In ways beyond our comprehension, the miracles of the New Testament that interrupt the natural order seem to imply that nature itself is wired in someway to a moral, spiritual order that acknowledges the Sovereignty of God in Christ.
(3) On Palm Sunday, the hatred of leaders engulfed Jesus as he entered Jerusalem fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies. In that moment Jesus asserts that it was impossible for him not to be applauded as the Messiah of God because the inanimate stones would cry out to honour him. In another place Paul speaks of the whole creation groaning as it awaits its final restoration and freedom.
(4) It is Paul who reminds us that the world has a moral footing and that God's will is revealed in someway to all men (Rom 1:19) All societies in their moral codes witness to a higher will that becomes the basis of a final judgement. The conscience and our moral awareness distinguish us as people from the rest of the creation so that through the conscience, like it or not, we are all wired to the laws of creation and to God himself. (Rom 2:15)

It has often been said that the disintegration of past world empires has often been due to moral decay and to the abuse of principles built into the universe. It is human sin that causes this dysfunction and so we fail to operate in the way and for the purpose we were created. Rather than looking beyond ourselves to God, it has been said, "our own secular morality is a quest to find "our best and truest self" which is believed to rest within." Again it is Paul who reminds us that there is an in-built principle linked to our autonomy and sin that inevitably leads individually and corporately to us reaping that which we sow. (Gal 6:7)

Jesus fulfilled both the legislative and moral law; he fulfilled all righteousness in the deepest sense. (Matt: 3.15) In dying our death the Kingdom of God breaks open and Jesus writes the law of the Spirit of life upon our hearts. In a new way we are rewired with a disposition to love God, to walk in his ways and to love other people. (Rom 8:2)

The late Selwyn Hughes asked the question, "Does the moral universe bend to evil"? He answered, "Because of the cross the answer is No!! Perhaps today, perhaps tomorrow, but the third day No! The third day evil breaks itself upon the facts of life. I am drawing a parallel between the day of resurrection and the fact that one day in the future evil will break itself on the very nature of reality. Today and tomorrow evil may be strong but the third day evil breaks itself upon that which is right. The kingdom of God is the only kingdom that will survive for that is the only kingdom that has within it the elements of truth and righteousness." (Heb 12:28) (To be continued)

Rev E.A.(Ted) Curnow, June 2013