Skilled in the word of righteousness (Hebrews 5:23) Part 8

Written by: Yeow Chin Kiong

To review, we have considered two major arguments for the existence of an all-knowing and all-powerful God from our experience of the basics of the world around us.

The COSMOLOGICAL Argument points to the mere existence of things, the origins of which must be explained by a First Cause that brought them into existence from non-existence. The TELEOLOGICAL Argument shows us that some of these things are purposeful, being designed fit for some purpose (for example, for self-energising, self-reproducing life), the origins of which must be explained by an Intelligent Designer and powerful Creator. A third argument,- and one that points to the existence of all-benevolent (i.e. One who is “all-good”, or “all-loving”) God, is the MORAL Argument which focuses on the intuitive human sense of right and wrong, or good and evil in our interactions with other humans. Some also include the human sense of beautiful and ugly, our aesthetic sense.

As far as the Bible is concerned, the moral sensitivities in man can be taught or communicated by an externally enforced law (i.e. regulation, with punishments for acts which results in wrong, evil and ugly, like the Divinely-revealed Law of Moses in the Bible). However, human-kind in general, acting upon free will and unrepressed intuition, even those who do not have a written law by which they live, are “… a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness and between themselves, their thoughts accusing or else excusing them …” (Romans 2:14-15) now and on the Day of Judgment (Romans 2:16). The undeniable fact remains that we have in us an intuitive and innate (i.e. natural) moral sense that can tell right from wrong, good from evil,- especially when we are wronged by someone else. Even thieves and robbers feel wronged against and aggrieved when their ill-gotten gains are stolen from them! This feeling of being wronged against is very often an excuse for acts of revenge and reprisal. The undeniable intuitive giving of excuses or reasons for our actions and conduct is evidence for the existence of human moral sense.

The MORAL Argument is simply that that human sense must have a Higher Source, just as our very fleshly existence itself does. And that Source must in some way be having a say in passing judgment over all accountable human-kind, praising moral righteousness and punishing moral unrighteousness at some point in time, especially because of the undeniable fact that justice and fairness is so very difficult to obtain among men and nations in our present existence!

Physical existence by itself does not require morality. This is evidenced by the existence of all other life-forms than mankind. The fact that we have a yearning for justice and fairness ingrained in us,- minimally as our conscience,- for ourselves, if not for others EVEN WHILE WE ARE OURSELVES INCAPABLE OF BEING JUST AND FAIR BY OUR OWN STANDARDS TO OTHERS ALL THE TIME proves that we need a Higher Source for morality and proper behavior. Mankind’s own attempts at establishing and enforcing some system of justice always have the potential for error in judgment because of our lack of knowledge and wisdom coupled with self-righteousness and self-interest. We need a Source external to (i.e outside of) ourselves to establish and administer such a system. And that system, in order to be benevolent, must have an element of pardon for wrongdoing by humans who realize their wrongdoing and turn away from wrongdoing of their own free-will (without which a justice system would be pointless as all accountable humans have done wrong).

The three core arguments for the existence of an all-knowing, all-powerful and all-benevolent God are the roots and foundation of the case for the Bible being the Divine communication of such a God to man. All three arguments are squarely based upon the things around us (which exist and are fit for purpose) and in us (our sense of right and wrong, good and evil). If we are NOT persuaded of God’s existence by the three arguments, it would be less than useful to move further to consider the case of the Bible being the word or communication of such a God. If we are persuaded by the three arguments, we can proceed with the other steps towards proving that the Bible is God’s word for us.