| Morality and Truth |
Is truth defined by man or by God? Is morality a philosophical, intellectual, or political imagination of man or a
declaration of the Creator Himself?
declaration of the Creator Himself?
The morality of the world today is based more on the imagination and sharp "lawyering" of the morally inept
than on God's firm principles laid down since the day that He declared. "Let there be light!" Are we to conclude
that because man imagines it so, something is morally acceptable? Are we to conclude that man can define
God within the narrow limits of his own mind? Does the creation define the Creator or does the Creator define
the creation? God is not "the God of each freeman, as he himself defines God". We cannot make up a god out
of thin air or material things and expect that god to watch over us by night and guide us by day. God is the
Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the ending. He is and always has been in spite of man's definition of
Him. He doesn't need or depend on man to define Him. He defines Himself to man.
than on God's firm principles laid down since the day that He declared. "Let there be light!" Are we to conclude
that because man imagines it so, something is morally acceptable? Are we to conclude that man can define
God within the narrow limits of his own mind? Does the creation define the Creator or does the Creator define
the creation? God is not "the God of each freeman, as he himself defines God". We cannot make up a god out
of thin air or material things and expect that god to watch over us by night and guide us by day. God is the
Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the ending. He is and always has been in spite of man's definition of
Him. He doesn't need or depend on man to define Him. He defines Himself to man.
When God handed Moses the Ten Commandments He didn't ask Moses' opinion. He said, "I am the Lord thy
God"; "Thou shalt have no other gods before me; Thou shalt not make any graven image". Thou shalt
not bow down thyself before them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God. Thou shalt not take the
name of the Lord in vain. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Honor thy father and thy mother.
Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false
witness. Thou shalt not covet. (Exodus 19) He didn't ask Moses if the direction the world was taking would
make these commandments acceptable to man. He is God! He doesn't need man's approval or acceptance!
He is God! He doesn't need a committee of men or a board of women or a world court to help Him decide what
is right or what is wrong! He knows! He is righteousness! God dictates morality and truth! Not man!
God"; "Thou shalt have no other gods before me; Thou shalt not make any graven image". Thou shalt
not bow down thyself before them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God. Thou shalt not take the
name of the Lord in vain. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Honor thy father and thy mother.
Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false
witness. Thou shalt not covet. (Exodus 19) He didn't ask Moses if the direction the world was taking would
make these commandments acceptable to man. He is God! He doesn't need man's approval or acceptance!
He is God! He doesn't need a committee of men or a board of women or a world court to help Him decide what
is right or what is wrong! He knows! He is righteousness! God dictates morality and truth! Not man!
I'm disturbed by statements like, "the all-important 'Moral Law' -- is not a stationary set of standards but is
subject to ebb and flow, depending as it does upon the collective perceptions and moral persuasions of the
total population." Nations crumble under the weight of such logic. God set the standard for moral law when he
engraved it in stone and gave it to Moses! He could care less about the "Law of opinion or reputation". "Divine
Law" is not the law of the church -- it's God's Law to the church and to all people. And the dogs of our country
would bar it from our courtrooms. What a shame! What a travesty of justice it would be to have the moral law
barred from our institutions of justice!
subject to ebb and flow, depending as it does upon the collective perceptions and moral persuasions of the
total population." Nations crumble under the weight of such logic. God set the standard for moral law when he
engraved it in stone and gave it to Moses! He could care less about the "Law of opinion or reputation". "Divine
Law" is not the law of the church -- it's God's Law to the church and to all people. And the dogs of our country
would bar it from our courtrooms. What a shame! What a travesty of justice it would be to have the moral law
barred from our institutions of justice!
In Amos 7:8 God said, "I will set a plumb line in the midst of My people" and then He describes His wrath for
those who don't measure up to it. God holds the plumb line. He decides the measure of a man. No excuses or
explanations or fancy dialogue will prevent a man who doesn't measure up to it from feeling God's wrath. God
doesn't abide by or even recognize man's law. Man had better abide by and recognize God's Law.
those who don't measure up to it. God holds the plumb line. He decides the measure of a man. No excuses or
explanations or fancy dialogue will prevent a man who doesn't measure up to it from feeling God's wrath. God
doesn't abide by or even recognize man's law. Man had better abide by and recognize God's Law.
When our God fearing forefathers founded our nation they promoted the Holy Bible as the moral guide to rule
the nation. Supreme Court Justices regarded God's Holy Word as the moral standard throughout the 19th
and into the 20th century. It worked then. It will work now. There is a moral law that sets the standard and it is
in the Great Light in Masonry, the Holy Bible. We would do well to promote it to our nation as the standard for
all men to live by. "Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34)
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His inheritance."
(Psalms 33:12)
the nation. Supreme Court Justices regarded God's Holy Word as the moral standard throughout the 19th
and into the 20th century. It worked then. It will work now. There is a moral law that sets the standard and it is
in the Great Light in Masonry, the Holy Bible. We would do well to promote it to our nation as the standard for
all men to live by. "Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34)
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His inheritance."
(Psalms 33:12)
In 1954 our nation adopted a new statement to add to the "Pledge of Allegiance". We became "one nation
under God." The majority of the people knew who that God was. Our fraternity knew who that God was, too.
That's why we grew at an alarming rate. Our membership climbed in the mid-60's to an all time high. "Except
the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." (Psalms 127:1) You want growth. Turn back to the
Builder and Architect. (Hebrew 11:10) There is a true Father God. Let's not give in to the vanity of a world
that doesn't know Him. Let us become one nation under the one true God. His truth is not watered down or
dependant upon popularity or the accepted philosophy of the day. "It is written" in stone.
under God." The majority of the people knew who that God was. Our fraternity knew who that God was, too.
That's why we grew at an alarming rate. Our membership climbed in the mid-60's to an all time high. "Except
the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." (Psalms 127:1) You want growth. Turn back to the
Builder and Architect. (Hebrew 11:10) There is a true Father God. Let's not give in to the vanity of a world
that doesn't know Him. Let us become one nation under the one true God. His truth is not watered down or
dependant upon popularity or the accepted philosophy of the day. "It is written" in stone.
| By David A. Roach, PM, Associate Grand Chaplain 2002 of the F & A M of the State of Louisiana |