Moral Dimension

First, we must make a connection between God’s character and His relation to the moral law

Is the moral law a moral law just because God has decreed it such and therefore it is arbitray, or is the moral law ultimate, superintending even over Him?

In other words, is the moral law something whimsically uttered by God or something abstract that exists apart from Him?

Does He operate by raw power and make choices that are then deemed good only because He says they are so, or is He Himself under the law, having to obey it even against His own wishes?

Counter question:

Is the moral law by which each one of us chooses to live a law that we have arbitrarily chosen by which to exercise our power, or does it exist over and above us?

If we have arbitrarily chosen it, then we have no right to condemn the moral law by which anyone else operates, including God.

On the other hand, if the moral law stands over and above us, then how do we determine where it comes from?



The moral law that calls for the sanctity of every individual life is given to us by God.

We must understand that a human being cannot be the measure of all things, or else we would be forced to ask, which person will be the ultimate measure?

History and experience tell us in blood and tears that we cannot trust our character.

But with God,

The law is neither arbitrary, nor over Him; it is rooted in His character, which is perfect and unchanging.

He alone eternally and perfectly exists.

Philosophical Dimension

“But we do not see a moral law in existence; therefore, there cannot be a moral lawgiver.”

This statement comes out of the mouths of those who think there is no God because there is no tangible expression of moral law.

However, that implies that a moral law would be recognizable to us if we saw it.

Also, the assumption is made that we have the capacity to decide whether or not a moral law exists.

How have we acquired that capacity in a purely naturalistic universe?

The truth is:

• We cannot deny a moral frame of reference without invoking a moral absolute 
• If we grant the currency of evil, then God is not expendable

Now let's look at the moral dimension itself.

Confidence in God’s Character

   The skeptic’s question has to be answered: 

                       "Would you create a world with pain, and if you did, could you at the same time still be called good?"

 
Two inferences can be drawn:
1.How can there be an all-loving, all-powerful God when evil is so evident and uncontained?
2.Even if God exists, how can He be called good while allowing death and destruction to happen, when we ourselves would be considered wicked if we did the same thing?

 

Let's see the perspective that C.S. Lewis gives in his book, “The Problem of Pain.”
"If God were good, He would make His creatures perfectly happy, and if He were almighty He would be able to do what he wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both."
With a characteristic conciseness and clarity Lewis sets the stage for the entire book in the first paragraph of Chapter 2 - "The possibility of solving [the problem] depends on showing that the terms 'good' and 'almighty', and perhaps also the term 'happy', are equivocal: for it must be admitted from the outset that if the popular meanings attached to these words are the best, or the only possible, meaning, then the argument is unanswerable".

Lets keep another day for a look at a philosophical dimension of this discussion as it begins to shape the character of God.

A Collapsed Worship Equals a Weary Life

Is it not true that a barrenness of spiritual life brings more barrenness?  When vain repetitions become habit, we repeat all the more? That we look for the novelty in worship and that just tempts us to give way to more novelty?




“Faith Doesn’t Have Any Excuses”

And the Lord said unto Noah: "Where is the ark which I have commanded thee to build?"

And Noah said unto the Lord: "Verily, I have had three carpenters off ill. The gopher-wood supplier hath let me down -- yea, even though the gopher-wood hath been on order for nigh upon 12 months. What can I do, O Lord?"

And God said unto Noah: "I want that ark finished even after seven days and seven nights."

And Noah said: "It will be so."

And it was not so. And the Lord said unto Noah: "What seemeth to be the trouble this time?"

And Noah said unto the lord: "Mine subcontractor hath gone bankrupt. The pitch which Thou commandest me to put on the outside and on the inside of the ark hath not arrived. The plumber hath gone on strike. Shem, my son who helpeth me on the ark side of the business, hath formed a pop group with his brothers Ham and Japheth. Lord, I am undone."

And the Lord grew angry and said, "And what about the animals, the male and female of every sort that I ordered to come unto thee to keep their seed alive upon the face of the earth?"

And Noah said: "They have been delivered unto the wrong address but should arriveth on Friday."

And the Lord said: "How about the unicorns, and the fowls of the air by sevens?"

And Noah wrung his hands and wept, saying: "Lord, unicorns are a discontinued line; thou canst not get them for love nor money. And fowls of the air are sold only in half-dozens. Lord, Lord, Thou knowest how it is."

And the Lord in His wisdom said, "Noah, my son, I knowest. Why else dost thou think I have caused a flood to descend upon the earth?"

 I think that God wanted His people to understand what worship was meant to be and to do. Archbishop William Temple said this -

Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God.

It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness, nourishment of mind by His truth, purifying of imagination by His beauty, opening of the heart to His love, and submission of will to His purpose.

And all this gathered up in adoration is the greatest of human expressions of which we are capable.

Worship binds all of life together and gives it a single focus of:
     –Conscience
     –Mind
     –Imagination
     –Heart
     –Will
•Worship responds to guilt, for with reverence we come to God for forgiveness
•Worship goes beyond pleasure, pleasure has it weariness
•Worship guides our feelings, they need to be bounded and informed by truth
•Worship needs to know who God is, we need to come to Him as Holy Father
•Worship counters the sense of loneliness, for it binds all our passions

Remember Eric Liddell in "Chariots of Fire?"  Before he went as a missionary to China, he ran in the 1924 Olympics and won gold.  When asked why he practices so much, he said, “God has made me for a purpose, for China. But He has also made me fast, and when I run I feel His pleasure.”

Worship is coextensive with life. Here the sacred and the secular meet and our cry meets the cry of God.

The Sixth Element in Worship

"Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favour on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.

You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth."


The sixth element in worship is - it is impossible to worship God without obedience.

God asked the people to look at the broken promises between husbands and wives. God brought the tragedy of a nation that had lost its relationship with God right down to the marital vows.

Take a look at the old English usage for when the marriage vow was made: “With my body I thee worship”

So we have broken marriage vows, disobedient lifestyle that destroyed the sanctity of the home and worship became hypocritical. If our word to God is not honoured, what motivation is there to honour our word to our spouses and then that is passed down to our children – trapped in a situation of broken promises. The book of James defines true religion as, “Let your ‘Yes’ be yes, and your ‘No,” no” in other words, honour your word.

God’s purpose boils down to this: redemption, right standinng with God, worship which is the same trend we see in Israel’s history:
•First He redeemed them
•Then He gave them the Law to point them to righteousness
•Finally, He gave them the instructions for worship

The Fifth Element in Worship

“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction – because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty."

It is impossible to worship God without instruction in the truth.

Worship is not for the glory of men and women; it is for the glory of God.

Teaching is the seed sown within the heart and mind from which the fruit is produced in life that can then be brought as a sacrifice to God.

The Fourth Element in Worship

“Oh that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you.’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will accept no offering from your hands.’”

The fourth element is - It is impossible to worship God with a wrong motive 

So much had become a show. Everything seems to point to how impressive one’s religious performance and duties appear. But deep inside, our heart is far, far away from God.

Any time we find a blend of power and ceremony with the need for inward purity, there is a great risk that the latter will suffer.

The monotony of repetition and the seduction of power are two extremely potent forces to contend with. That is what makes the whole concept of staying fresh in one’s study and efforts so necessary. Each new day places a new opportunity before us to be refreshed and to learn, to reinforce and to renew.

Figuratively speaking, the heart is the seat of the soul,  by that I mean our inclinations, our passions, our desires, our sincerity are true intimations in matters of the spirit and God is saying that the comings and goings are very obvious, but the heart is far away - therefore worship is not really happening.