How to Correct a Wrong - Part 1

The early Church is a good example of how God works from internal to external. No one made the disciples of the early Church preach to every man who would listen. These things happened as Christ lived in these men and as they submitted to Him.

Given, then, that God works from internal to external, how are wrongs made right in society?

First, we must examine the individual. How does the individual correct a wrong? He must first understand that a wrong exists (do I sound like a commercial for AA?). How does the individual come to this conclusion? We already addressed the Law of Nature in this, that we can clearly see laws that govern good and evil around us. Further, the Scriptures help us see God's view of good and evil, right and wrong.

The 1828 declares (in the root of the words) that:
Right is straight, true, in line with the will of God
Wrong is twisted, corrupted, out of line with the will of God

I challenge you to look up 'good' and 'evil' in the 1828 as well.

A simple reading of the Scriptures will not, however, bring about a change. The heart must be engaged. I dare say that great pagan philosophers have read the Bible. But by definition, the pagan hears the truth and chooses to reject it. (There's that word again, 'choose.')

So the individual, in seeking God's direction from the Scripture, will learn from the Holy Spirit what it is that needs changing. In God's goodness, He usually only gives us a little at a time. I shudder to think what would have happened if I'd had to change everything at once! But once a wrong has been perceived, then the conscience is engaged, so that we can choose a new path. Knowing the wrong, it would be sin to continue in it.

For the training of children, the Scripture is full of instruction, and so as not to step on any toes, I will not address it. However, it has long been understood that children 'catch' what they learn. How is that? By observing us. We model for them what we believe. Do we have to be perfect then? By no means! Instead, we must model seeking the Lord and repenting of the wrongs he shows us. In this way, we model growth in the Lord.

I'll have to address correcting a wrong in society later - I'm out of time. (Are we still on the subject of conscience? Well, yes!)

Liberty and the Law of Nature

William Blackstone wrote about the Law of Nature in his Commentaries on the Laws of England, stating that, just as God created principles for mobility and certain rules for perpetual direction, "...when He created man, and endued him with free will to conduct himself in all parts of life, He laid down certain immutable laws of human nature, whereby that free will is in some degree regulated and restrained, and gave him also the faculty of reason to discover the purport of those laws." Later, he states that "...He has so intimately connected, so inseparably interwoven the laws of eternal justice with the happiness of each individual, that the latter cannot be attained but by observing the former..."

Blackstone comments that within this Law of Nature are seen "immutable laws of good and evil," leading us again to the idea of liberty of conscience in the judging of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of an action or inaction. Blackstone, and others of his time, assert that these are seen, naturally, if only we will observe and then reason through that which we have observed.

Further, beyond the Law of Nature, God has given us His Revealed Law, in the Scriptures, to guide us in making reasonable judgments of our actions, as well as our internal intentions, motives, desires, etc.

The Scripture tells us that men are without excuse, since they have the Law of Nature to lead them to conscientious actions. God's very nature is revealed in what He created. Blackstone reasons that God reveals certain principles to us in the Law of Nature, such as "...that we should live honestly, should hurt nobody, and should render to everyone his due..." These things are reasonable and our consciences bear witness that they are good. As Christians, we understand that they are good because they come from God, who is Goodness defined.

So, in Liberty of conscience, we have a reasonable understanding of our own conduct, how we ought to act, to speak, to respond to others. And we also have a reasonable understanding of how to treat others in order to allow them the same liberty, which is equal to all men. How, then, do we evaluate the very real situations in our world that deny these things? It is clear that tyrants lord it over the people of their nations. It is clear that the slave trade reflects the view that not all men are created equal, a wrong view that smells like smoke.

I would like to conclude this post with a note about William Wilberforce. Mr. Wilberforce saw, by the Law of Nature and the Scriptures that the slave trade represented a wrong view and that it must be stopped. Almost single-handedly, he, driven by conscience, worked to convince others of the truth of his position. Such tenacity proved effective.

In our society, we see many ills. The Law of Nature and the Scriptures declare truth, like Proverbs tells us, that Wisdom calls in the street. Reflecting on the actions and effect of William Wilberforce, I wonder what would happen if God's people demonstrated such conviction? If one man could bring about such a drastic change, what could a whole passel of us do?

Next discussion will be on 'how to correct a wrong'.

Liberty of Conscience...

Liberty: According to the 1828,
1. The state of a free person; exemption from subjection to the will of another claiming ownership of the person or services; freedom; -- opposed to slavery, serfdom, bondage, or subjection.
But ye . . . caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection. Jer. xxxiv. 16.
Delivered fro the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Bible, 1551. Rom. viii. 21.
2. Freedom from imprisonment, bonds, or other restraint upon locomotion.
Being pent from liberty, as I am now. Shak.
3. A privilege conferred by a superior power; permission granted; leave; as, liberty given to a child to play, or to a witness to leave a court, and the like.

John Locke, in Of Civil Government states it this way: "...we must consider, what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions, and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the Law of Nature, without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man." He comments on this state of nature, that all men are equal IN this state of liberty, and none has any more liberty or less than another. And later, "But though this be a state of liberty, yet it is not a state of licence." Don't we all click our tongues at those who refuse to care for themselves in a proper manner? The "how" might be subjective, but it is a law of nature that one ought to consider how to care for his person and possessions.

When looking at internal property, such as conscience, it stands to reason, then, that we have the privilege to use and dispose of our conscience as we see fit. It is ours, and we have exclusive right to it. Shall we go further, then, and say that no other man can operate our conscience? The choosing of an action or inaction preceded the action or inaction, and is internal, unseen.

By way of further explanation, let us examine the nature of liberty. Liberty falls into two categories - internal and external. In my previous post, I suggested that internal is causative of external. There must, then, be an internal liberty that is causative of external liberty.

Internal liberty consists of spiritual liberty and liberty of conscience. Spiritual liberty is the exclusive right of the individual to choose what he will believe. Can the individual be deceived? Most definately! But it is his choice to believe what he will. No one can force him to believe something contrary to that choice. This is significant for parents as we teach our children about the Scriptures. For a time, they follow our belief. But it is the Law of Nature that they come to a place of decision and choose their own belief. This comes as they labor over the Scripture, given that labor is the precursor to ownership. Liberty of conscience, then, is the exclusive right of the individual to choose an action or inaction and judge the lawfulness or unlawfulness of that action or inaction.

Regarding External liberty, our nation was founded upon the understanding of internal liberty. This is why we have enjoyed such strong and lasting external liberties. These liberties include: religious, economic, civil and political. Our founding documents were written with the understanding of spiritual liberty and liberty of conscience - the right to believe as we choose, and the the right to choose as we believe. Our form of government was based upon the biblical idea of such liberty. Thus, we have a Constitutional Federal Republic.

More on conscience later.

What is Liberty of Conscience? - Part 1

What is Liberty of Conscience?

Well, to begin the study one must understand that God works from internal to external. In 1 Samuel, when David is being selected as king, God tells Samuel not to look on the outward appearance, as man does, but to consider that God looks at the heart.

What does this internal 'look' like? Internal includes all that is unseen in the individual. It is considered primary (most important), as we saw above. It is the cause of what we see externally. Intentions, beliefs, values, motives, mind, soul, spirit, heart...all these and more comprise the internal. This internal is, in fact, your individual property. You own it. You are responsible for it. You can neglect it or your can nurture it. The most valuable aspect of this internal property is your conscience.

What then, is conscience? Most of us probably immediately think of Jimminy Cricket, from Disney's Pinnochio. Let's put away this image for a bit and examine the etymology and definition of this word.

Dictionary.com lists 'conscience' as:


1.
the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action: to follow the dictates of conscience.
2.
the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.
3.
an inhibiting sense of what is prudent: I'd eat another piece of pie but my conscience would bother me.

Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary of the American Language lists 'conscience' as:

1. Internal or self-knowledge, or judgment of right and wrong; or the faculty, power or principle within us, which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them. Conscience is called by some writers the moral sense, and considered as an original faculty of our nature. Others question the propriety of considering conscience as a distinct faculty or principle. The consider it rather as the general principle of moral approbation or disapprobation, applied to ones own conduct and affections; alledging that our notions of right and wrong are not to be deduced from a single principle or faculty, but from various powers of the understanding and will.
Being convicted by their own conscience, they went out one by one. John 8.
The conscience manifests itself in the feeling of obligation we experience, which precedes, attends and follows our actions.
Conscience is first occupied in ascertaining our duty, before we proceed to action; then in judging of our actions when performed.
2. The estimate or determination of conscience; justice; honesty.
What you require cannot, in conscience, be deferred.
3. Real sentiment; private thought; truth; as, do you in conscience believe the story?

Etymologyonline.com lists 'conscience' as:

c.1225, from O.Fr. conscience, from L. conscientia "knowledge within oneself, a moral sense," prp. of conscire "be mutually aware," from com- "with" + scire "to know." Probably a loan-translation of Gk. syneidesis. Sometimes nativized in O.E./M.E. as inwit. Rus. also uses a loan-translation, so-vest, "conscience," lit. "with-knowledge." Conscientious objector first recorded 1916.

The common thread here is "to know", or "with knowledge", or "moral sense of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of an action or inaction. It is clear in this that the conscience precedes actions. It sets a path and then judges that path. In Scripture, it is said that all Scripture is...able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (2 Timothy). Hm...sounds awfully close to the definition of conscience.

That's all for now - more later.