CHRISTIAN MORALITY AND CONSCIENCE.

Introduction.

Gal. 3, 10-11: For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

1. Who are we?

2. Who is a Christian?

3. What is moral and morality?

4. What is conscience?

5. What is the foundation of morality and conscience? etc...

To talk of Christian morality and conscience should be clear from the beginning that we are investigating or talking of a theme in Christian perspective. We take for granted a world where someone other than ourselves knows the final word, who in revealing his own intimate secrets makes us known to ourselves. This Divine revelation by no means dispenses us from personal reflection and quest. However we would not assume the terms involved. Definition of them helps us to understand better the matter: Christian, morality, and conscience:

• A Christian is a baptized follower of Jesus Christ. "Be imitators of me, just as I imitate Christ (1 Cor 11:1).
• In a philosophical language, morality is the science of what man ought to be by reason of what he is; hence Christian morality is living in a way worthy of our dignity as human beings and God’s adopted children. It is the application of God’s laws regarding a person’s private and public behaviour. "He who called you is holy, and so you too should be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy because I am holy" (1 Pt 1:15–16).
• We are all morally bound to follow our conscience; conscience is a person's internal 'compass' for what is right or wrong in a particular circumstance. It is a practical judgment (decision) as to whether an action, word, thought, desire or omission is good and to be consented to or evil and to be avoided. It is our most secret core and sanctuary where we are alone with God.  "They show the effect of the law which is written on their hearts. Their consciences also bear witness, their conflicting thoughts accusing or even defending them on the day when, according to my gospel, God judges men’s secrets through Christ Jesus" (Rom 2:15–16).

Christian morality and conscience.

            To fulfill the task of teaching the faith without error, Christ granted the Church the charism of infallibility in faith and morals: "In order to preserve the Church in the purity of the faith handed on by the Apostles, Christ who is the Truth willed to confer on her a share in His own infallibility" (No. 889). In essence, the charism of infallibility is the magisterium's ability to know the truth of God and to teach without error.

            Human actions should spring from moral and conscience foundation of the great commandment: Love..."You shall love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your understanding”; this is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mt 22:37–39).

Actions that spring from some source other than this are less than fully human. Fully human behaviour flows from the ability to choose in accord with the truth that one knows. it is not doing whatever one thinks is right or wrong...not finding individual opinions about the morality of an action; but it is whether the action is objectively right or wrong and in accord with God's will - which can be securely known through church's teaching (the church is infallible in teaching matters of faith and morals).

            We are all morally bound to follow our conscience but this does not mean that what our conscience tells us is infallibly correct - because conscience can go astray through ignorance. (Vat. II, 16). To have a correct conscience one first needs to know God’s law (as it is known in the natural law and revealed in the Bible), the laws of the Church and also the particular duties of one’s state in life. Then one’s conscience will better express what is right or wrong in a particular situation. In addition, one needs to be prudent and upright in order to apply these criteria to the matter at hand.  Hence forth, we become responsible for our actions - because God gave us an intellect and free will, which we are to use to fulfill the purpose for which he made us.

            Then raises the question: Can we act with a doubtful conscience? A doubtful conscience is one which cannot decide if an act is good and to be done or evil and to be avoided. When in such a doubt one must either refrain from acting or resolve the doubt.

Christian men and women are bound to live by the moral virtues or dispositions, attitudes and habits of conducting oneself in an upright and orderly way. They are strengths of character developed by personal effort which enable a person to live with freedom and self-control.

            However, we should not confuse morality and legality:  Everything that is legal is not necessarily morally right. Civil law cannot contradict the law of God. For example, the legality of abortion does not make it morally right.  "We have to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

            Another challenge brought by morality and conscience is the question of a good end; whether is justifiable the use of evil means? No, we are never permitted to do evil in order that good may result from it. God wants us to have a good end and reach it by doing good deeds. Anyone, especially a Christian, must be ready to make sacrifices and if necessary even to go to death for the sake of one’s salvation. What if "everyone else is doing it"? "Everyone else is doing it” cannot excuse our wrongdoing, since God’s law is not based on popularity, but on his divine will and our final end. "I urge you to watch out for those who cause dissension and raise obstacles which are contrary to what you were taught" (Rom 16:17).