Morality without Religion?

Matthew 7:28-29 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Many people believe that they can have morality without religion. It is a myth ingrained in the modern secular humanistic American mind. In fact, we continue to build our current and legal systems upon it, despite the warning of great people in history. For example, the Father of our Country, George Washington warned us to avoid the myth in his famous farewell address: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

Ephesians 5:5 “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

We cannot have morality without religion. Why? Because people do not follow a code of ethics drawn up by a fellow human. The great Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky said, “If there is no God, then everything is permissible.” The Humanist Manifesto includes many things originally forbidden by God - divorce, suicide, fornication, drug abuse, adultery, and euthanasia. The atheists and humanists have only legislated whatever behaviors they have wanted sanctioned. We also cannot have morality without religion because if we get rid of God, we have nothing left to guide is except what we see others people doing. And what someone is doing is not necessarily what he or she should be doing.

Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

No one but God is just enough, powerful enough, or wise enough to create a moral code for humankind to live by. God not only created this code of Morality and ethics, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for all our violations of it. Thank God, not only for the creation of His code to live by but also for His fulfillment of it through Jesus Christ and allow His moral code to guide you and I in everything we say and do. Glory to God in the highest.