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QUESTION: What Are Moral Values?

Moral values are standards of good and evil that govern individual behavior and choices. Moral values can derive from society and government laws, religion, or oneself. As society and laws change over time, so do some moral values within that society. For example, living together without marriage, once uncommon, is now nearly as common as traditional marriage. Moral values also come from within as young children instinctively learn right from wrong. Religion additionally provides lists of dos and don'ts that followers generally accept as their moral code, though these codes vary between religions. For Christians, moral values go beyond society or selfish instincts, as they ideally behave to please God from a relationship with Him and obedience to His commands.

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Jermane Delos Santos
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50 views3 pages

QUESTION: What Are Moral Values?

Moral values are standards of good and evil that govern individual behavior and choices. Moral values can derive from society and government laws, religion, or oneself. As society and laws change over time, so do some moral values within that society. For example, living together without marriage, once uncommon, is now nearly as common as traditional marriage. Moral values also come from within as young children instinctively learn right from wrong. Religion additionally provides lists of dos and don'ts that followers generally accept as their moral code, though these codes vary between religions. For Christians, moral values go beyond society or selfish instincts, as they ideally behave to please God from a relationship with Him and obedience to His commands.

Uploaded by

Jermane Delos Santos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Moral Values

QUESTION: What are moral values?

ANSWER:

Moral values are the standards of good and evil, which


govern an individual’s behavior and choices. Individual’s
morals may derive from society and government, religion, or
self. When moral values derive from society and
government they, of necessity, may change as the laws and
morals of the society change. An example of the impact of
changing laws on moral values may be seen in the case of
marriage vs. “living together.”

In past generations, it was rare to see couples who lived


together without the benefit of a legal matrimonial ceremony.
In recent years, couples that set up household without
marriage are nearly as plentiful as traditional married
couples. But, not only are such couples more plentiful, they
are also more accepted by other individuals in our society.
In earlier society, the laws and morals simply came from the
Roman system of law, which was largely based on the Ten
Commandments. As society moved into the modern era,
that earlier system of laws became more and more eroded.

Moral values also derive from within one’s own


self. This is clearly demonstrated in the behavior of older
infants and young toddlers. If a child has been forbidden to
touch or take a certain object early on, they know enough to
slowly look over their shoulder to see if they are being
observed before touching said object. There is no need for
this behavior to be taught; it is instinctive. Once, however,
any form of discipline is applied to modify the child’s
behavior, the child now gains the capacity within himself to
distinguish his right behavior from his wrong behavior. Now,
the child can make correct choices based on his own
knowledge. The choices that are made by an individual from
childhood to adulthood are between forbidden and
acceptable, kind or cruel, generous or selfish. A person may,
under any given set of circumstances, decide to do what is
forbidden. If this individual possesses moral values, going
against them usually produces guilt.

Religion is another source of moral values. Most


religions have built-in lists of do’s and don’ts, a set of codes
by which its adherents should live. Individuals who are
followers of a particular religion will generally make a show
of following that religion’s behavioral code. It is interesting to
note that these codes may widely vary; a person whose
religion provides for polygamy will experience no guilt at
having more than one spouse while adherents to other
religions feel they must remain monogamous.

Christianity goes beyond all other religions in that it is more


than just a system of do’s and don’ts; it is a relationship with
the living God through His Son, Jesus Christ. A Christian’s
set of moral values go beyond society’s mores and selfish
instincts. Christians ideally behave correctly because they
love God and want to please Him. This is at once a high
calling and a low position. It is a high calling because God
has required that all who love Him should keep His
commandments; therefore it is an act of obedience. John
14:15 says, "If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
It is a low position because we must totally deny our own
will to do what pleases the Lord. Christ Jesus as He lived
His life on earth is our supreme example; if we pattern our
behavior after Him then our lives are most valuable. John
15:10 says, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in
my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and
remain in his love.”

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