Are We Born With Morals?

I have heard it said that we don’t need the ten commandments or laws because we are born with natural moral values. The bible says we are sinners from birth and that is because we are not born with natural moral values. They have to be taught to us. We have to be given rules and laws in order to gain these values.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psalm 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

I remember when my kids were very little, we never taught our children to lie, cheat, or steal. However, we caught them lying and even stealing. Their conscience knew it was wrong because we had told them it was wrong, that is why they tried to hide it, but if moral values are natural to us at birth we would have never had those conversations. If murder wasn’t illegal I’m sure many more people would be out there releasing their anger right now. People that wouldn’t normally do it because it is illegal.

The human imagination is powerful and limitless. New laws have to be made because our imagination doesn’t allow for moral values to be natural. Our imagination allows us to find loopholes in order to bypass moral values. Our natural instincts are not moral at all.

Genesis 8:21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

We have to be taught love and understanding. Have you ever heard someone say that someone else acted out because they didn’t get enough love as a child? Or perhaps you have said that a child acts out because of bad parenting? Did you ever stop to think that maybe the parenting has nothing to do with it? Maybe those parents have done all they can do but since we are not born with natural morals those children’s natural instincts are overriding their parent’s moral teachings. Different cultures prove we are not born with natural morals. They are taught. Different religions prove we are not born with natural morals. They are taught. Each group has it’s own set of morals. Some are common and some are quite opposite but still, they are taught directly or by witness.

We are, however, born with a conscience. As we grow and learn morals, that conscience causes guilt when we go against those morals. Some people have a strong conscience and others are weaker. In some people their natural instinct sears their conscience and they feel no remorse for going against the morals they were taught. These natural instincts are searing the consciences of many these days.

If we were born with natural morals, that would eliminate the free will God gave us. God gave us a conscience to make choices between these morals. This conscience allows us to make a choice to love or hate. When the conscience is seared, natural instincts take over. Our natural instincts are selfish and greedy. Without a conscience, morals are meaningless.

Adam and Eve were created with a conscience. One single law was given to them. When that law was broken and God confronted them about it, their conscience kicked in and they were afraid because their conscience told them they did wrong. They felt guilt and it was so strong and hurtful that they tried to pass the blame on to someone else. Had that one and only law never been given, they would have eaten from the tree much sooner. Cain’s natural instinct was to kill his brother Abel. His conscience had been seared because of jealousy. He was not born with the natural moral of thou shalt not commit murder. He had to be taught that murder is wrong.

So, if it wasn’t for laws, whether God written or man made, our natural instincts would sear our conscience. This world is heading in that direction. Consciences are being seared and the wrong morals are being taught. In many cases morals are not being taught at all. If everyone was born with natural morals then we wouldn’t have the sin that is abound today because all nations and religions would know that murder, hate, adultery, rape, theft, disobedience, and all acts of violence and disrespect are wrong. Looking around the world today, I see no sign of natural born morals.

It is only though Jesus that we are given the chance to be blameless because we are not born sinless with morals. We do not know right from wrong at birth. We are taught.