Mere Christianity Chapter 3 & 4 (NOTES & THOUGHTS)

 

Chapter 3

Everyone talks about how there is a law of nature. But what does that mean?

You can’t even be sure if there is any law about what ought to happen as distinct from what does happen. When a rock falls people will say that it is following the law of gravity but was the rock only falling to follow that law? Or does the “Law of Nature” only apply to “What Nature, in fact, does”. 

This is all very different for humans. The Law of decent behavior doesn’t mean, “What humans, in fact, do”. There is a side of how men behave and a side of how a man ought to behave. 

Humans are naturally imperfect. They are not what they ought to be, and that has certain consequences.  Then comes the question, “Why must I be unselfish?”. Someone might answer that question by saying, “Well, to be a benefit to society,” but then you could say, “Why would I want to be a benefit to society?” you could answer “Because you ought to be unselfish,” and here we are right back where we started. 

Here is a quote from the chapter that I really liked, “There is something above and beyond the ordinary facts of men's behavior, and yet quite definitely real- a real law, which none of us made, but which we find pressing on us.”

Here the author, C.S. Lewis, is saying that we must admit that there is a God who created morality and who placed it in our hearts to follow. 

Chapter 4

The idea of right and wrong must be above the facts of human behavior. A real law which we did not invent or create. A law that we know we ought to obey. All of man find themselves under a moral law which they cannot touch. 

But let's talk about the things that we humans think about. Every man on earth has wondered how we got here and how our universe is here. There are two main beliefs on this question. 

1. There was a big boom and everything shifted around into perfection. There was a big chemical reaction and all of a sudden there were planets. One of which has the exact temperature needed to allow cells to slowly come together and create the first stage of man which somehow became the intelligent creatures which we now know as human. 

2. There is loving God who specifically created all things. He created man on purpose in his own image and placed them on earth. 

The only possible way that we got here (in my opinion) is that God intentionally created us. God placed that moral compass in us and He gives us the choice to follow that or not. 

(I highly recommend that you read this book for yourself. If you would like to purchase the book, CLICK HERE)

Happy Reading!

-Ariana :D