Morality is defined as "principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior."  In Western Civilization the Bible has always been considered the bedrock of what constitutes right and wrong.  In the 1960s America endured a moral earthquake with the hippy movement.  The dope eating, pot smoking, anti-establishment, and free sex of that subculture are the "solid citizens" of America in the 21st century.  To such there is no black and white, right or wrong, good or bad - everything is grey.  We live in a cloud of opium induced haze that seems real but is without substance or reality.  

The America of the 1700s was established on the firm foundation of Christianity.  The Ten Commandments were, and still are in some quarters, held up as the epitome of moral law - both natural and revealed.  The Decalogue or Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:1-21.  The first four commands deal with our relation to our Creator while the last six deal with our relation to our fellow creatures.  Consider them as follows:

"5. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

6. Thou shalt not kill.  (Or more accurately:  Thou shalt not murder - New King James, etc.)

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

The heathen of the first century are much like the anti-Christian pagans in today's America.  Notice Paul's inditement of their culture, as well as our modern mess. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, . . . . Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.  28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,  30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (Romans 1:22-32).

Dale I. Royal