by John Locke

Happiness is something real for Locke: “the highest perfection of intellectual nature lies in a careful and constant pursuit of true and solid happiness.” We must, says Locke, take “care of ourselves, that we mistake not imaginary for real happiness.” Our desires often lead to short-term pleasure but long-term misery.

Liberty is the state of being free of unnecessary restrictions; being free to make your own choices; being free to experience your own life. The right to pursue Happiness is the right to love as you choose; the right to love your freedom; the right to love your life.

Benjamin Franklin Quote: “Where there’s no law, there’s no bread.”

So that, however it may be mistaken, the end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom: for in all the states of created beings capable of laws, where there is no law, there is no freedom: for liberty is, to be free from restraint and violence from others; which cannot be, where there is …

According to Locke, a stateless society is one in which we would be devoid of freedom. This is encapsulated in arguably his most famous comment “where laws do not exist, man has no freedom.” It is only the state that can ever hope to adequately protect us from harm.

Q: In Romans 5:12-14 the apostle Paul states, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

That is what Paul is saying in Romans 5:13 — People from Adam to Moses were not charged with breaking God’s Law. The reason they cannot be charged is because during that time, there was no law to break! Sin is not imputed, or sin is not charged, where there is no law.

Sophocles, in his play Antigone, is exploring the fine line between disobeying the law of the land and the idea there are laws that are not just and thus should be disobeyed.

Obedience is the first law of heaven, the cornerstone upon which all righteousness and progression rest. It consists in compliance with divine law, in conformity to the mind and will of Deity, in complete subjection to God and his commands.

4 Sin is Intensified by Law Romans 7:13 Paul says, “Through the commandment sin became exceedingly sinful” (Romans 7:13). Not only does law increase and invigorate sin, but it also intensifies it. Something sinful becomes exceedingly sinful. The light of God’s law shows up sin for what it is.

Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.”