In my post five days ago, I mentioned that I want to expand the idea of the role of the individual in answering the three primary ethical questions below:
What is the motive of human will/action?
What is the standard of human will/action?
What is the end purpose of human will/action?
The responses to the above three questions are taken from the book written by Cornelius Van Til, the philosopher and theologian of Westminster Theological Seminary in the US. The book's title is Christian Theistic Ethics.
Though Van Til presented his responses from threefold perspectives - the individual, society, and based on the Bible - our concern at this point is only the first, the individual.
Van Til divides his responses into two parts: reason and meaning.
Reason for Self-Realization as an Ethical Ideal
Self-realization as an ethical ideal is based on man's central role in the universe. As such, he is tasked to reflect the glory of God consciously. What I find interesting in Van Til's explanation of this ethical ideal is the role of sacrifice:
That the ethical ideal for man should be self-realization follows from the central place given him in this universe. . . . Man was to gather up into the prism of his self-conscious activity all the manifold manifestations of the glory of God to make one central self-conscious sacrifice of it all to God (pp. 44-45).
However, for man to fulfill his God-given task, he must continuously improve himself as an instrument. He has to enhance his intellect, aesthetic appreciation, and alignment with God's will. This idea is in harmony with the biblical concept of man to become a better prophet, priest, and king. This kind of self-realization is foundational as it empowers man to embody his role as the steward of the earth, thereby glorifying God through the realization of His kingdom.
Meaning of Self-Realization as an Ethical Ideal
I love how Van Til developed this idea of the meaning of self-realization identifying the aspects of spontaneity, determination, and momentum. Here's how Van Til explained the role of the three mentioned aspects:
Spontaneity
Man must work out his own will, that is, he must develop his own will first of all. Man’s will needs to become increasingly spontaneous in its reactivity. The man was created so that he spontaneously served God. For this reason, he must grow in spontaneity (p. 45).
Determination
. . . man’s will need to become increasingly fixed in its self-determination. In other words, man must need to develop the backbone of his will. . . . man had to develop his self-determination. Man’s God is absolutely self-determinate; man will be God-like in proportion that he becomes self-determining and self-determinate under God. In proportion that man develops his self-determination does he develop God’s determination or plan for his kingdom on earth. God accomplishes his plans through self-determined characters. An unstable man would be useless in the kingdom of God (pp. 45-46).
Momentum
. . . man’s will must increase in momentum. Man’s will would naturally increase in momentum in proportion to its increase in spontaneity and self-determinateness. Yet the point of momentum must be separately mentioned. As man approaches his ideal, the realization of the kingdom of God, the area of his activity naturally enlarges itself. Just as the manager of a growing business needs to increase with his business in alertness, stability, and comprehensiveness of decision, so man, with the development of his progress toward his ideal, would have to develop momentum to meet his ever-increasing responsibility (p. 46).
In short, man's development to accomplish the end of self-realization includes three key aspects: spontaneity, determination, and momentum. In spontaneity, his will becomes increasingly instinctively obedient in serving God. In determination, his will grows in strength and stability to align with God's plan and become an agent of God's kingdom characterized by a firm resolve. And in momentum, as man's will gains speed and strength, his areas of influence expand to meet increasing responsibilities.
Reference: Van Til, C. (1980). Christian Theistic Ethics. P&R Publishing.