Ring of Gyges is a story that tries to demonstrate that people are only ethical out of fear of punishment. In addition, people would do whatever they desired if they had no fear. According to Glaucon, people obey the laws only from fear of punishment. The only four reasons I can provide for obeying the law that do not involved punishment or reward; good will, moral virtue, belief, and freedom.
People obey the laws because they accepted the right of legal authorities to make rules that regulate their behavior. Good will is an absolute good in itself and good in every instance. For example, when we walk with the Lord in the light of His word, we obey Him faithfully. Moral virtue is the nature to behave in the right approach; it is learned through habit and practice. For example, a coward person suffers too much fear in the face of any danger while a rash person does not suffer enough fear. Belief is the key to obey the law unceasingly. For example, if a person believes that Jesus is the only Savior, he truly follows the will of the Lord. Every freedom has its way to fulfill everyone’s goal; it is the freedom to learn the law of Christ and obey Him.
People who obey the law out of fear and those who obey the law out of a sense of duty or character are associated with each other. When we talk about religion, if we committed a sin, we fear of any bad consequences would happen. In this matter, it calls for a faithful way of obeying the law of God, repentance is necessary. However, as we do it constantly, it is now considered being a character. We worship God constantly and aware of everything we do. Believing that God is everything and He sees all things in the universe. As written in the Bible, let every person be subject to the governing authorities. There is no authority except from God; those that exist are instituted by God. Whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed and those who resist will incur judgment.
In relation to the every person, be subject to the governing authorities, as God established everything, there are moments that it is acceptable not to obey the law. For example, when the parents of Moses disobeyed the law as commanded by the Pharaoh that every first-born male child should be cast into the river. They disobeyed the law and hid Moses. Their act is commended as an act of faith and ethically an acceptable act.
If a person has an inherent purpose, he is a good person. For example, if a person wants to be good, being good means to wash his own hands, then it appears morally ought to wash his hands. Even if “ought” depends on goals, it varies with the goal of the person; he is considered good according to whether he fulfills his own self-assigned goal. A person’s purpose comes from his culture. Without the objectives of moral goal, a moral ought is hard to create. We should obey laws that are beneficial to our ethical perception. Consequently, law is ordained to the universal good; any other principle concerning some individual work should be devoid of the law of nature.
