Kohlberg's Six Levels of Moral Development

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

Modified to fit the teachings of the Bible…

The Carnal Nature has an ingrained sense of justice; as long as it doesn’t apply to them or theirs.
LEVEL	STAGE	SOCIAL ORIENTATION
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6
Legalism…Mercy cannot be applied in the earlier models…
Pre-conventional (Adam & Eve run and hide to avoid the consequences and the responsibility of their actions.)	1	Obedience and Punishment
	2	Individualism, Instrumentalism and Exchange
	Rigid, Dogmatic, Intolerant, Conservative – Persecuting
Force, Fear, Intimidation & Manipulation The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9
Mercy begins to be implemented into the model, but in a very limited capacity …usually only where advantageous
First Touch…A Knowledge of Jesus…Righteousness imputed
Conventional (For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently?)	3	"Good Boy/Girl" (Self-Righteous)
	4	Law and Order (Hypocritical)
	Self-righteous, Selfish, Self-centered…
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them, which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48
Second Touch…Born Again: Knows Jesus & Jesus Knows Them – Righteousness Imparted
Post-Conventional (…but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 1 Peter 2:20)	5	Mercy
	6	Compassion
	Tagged as Liberals…Christ-like - Agape love has been imparted *(Mercy and Compassion = Agape)*
Love, Trust, Truth, Trustworthy, Respect & Tact He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8

The Carnal Nature has an ingrained sense of justice;

Legalism…Mercy cannot be applied in the earlier models…

Pre-conventional

Rigid, Dogmatic, Intolerant, Conservative – Persecuting

Force, Fear, Intimidation & Manipulation

Mercy begins to be implemented into the model, but in a very limited capacity

…usually only where advantageous

First Touch…A Knowledge of Jesus…Righteousness imputed

Conventional

Self-righteous, Selfish, Self-centered…

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them, which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48

Second Touch…Born Again: Knows Jesus & Jesus Knows Them – Righteousness Imparted

Post-Conventional

Mercy

Tagged as Liberals…Christ-like - Agape love has been imparted

Love, Trust, Truth, Trustworthy, Respect & Tact