Natural Law—What Is It?

  I have often wondered what “natural law” is. I observe that the idea of natural law, however, was not a mystery to the founders of our nation. As a reminder of that, please refer to the U.S. Declaration of Independence:

  When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. (Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776)

Natural law is a theory in ethics and philosophy that says that human beings possess intrinsic values that govern our reasoning and behavior. Natural law maintains that these rules of right and wrong are inherent in people and are not created by society, government, or court judges. Natural Law is the unwritten body of universal moral principles that underlie the ethical and legal norms by which human conduct is sometimes evaluated and governed. Natural law is often contrasted with positive law, which consists of the written rules and regulations enacted by government.

To solve an ethical dilemma using natural law, the basic belief that everyone is naturally entitled to live their own lives must be considered and respected. For example, acts of violence, like murder, work against people's natural inclination to live a good and innocent life.

 Under the natural law theory, only laws that are just are to be followed, while unjust laws may be ignored. Natural law theorists believe that it is a basic principle of human nature to want to live a good life, and, therefore, human laws should reflect that desire. (I do not have to wonder how legitimate Natural Law theorists would view the practice of abortion!)

Natural law theory posits that some laws are basic and fundamental to human nature and are discoverable by human reason without reference to specific legislative enactments or judicial decisions.

Our purpose, according to natural law theorists, is to live a good, happy life. Therefore, actions that work against that purpose -- that is, actions that would prevent a fellow human from living a good, happy life -- are considered 'unnatural', or 'immoral'. Laws have a purpose too: to provide justice.

The term 'natural law' is derived from the belief that human morality comes from nature. Everything in nature, according to natural law theory, has a purpose, including humans. Our purpose, according to natural law theorists, is to live a good, happy life.

Natural law maintains that rules of right and wrong are inherent in people and are not created by society, government, or court judges.

In summary of the above remarks, one would think that natural law is an instinctive appeal to common sense and human conscience. As far as it goes, I must admit that that is probably correct. However…

It is my belief that for the Christian, there is far more to the “natural” comprehension of law than the human conscience. After all, there are many people who conceive of right and wrong in ways inimical to biblical principles. We see in our society, today, people who believe that abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, divorce, rioting, looting, pillaging, theft, and adverse governmental interventions, among other nefarious things, are perfectly within the purview of good conscience.

I thank God, however, that He has set before us a manual that points us infallibly to better things above and in our world, today. The Bible points out that we, in this life, are traveling through a temporary situation, and we can look forward to better things in the future. Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, for better guidance than “natural law,” a good and happy life, only.