Question: Hi Greg,
I would like to thank Plain Truth Ministries for their loving embrace of all Christians on the road to eternity. Plain Truth Ministries is building bridges of tolerance and understanding within Christian communities. I am happy to recommend others to your personal ‘human’ and common sense approach, which teaches a biblically based belief in Jesus Christ. During this 21st century one of the most important things Christians can do is to unite as "one" body in the name of Christ our Savior. Plain Truth Ministries helps to make that happen!
One of the common sense things that I have been blessed to learn about recently is that of "Gods Natural Law". A book I am reading now is called, 50 Questions on the Natural Law by Charles Rice.
Does Plain Truth Ministries have a definition or statement concerning "Gods and Natural Law"? What is it? How does it unite all Christians, all of humanity and even all of God’s creation for that matter?
I know that this is another big topic but I think it is also bridge that we can build between all Christians and others who believe in God. I haven’t seen anything in the Plain Truth magazine or in the Q & A’s about it.
As they say in Swedish…Guds Fred (God’s Peace).
Robert
Answer: Dear Robert,
Thanks for your comments – and "hello" to you in Sweden (sorry – I don’t have any fluency with Swedish whatsoever, so you’ll have to put up with my English – such as it is).
Most Christian resource books will tell you that there are four kinds of law – which apparently are enumerated in the book by Rice to which you have reference. Four kinds that are normally enumerated – Eternal, natural, human and divine.
You specifically asked about natural law. What is normally meant by natural law is the fact of/act of the communication of eternal law to rational, mortal humans. Natural law is the rational way that humans may participate in/understand eternal law. Natural law is the law that is written on human hearts (Romans 2:15).
The first two chapters in Romans are helpful in understanding natural law – as Paul indicates that all humans, including those to whom God had not specifically revealed his will, law and covenant (as he did with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament) – all humans are responsible and culpable, according to Paul, for basic human behavior. This basic misbehavior – sins – are noted by Paul in this passage.
A study of anthropology shows that virtually all past and present human cultures have agreed – apparently "naturally" as a part of being human – not as a part of external/divine revelation – upon basic "natural law" – including things like murder, stealing, lying, etc.
This does not mean that we know all that we need to know about law, or about God, by virtue of birth. But it does mean, as many theologians believe that part of being created in the image of God means that certain moral "thermometers" or "governors" come as factory equipment, right from the factory. Thus, Paul concludes that we are all sinners, because we have known better, but still sinned – and thus, according to this one particular argument, we are all in need of the Savior.
That’s a brief attempt to answer what is a big topic – but it sounds as if you are doing some reading about this topic and no doubt will learn much, much more. May God continue to guide and direct you. Great to hear from you again. Guds Fred to you.
In Christ,
Greg Albrecht