Natural Law

HOW DO HUMAN BEINGS KNOW THE MORAL
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG?

An Excerpt from a course on Natural Law, the Noahide, and the Torah

As noted at the close of the previous study, fundamentally Natural Law is a body of rules that govern moral conduct.  But that definition must be fleshed out, that is, expanded into actual human life and practice.  If it is natural, then it is not something externally acquired, but innately rises from within.

Christian philosopher J. Budziszewski (Boo-jee-shef-skee)expands on this by noting:

 "As a Christian I regard the natural-law tradition as the nearest approach to the truth about 'law written on the heart' which ethical and political philosophy have yet, by the grace of God, achieved.  I do not mean to be flippant in speaking of God's grace.  True, the law written on the heart is utterly inferior to the revealed truth of the gospel, for though it tells us what sin is, it tells us nothing of how to escape it.  Yet it too is a real gift of God, for we have to know the bad news before we can grasp the Good News." ¹

The Apostle Paul further expands on the idea of an innate knowledge of morality when he writes to the church in Rome:

  "For when the Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." (Romans 2:14-16).

Dr. Adam Clarke in commenting on Romans 2:14, 15 expresses the natural understanding of what Paul so clearly communicated.

"[They]Do, without this Divine revelation, through that light which God imparts to every man, the things contained in the law - act according to justice, mercy, temperance and truth, the practice of which the revealed law so powerfully enjoins; these are a law unto themselves - they are not accountable to any other law, and are not to be judged by any dispensation different from that under which they live.

Rabbi Tanchum brings in the Supreme Being as saying: When I decreed anything against the Gentiles, to whom I have not given laws and statutes, and they know what I have decreed; immediately they repent; but the Israelites do not so. Tanchum, fol. 43. 2.  [Clarke continues] Verse 15

Which show the work of the law - In acting according to justice, mercy, temperance, and truth, they show that the great object of the law, which was to bring men from injustice, cruelty, intemperance, and falsity, is accomplished so far in them: their conscience also bearing witness - that faculty of the soul, where that Divine light dwells and works, shows them that they are right; and thus they have a comfortable testimony in their own souls of their own integrity: their thoughts, the mean while, accusing, or else excusing one another; or rather, their reasonings between one another accusing or answering for themselves. As if the apostle had said: - And this point, that they have a law and act according to it, is farther proved from their conduct in civil affairs; and from that correct sense which they have of natural justice in their debates, either in their courts of law, or in their treatises on morality. All these are ample proofs that God has not left them without light; and that, seeing they have such correct notions of right and wrong, they are accountable to God for their conduct in reference to these notions and principles." ²

Therefore, from sacred Scripture and secular history we have a body of understanding that has promoted, protected, and preserved universally acknowledged values that are accepted as being naturally understood.  That these are not naturally obeyed does nothing to diminish the innate awareness of their existence.  As Clarke noted above:

"[S]eeing they have such correct notions of right and wrong, they are accountable to God for their conduct in reference to these notions and principles." ²

Next, we will answer the question, "What is the Noahide?"

For a deeper study, you are encouraged to consider enrolling in our 3 credit-hour academic course "THE LAW OF UNIVERSAL RIGHTEOUSNESS:  Natural Law, the Noahide, and the Torah."  You can check out all of our regular academic programs by clicking this link:  PROGRAMS.

Thank you for sharing time with me.  I hope this brief post will encourage you to want to learn more about the laws of universal righteousness, and the manner in which God has implanted the awareness of right and wrong within your own heart and mind.

Dennis D. Frey, Th.D.,

1.  Written on the Heart: The Case for Natural Law, J. Budziszewski, ISBN-13: 9780830818914, IVP Academic, 1997, page 11.

2.  Adam Clarke (1760 - 1832), Romans, http://odl.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/romans.html