What is natural law?

[josephback]

I understand the Catholic Church believes in something called natural law. To my comprehension this is the law of God or moral code to which all men are necessarily subject. Is this a proper understanding? Thanks in advance

 

[fhansen]

I understand the Catholic Church believes in something called natural law. To my comprehension this is the law of God or moral code to which all men are necessarily subject. Is this a proper understanding? Thanks in advance

It means God created man complete with an innate objective morality. You can read more here:
newadvent.org/cathen/09076a.htm

 

[TEPO]

I understand the Catholic Church believes in something called natural law. To my comprehension this is the law of God or moral code to which all men are necessarily subject. Is this a proper understanding? Thanks in advance

I’d love to hear our theologans expand on this topic. It seems to me to be something like the explanation for human traits that occur naturally, which if otherwise were broken, would cause negative reactions to naturally occur here on earth -as opposed to after death.

Examples might include the legitimization of: sodomy, abortion, murder, incest, pedophilia, or any other taboo’s that would have negative impacts on human societies… Things that disrupt our terrestrial order.

 

[josephback]

So what kind of law is the prophet Jeremiah and Hebrews talking about when it talks of “law written on human hearts”? Does this law have anything to do with natural law and do all people know and have this law or just believers? And how do you harmonize the law on human hearts with Jeremiah’s other teaching that the heart of man is wicked?

 

[Abba]

So what kind of law is the prophet Jeremiah and Hebrews talking about when it talks of “law written on human hearts”? Does this law have anything to do with natural law and do all people know and have this law or just believers? And how do you harmonize the law on human hearts with Jeremiah’s other teaching that the heart of man is wicked?

They as well as Paul are referring to the Natural Law.

Romans 2:12 - 2:16

12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

 

[fhansen]

So what kind of law is the prophet Jeremiah and Hebrews talking about when it talks of “law written on human hearts”? Does this law have anything to do with natural law and do all people know and have this law or just believers? And how do you harmonize the law on human hearts with Jeremiah’s other teaching that the heart of man is wicked?

The fact that man’s heart is wicked is the reason why God’s laws must be written there. The law is already there, actually, but buried due to the fall. After that his will was weakened, his understanding darkened, and scripture tells us that sin abounded in the world. There was a split or divorce from God, his creator, and so with his very own self.

 

[Abba]

Hello josephback,

I was just doing a little reading on your question. Now, as I understand it and as Paul clearly writes the natural laws are written in our hearts and are universal previous to Christ and after Christ (Romans 2.15 onward). However, we have the New Law of he Gospel which was given to us by Christ Jesus and this is the Grace we receive from the Holy Spirit.

Now, from what I understand the New Law is not universal but is given to those who believe in Jesus and are baptized in the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. Saint Thomas quotes Augustine who wrote that this law is written in our hearts: “as the law of deeds was written on tables of stone, so is the law of faith inscribed on the hearts of the faithful”: and elsewhere, in the same book (xxi): “What else are the Divine laws written by God Himself on our hearts, but the very presence of His Holy Spirit?” I personally, would express it that the New Law dwells in our hearts, but, it can be said that it is written. Notice Augustine refers to the New Law as Divine Law (versus Natural Law).

From the Summa:
I answer that, “Each thing appears to be that which preponderates in it,” as the Philosopher states (Ethic. ix, 8). Now that which is preponderant in the law of the New Testament, and whereon all its efficacy is based, is the grace of the Holy Ghost, which is given through faith in Christ. Consequently the New Law is chiefly the grace itself of the Holy Ghost, which is given to those who believe in Christ. This is manifestly stated by the Apostle who says (Romans 3:27): “Where is . . . thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith”: for he calls the grace itself of faith “a law.” And still more clearly it is written (Romans 8:2): “The law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath delivered me from the law of sin and of death.” Hence Augustine says (De Spir. et Lit. xxiv) that “as the law of deeds was written on tables of stone, so is the law of faith inscribed on the hearts of the faithful”: and elsewhere, in the same book (xxi): “What else are the Divine laws written by God Himself on our hearts, but the very presence of His Holy Spirit?”

Nevertheless the New Law contains certain things that dispose us to receive the grace of the Holy Ghost, and pertaining to the use of that grace: such things are of secondary importance, so to speak, in the New Law; and the faithful need to be instructed concerning them, both by word and writing, both as to what they should believe and as to what they should do. Consequently we must say that the New Law is in the first place a law that is inscribed on our hearts, but that secondarily it is a written law.

To be clear, even though the New Law can be said to be written in our hearts, this law is not what Jeremiah and Paul were referring to but instead they were referring to Natural Law.

Hope this helps.

Anyone and everyone is welcomed to correct me if I am mistaken.

Peace,

Abba

P.s. Of course, ultimately, Natural Law is divine because it was instituted by God.

 

[fhansen]

Hello josephback,

To be clear, even though the New Law can be said to be written in our hearts, this law is not what Jeremiah and Paul were referring to but instead they were referring to Natural Law.

P.s. Of course, ultimately, Natural Law is divine because it was instituted by God.

That was a great analysis of the matter and it’s corroborated in the Catechism. The only difference is that Jer 31 and the writer of Hebrews who quotes him were referring to the New Law-because Jer was prophesying the New Covenant:

1965 The New Law or the Law of the Gospel is the perfection here on earth of the divine law, natural and revealed. It is the work of Christ and is expressed particularly in the Sermon on the Mount. It is also the work of the Holy Spirit and through him it becomes the interior law of charity: "I will establish a New Covenant with the house of Israel. . . . I will put my laws into their hands, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."19

And at the same time this Law is already in place in some manner, yet no longer necessarily expressed as it was meant:

1776 "Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment. . . . For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. . . . His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths."47

 

[josephback]

Thanks all. One of the reasons I’m trying to understand is that I wrote a book a while ago that contains arguments about these things. I know that God gave me the story because I’m still trying to fully understand what I wrote! Right now I’m looking to make sure it was in line with Church teaching and looking to prepare an edited version where the arguments would stay the same but certain things are clarified that might have been misunderstood in the original. Maybe when I’m done preparing it I’ll post a draft for y’all. Have a good day

 

[Abba]

That was a great analysis of the matter and it’s corroborated in the Catechism. The only difference is that Jer 31 and the writer of Hebrews who quotes him were referring to the New Law-because Jer was prophesying the New Covenant:

You are correct. Thank you. You inspired me to read the Book of Jeremiah. I started yesterday it has been years… Thanks.