Biblical Foundation for Natural Law

Natural Law Theory, a prominent philosophical framework, posits that there are inherent moral principles that govern human behavior and protect individual freedom and dignity. These principles, often referred to as natural law, are believed to be rooted in the natural order of things and accessible to reason and to the natural inclinations of the human heart. The concept of natural law has its roots in ancient Greek philosophy and has been developed further by prominent thinkers such as St. Thomas Aquinas.

Right to Life and Property

The prohibition to theft and murder is a central tenet of natural law, as it signifies the rights to life and property. These rights are seen as fundamental to human dignity and freedom, and their violation constitutes a grave injustice. The Bible contains many passages that affirm the importance of these rights and the prohibition to theft and murder, including the Ten Commandments, which are recorded in both Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21.

The seventh commandment, “You shall not steal,” expresses the right to property and the prohibition to theft. This commandment recognizes the inherent value of private property and the importance of protecting it from unjust appropriation. It reflects the natural inclination of the human heart to value and protect one’s possessions, and it is a cornerstone of natural law.

The fifth commandment, “You shall not kill,” expresses the right to life and the prohibition to murder. This commandment recognizes the sacredness of human life and the importance of protecting it from unjust harm. It reflects the natural inclination of the human heart to value and protect human life, and it is another cornerstone of natural law.

Right to Liberty

The concept of natural law, with its emphasis on the inherent moral principles that govern human behavior, is deeply rooted in the Biblical tradition. The Bible contains numerous passages that affirm the importance of human freedom and the dignity of the individual, and these passages provide a strong foundation for the idea of natural law.

One such passage is found in the Book of Exodus, in the story of the Exodus from Egypt. In Exodus 20:2, God says: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

This passage suggests that human beings are called to be free from bondage and oppression, and that their liberation is a central theme of the Bible. It affirms the importance of protecting human freedom and the dignity of the individual.

Another passage that supports the right to liberty is found in the Book of Genesis, in the story of the Creation of Adam and Eve. In Genesis 1:26-27, God says: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

This passage suggests that human beings are created in the image of God and endowed with the capacity for reason and free will. It affirms the inherent dignity of the individual and the importance of protecting human freedom.

Paul then explicitly stated: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free.” (Gal 5:1)

Written on the Heart

These commandments are not merely external rules and commandments, but they are also written on the hearts of God’s people, as expressed in 2 Corinthians 3:3. This passage suggests that the moral law of God is not just a set of external rules and commandments, but is also written on the hearts of his people. This natural sense of morality is seen as a reflection of the divine order that governs the universe, and it is accessible to reason and to the natural inclinations of the human heart.

St. Thomas Aquinas drew upon these Biblical passages, as well as the works of Aristotle and other philosophers, to develop his understanding of natural law and the moral principles that govern human behavior and protect individual freedom and dignity. He believed that these principles were rooted in the natural order of things, and that they were accessible to reason and to the natural inclinations of the human heart as alluded to in the following Scripture:

Jeremiah 31:33:

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord: I will give my law in their bowels, and I will write it in their heart: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Romans 2:

13For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature those things that are of the law; these having not the law are a law to themselves: 15 Who shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them, and their thoughts between themselves accusing, or also defending one another, 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

2 Corinthians 3:3:

Being manifested, that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Biblical foundations of Natural Law Theory are rooted in the prohibition to theft and murder, which signifies the rights to life and property. These rights are seen as fundamental to human dignity and freedom, and their violation constitutes a grave injustice. The Bible contains many passages that affirm the importance of these rights and the prohibition to theft and murder, including the Ten Commandments. These commandments are not just external rules and commandments, but they are also written on the hearts of God’s people, as expressed throughout the Bible. This natural sense of morality is seen as a reflection of the divine order that governs the universe, and it is accessible to reason and to the natural inclinations of the human heart. St. Thomas Aquinas drew upon these Biblical passages, as well as the works of Aristotle and other philosophers, to develop his understanding of natural law and the moral principles that govern human behavior and protect individual freedom and dignity.