God, The Architect: Thoughts On Natural Law

 
Here are some slides I  presented discussing the types of order in the universe and human nature.  Created order shows God's design intent for human life.  Theologians through church history and political philosophers have called that natural law.

Of course we all violate that design intent with the choices we make.  The purpose of the talk was to clarify the standard.  Then describe how God responded to us rejecting His standard.  He put a plan in place the moment humanity disobeyed.  He worked out His plan over thousands of years.  That plan has been completed in Jesus.  We look back thousands of years ago to see how God made a way back to Him and the life He created for us.





Jesus, as God, created the world and even today holds it together.  He literally keeps the world spinning.  Other parts of the Bible describe Jesus as the chief cornerstone.  Jesus, as the Logos, is the cornerstone of the whole universe.  As He is at the center of everything, being the Logos, He is intimately involved in the details of existence.





Natural law doesn't answer what is found in nature.  It answers what the purpose of things are or what their  design intent is.  We find in nature many things that are not "natural". Nature has fallen into sin, which will be discussed at the end.  But it is important to mention the distinction here.  For example, the first two bullets above.  Both points have been universally accepted by human cultures for all of history up until now.  Now they are controversial in Western society, which is a sign how far away the West is from accepting natural law.



The presence of hierarchy doesn't justify the abuse of hierarchy.  Natural law hierarchy is reciprocally beneficial.  It is also informal and not necessarily enforced by law.  Class or caste systems are rigid and legally enforced.  These are different things.


Any political, legal system which claims to be Biblical or Christian must be aligned with natural law.  Natural rights are derived from natural law.  In short you have the right to your own life, liberty, and property.  They act as protections for individuals who attempt to live as God intended them to live.  Natural rights say what others aren't supposed to withhold from you.  They say others should not prevent you from pursuing life according to your conscious.  Any economy or politics which isn't in line with natural law and natural rights is not Christian.


Natural law demands a specific type of love, agape.  It is the love of the will.  It chooses to do things to benefit others.  There are other kinds of love that focus on emotions, romance, family, and friendships.  Agape is the way God loves us, and the primary way a Christian loves others.

One other thing to add.  Part of natural law is objective, which is covered here.  It applies to each person universally.  But there is a subjective part of natural law which applies only to particular individuals.  In order to live your best life you need to understand the objective and subjective parts.  The subjective part fits within the objective, never contradicting.  God made you individually with a unique personality, likes, dislikes, talents, and limitations.  God made you to be you.  That is your purpose, to live in a relationship with God, reflecting His image, taking everything He made you and living it out.


Natural law is the way things ought to be, but they are not.  We live in a broken world.  God has a plan to repair the world and reclaim mankind.



Through this message we can all return to God and align our lives with His created order, which is our purpose.



















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