Limitations of Natural Law Theory

Natural law are the laws which are common to man. There are two main factors which contribute to natural law. The first is the general revelation of God, the knowledge of good and evil. General revelation is not the law itself; rather, it is the natural ability to discern the law, where special revelation requires supernatural intervention, such as the work of the Holy Spirit. The second factor is especially important for cultural anthropologists, social influence. Societies tend to vary in ethics because of environmental differences which cause them to adopt morals which may actually be discerned as immoral through general revelation. The limitations of natural law are rooted in differentiating between natural law and special revelation. Are there differences in moral values between natural law and special revelation? Why are non-religious ethical systems so different from Christian ones? Can we be moral without special revelation?

“The requirements of the [Mosaic] law are written” in the hearts of men who do not know the law as given by Moses through special revelation (Rom. 2.15). Calvin (1990) agrees that “the law of God which we call the moral law [special revelation] is nothing else than a testimony of natural law” (p. 77). Adam was told through special revelation, “you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2.17). When Satan tempted Eve in the garden, he said that to eat the fruit would make her “like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3.4). When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they obtained, through spiritual death, the mind of God to discern moral truth. This ability to discern is what is referred to as natural law.

It is man’s inability to adhere to natural law which makes special revelation necessary. In Old Testament times, God sent His word through prophets or through other means. In modern times, we receive special revelation through the counsel of the Holy Spirit and recall it through the word of God. Owen (1851) says in relation to natural law that “Conscience…inexorably condemneth and pronounceth wrath and anger upon the soul that hath the least guilt cleaving to it” (p. 387). Because men are sensual beings we tend to act in accordance with practical things. Men look at the practical outlook of a matter and then act in accordance with whatever seems like it will cause us the least amount of guilt. Therefore, based on our social climate, we will vary from natural law, wherever natural law may seem (as God’s laws often do) to be a less desirable endeavor.

Since man is going to form their ethic based on the most sensually pleasing actions, only based loosely on natural law, it is not surprising that non-Christian ethical systems contain drastic differences. Some morals are relatively universal because they are not sensually beneficial, such as murder, whereas others vary, such as homosexuality. A Christian culture is going to go to the law of God, given through special revelation to find out if it is moral or immoral. A non-Christian culture is likely to embrace it so long as there is no social or environmental prohibition on it. This is where the majority of western civilizations currently stand on the matter. Where homosexuality is opposed in non-Christian circles, it is because it defies the social norm, which was established hundreds of years before based on a Christian ethic. As the social norm changes due to influence from more radical circles, tolerance quickly becomes the moral standard as it is more comfortable the the prohibition of homosexuality. Any good which is in the world as a result of natural law or special revelation can only be maintained by continued adherence to special revelation.

So long as it is defined correctly, natural law really does not contain limitations, only areas which require further explanation. There is no difference in the moral value of natural law versus special revelation, but natural law is often manipulated by its social environment. Even though natural law exists in all cultures, Christians follow more closely to it because of the special revelation of the Holy Spirit and the word of God, where others vary from it in order to minimize negative impact on their lives. In theory, one could be moral without special revelation, but it is against our nature to do so.

Calvin, J. (1990). John Calvin and the church: A prism of reform (Timothy George, Ed.).Westminster: John Knox Press

Owen, J. (1851). The works of John Owen, D.D. (Rev. William H. Goold, Ed.). Edinburgh:Johnstone and Hunter.

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