Quote:
Originally Posted by Parkview_Pirate
Natural law, as I view it, is determined by observing the activities of organisms, individuals, groups, tribes, cultures, etc., understanding the ones that promote the survival and flourishing of said participants, within and without harming the supporting environment - and rejecting those that are harmful or out of balance.
These laws, therefore, are not absolute, but relative to time, environment and circumstances. They are, by definition, open to individual interpretation, and therefore rather messy when trying to apply them to society in general. But, that's just the way it is.
God's perfect laws, as described by the Bible, are still open for individual interpretation, and therefore suffer from some of the same problems of application - though, admittedly, under a more narrowly defined set of parameters. But any laws, whether from a strict view of the Bible or from liberal cultural Marxists, soon prove to be harmful by their lack of flexibility - since humans, naturally, are not designed to fit in neat, tidy silos.
Since many cultures across the globe share an overlapping set of behaviors that promote the survival of the group, and allow it to flourish, I have the opinion that the Bible is not the source for these laws, nor can they ever be perfect.
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The bible is not the source for natural law. God is the source for both natural law and biblical law as revealed in divine revelation. God's "natural law" is revealed intuitively in man, as a moral, personal, intelligent being, created in the image of his Creator who is also a moral, personal, intelligent being (cf. Rom 2:14-15) . Natural Law, as important as it is (especially in this fallen world) is inferior to Divine Law (revelation) because the former can be largely
shaped by fallen, sinful cultures, this law largely being determined by "group think" (by consent of the majority, as it were); whereas Divine Law, as you have said, can be misinterpreted by fallen, sinful readers of scripture. But...bad interpretation does not change the fact that Divine Law itself is good, holy and perfect, and is clear and plain enough to where in
can be understood and interpreted properly with help of God's grace. It is said of born again Christians, for example, that they
can know what the good, pleasing and perfect
will of God is (Rom 12:2) for right living. Jesus himself said that those who
do the [revealed] will of God are in a saving relationship with him (Mk 3:35). Divine Law (formerly known as the Law of Moses under the Old Covenant and currently known as the Law of Christ under this New Covenant dispensation), therefore, is markedly superior to natural law since the former comes right from God's mouth through his prophets and apostles. And this law is
eternal (Ps. 119:89, 160); and as Jesus also said, "heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away" (Mk 13:31). In fact, it is this Law that is written upon the hearts of God's New Covenant people in this age by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ezek 36:26-27; Jer 31:33).
If I find some time later, I'll give you a great real life example of how easy it is for someone (even Christians!) to be led astray by "natural law" that has been largely molded by one's culture, and how what this particular woman, I have in mind, was intending to do a thing and justifying it by her own selfish needs and the culture was, nevertheless, at odds with God's revealed will (Divine Law or Christ's Law). This is why the psalmist wrote,
Ps 119:11
1
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
NIV
