What is natural law?
Natural law is the moral order God has woven into creation and into the human conscience — basic right and wrong that all people can know, in principle, apart from special revelation.
Paul writes that Gentiles, who don’t have the written law, "by nature do what the law requires… they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts" (Romans 2:14–15).
Natural law explains why every culture has prohibitions against murder, theft, and lying — and why "ought" appears as a category at all.
It is not enough to save. But it is enough to ground civil law, defend human dignity, and call cultures to account when they trample what everyone in their heart of hearts knows.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.