Natural Law Is Not Spiritual Law

Recently I was given the gift of an epiphany in something written by Rev. Sherry De Jonge.  It was the concept of spiritual law https://www.exultantministries.org/post/god-of-the-impossible:

An old woman and a virgin will each bear a son. Impossible in the natural, but we forget that we also live in a creation that is spiritual – it has spiritual laws and it has spiritual consequences,

It is somewhat surprizing to me that I had never thought of spiritual things in terms of spiritual laws that operate in the universe just as there are natural laws.   Natural laws have been developed to describe how the universe operates in material ways which can be weighed and measured even if it is on a quantum level.  I know and have known for much of my life that natural laws do not apply to how God operates in the spiritual lives of people and indeed the world.  This is described in the Gospel of John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

However, it came as something of a surprize when I realized I had not thought of spiritual things in terms of spiritual laws.  As a Spiritual Director you would think that this is obvious.   I do know that God is working in my life and in the lives of everyone in many different ways whether we are aware of it or not.  However, I just never thought of it in terms of laws that govern how the spirit works which can be codified and set down – and on reflection that is probably not the way to understand spiritual laws.   After all it does seem hard to pin down even identify when the spirit is actually present and how it is working in us.  As the Gospel says, “you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.”   Sometimes we can be blind to what is right before our eyes.  I take comfort in the obtuseness of the disciples who often didn’t see what was right before their eyes. 

There is much in the Christian Bible and other wisdom writings that point to what can be called spiritual laws.  I am thinking particularly about the beatitudes - the sermon of Jesus which tells us that we are blessed if we live our lives in a spiritual way:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

So, here we have eight rules that can be considered spiritual laws telling us how we can be blessed in our lives.  However, I don’t believe that it would be a good idea to try and set down a comprehensive list of rules and regulations which would define what the spiritual laws are.  That would be applying the rules of natural law to the operation of spiritual law.  I don’t believe that the action of spiritual laws can be weighed and measured and cannot be seen under an electron microscope. 

One of the great mistakes that we make in this modern age is to do just that – try and apply natural laws to spiritual things.  We treat the bible as an historical and a scientific document.  I recently watched for the first time the silent movie classic Metropolis which is available on You Tube.  The theme of the movie addresses just this challenge, “The mediator of the head and the hands must be the heart.”  The heart is not rational and neither is Spiritual Law.  To love your enemy is not rational. 

Another recent blog by Ryan Dueck sums the challenge of not codifying spiritual things as natural law up very well:

It’s not that I all of a sudden have no use for logic or arguments or philosophy or theology or anything like that. No one who reads what I write or listens to what I say would ever come to that conclusion. But like Smith, I think I have come to a point in my life where I am deeply aware of the limits of these endeavours. God is not a logic proof. The life of faith is not an argument or a solution to a rational problem. The gospel is not the “system” that we so often and eagerly reduce it to, but a story and a song. And you and I are not data machines in need of the right inputs. We are lovers who need to be loved into remembering. We are dreamers who need more expansive imaginations. We are a ragged choir in need of a better song. https://ryandueck.com/2021/03/02/wonder-shining-in-my-eyes/

Blessings on your spiritual journey