Law and Faith

1. DIFFERENT KINDS OF LAW IN
RELATION TO OUR MANY DIFFERENT
ROLES

3. Natural Law
The “law of our nature as human persons”
The set of duties and responsibilities arising
from our essential dignity as human persons
• People are capable of knowing by their means
of their reasons

4. Natural Law Characteristics
1. UNIVERSAL (FOR ALL)
2. UNITY AND INVARIABILITY (EQUAL)
3. IMMUTABILITY (CANNOT BE MODIFIED)

5. Moral Law
Governs every individual’s behavior. It contains
truth and ethical principles which guide
people’s conduct on matters of right and
wrong. It tells one how to act in relation to
God and others.

6. Human Law
Deals with the juridical order of society, be it of
the state or of the Church
Laws enacted for the common good

7. Divine Law
• The law of God as revealed by the Sacred
Scripture
• OT, the divine law pertains to the Decalogue
• NT, the Beatitudes, Sermon on the Mount
• Jesus Christ’ two love commandments

8. Church Law
• Expressions of divine law in the concrete
circumstances of Christian Living

9. Civil Law
• Human-made laws to govern our various
relationships in the community
• Application of natural law in given societies
• This is the kind of law that we would
automatically think of

11. DIVINE LAW- OLD TESTAMENT AND
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
• The Ten Commandments protected the true
freedom of Israelites by founding their
community on the fundamental values of true
love and worship.
• Christ came not to abolish the Ten
Commandments but to fulfill and perfect them.
• Today, the Ten Commandments clearly express
our basic obligations toward God and neighbor

12. DIVINE LAW-NEW TESTAMENT: JESUS’
LAW OF LOVE AND BEATITUDES
• Two love commandments: Luke 10: 27
• Beatitudes: Eight blessings that sketch for us
what it means to be a truly loving person
• Christ perfectly taught exercised authentic
love by Teaching, Living and Sending His spirit
of love

13. Conclusion
As Christians, our ultimate moral law is not
merely a set of do’s and don’ts but thru a
person – Jesus Christ. Through His teachings
and deeds, He has proclaimed that love of
God and love of neighbor are the greatest
commandments.
To be authentically free is to follow Christ’s
example, inspired and empowered from
within by the Holy Spirit.