There are quite a few spiritual laws in the bible
Natural consequences is one way to think about them
If we think of the law of gravity, it will make it more clear
If we compare spiritual laws to man’s laws,
they will be less clear, more muddied
Natural consequences occur when we break those spiritual laws
You’ll probably think of more or different examples than I have
My aim here is not to name them all,
but to trigger a realization in God’s word
for us to remember that they are consequential
and they will happen if we do acts where a spiritual law is in place
Just a few off the top of my head:
You sow what you reap
Do not judge, lest you be judged
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse that My house may be filled and I will pour out blessings there will not be room enough to receive
If you exalt yourself, you will be humbled,
if you humble yourself, you will be exalted
Honor your father and mother that your days may be long
If you do not forgive men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses
The wages of sin is death
Do this unto the least of these ye have done it unto Me
If anyone causes one of these little ones to stumble,
it would be better if they had a stone hung about their neck
and they were cast into the sea
than if they caused one of these little ones to stumble
These are examples of spiritual laws.
If we do them, the consequences will occur
We have no way to change them
God can change them
He alone can supersede the laws that He has set down such as
The wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
That particular one falls under Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Some might argue that aerodynamics can defy the law of gravity, which is true, but if the physical mechanism is inoperable, then it’s useless
There were many times when God’s spiritual laws ignored the natural laws
When He promised kings that He would fight for them
When He filled vats with oil
When He raised people from the dead,
When He brought life amongst death, such as the dry bones
When He repaired the irreparable
Can you for one moment imagine that the high priest who had his ear cut off and then healed would still come after Jesus?
We all will consider the Ten Commandments
The list is endless
The point is to realize that there are spiritual laws that exist and they are just as true and steadfast and even more so than those such as air needed to breathe, the sun rising and setting, the boundaries of the ocean, and so forth.
Remember they are there and for some situations, He has given us superior exceptions to those laws. Sometimes they are a one-time promise such as to a particular person like Rehab, others, they are for all eternity like the gift of Salvation.
Scriptural References:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven Luke 6:37
Judge not, that ye be not judged. Matthew 7:1
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Matthew 23:12
Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Ephesians 6:2&3
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:15
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew25:40
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:13&14
And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. 2 Kings 4:2-7
And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. I Kings 17:22
Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Luke 7:12-15
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord. Acts 36:42
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.
Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
Ezekiel 37:1-10
When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. Luke 22:49-51
And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. Joshua 6:25