There is a striking ubiquity to this type of natural law, which presents itself as arising from a natural theology. It is a quid pro quo ethic, consisting of rewards and punishments.
It is also sadly mistaken. Richard Rohr captures this error:
Almost all religion, and all cultures that I know of, have believed in one way or another that sin and evil are to be punished, and retribution is to be demanded of the sinner in this world - and usually the next world too. It is a dualistic system of reward and punishment, good guys and bad guys, and makes perfect sense to the ego. I call it the normal economy of merit or “meritocracy,” and it is the best that prisons, courtrooms, wars, lawyers, and even most of the church, which should know better, can do.
This fallacy, which occurs so easily to the human mind, overlooks the simple fact that all humans are imperfect and flawed. Not only can we say that “to be human is to be imperfect,” but more: “to be human is to be essentially and necessarily imperfect.”
Given what human nature is, any ethic of reward and punishment can only end with more punishment than reward.
Humans, who are essentially unrighteous, can’t work their way up to earning a reward which is given only to the righteous.
A more accurate understanding reveals that an intervention is necessary: humans need help to attain that which they can’t attain on their own. This help has various names: grace, mercy, forgiveness:
The revelation from the cross and the Twelve Steps, however, believes that sin and failure are, in fact, the setting and opportunity for the transformation and enlightenment of the offender - and then the future will take care of itself. It is a mystery that makes sense to the soul and is entirely an “economy of grace,” which makes sense only to those who have experienced it.
Moving from ‘natural religion’ to ‘revealed religion’ is to gain the insight that only a help sent from beyond the self can create the opportunity for humans to receive better than they deserve.
To be surrendered is the notion that the individual can do, earn, merit, achieve. To be gained is a breathtaking gift: unearned, unmerited, freely given. There is nothing to be done prior to the gift: after the gift, the only reasonable response is thanksgiving.
To see one’s self as utterly passive in the face of this gift is to be all the more energized in the thanksgiving offered in response to the this gift. Properly seen, the remainder of life is thanksgiving.
