Natural; Nature
Nature in the Old Testament
The Old Testament does not use the word "nature" in the philosophical sense of a self-sustaining system. Instead, everything that exists is understood as the direct creation of God, sustained moment by moment by His power and Spirit. The world is not an autonomous mechanism but a living expression of God's ongoing creative activity. When Deuteronomy 34:7 says that Moses' "natural force" was not diminished at 120 years old, the Hebrew word refers to his physical freshness and vigor, not to an abstract concept of nature.
This worldview stands in sharp contrast to Greek philosophy, which developed the concept of "nature" (physis) as an inherent constitution or system operating according to fixed laws. The absence of this concept in the Old Testament is theologically significant: for Israel, there was no "nature" operating independently of God. Every rainstorm, every harvest, every birth was a direct expression of divine will and provision (Psalm 104:14-30).
Paul and the Concept of Nature
The New Testament, written in Greek and addressing a world shaped by Greek thought, engages directly with the concept of nature (physis). Paul uses it in several important ways. He speaks of things done "by nature" (Romans 2:14), meaning according to innate human constitution. He refers to practices that go "against nature" (Romans 1:26), indicating behavior that violates the created order. He appeals to nature as a teacher, asking, "Does not nature itself teach you?" (1 Corinthians 11:14).
Paul also speaks of human beings as "by nature children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3), indicating that the fallen human condition is not merely a matter of individual choices but reflects a deep-seated corruption of human nature inherited from Adam. This concept of a corrupted nature needing transformation is central to Paul's theology of salvation.
The Natural Man and the Spiritual Man
One of Paul's most important uses of "natural" appears in 1 Corinthians 2:14 and 1 Corinthians 15:44-46, where he draws a sharp contrast between the "natural" (psychikos) and the "spiritual" (pneumatikos). The "natural man" is the person governed by the soul (psyche), the lower principle of human life that deals with earthly instincts and understanding. The "spiritual man" is governed by the Spirit (pneuma), the higher principle that connects with God.
The natural man "does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). This is not about intelligence but about spiritual capacity. Without the work of God's Spirit, a person cannot perceive spiritual reality, no matter how brilliant they may be in other respects.
The Natural Body and the Spiritual Body
In his teaching on resurrection, Paul extends this natural/spiritual contrast to the body itself. "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 15:44). The "natural body" corresponds to the present earthly life governed by the soul, while the "spiritual body" corresponds to the resurrection life governed by the Spirit. Paul emphasizes that the natural comes first, then the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46), establishing a progression from the earthly to the heavenly.
Partakers of the Divine Nature
Perhaps the most remarkable use of "nature" in the New Testament is Peter's declaration that believers may become "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). This extraordinary promise does not mean that humans become God, but that through Christ, believers share in God's own life and character, escaping the corruption that is in the world. This represents the ultimate transformation of human nature: from fallen and corrupted, to renewed and sharing in the very life of God.
Nature as a Witness to God
Paul argues in Romans 1:20 that God's invisible attributes have been clearly perceived through what has been made. While he does not use the word "nature" here, the concept is present: the created order testifies to its Creator. This bridges the Old Testament view of creation as God's direct handiwork with the New Testament engagement with the Greek concept of nature, affirming that the physical world, properly understood, points beyond itself to God.
Biblical Context
The concept appears across both Testaments. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 34:7 uses 'natural force' for physical vigor. In the New Testament, Paul uses 'nature' (physis) extensively: Romans 1:26 (against nature), Romans 2:14 (by nature), 1 Corinthians 11:14 (nature teaches), Ephesians 2:3 (by nature children of wrath), Galatians 4:8 (gods by nature). The natural/spiritual contrast appears in 1 Corinthians 2:14 and 15:44-46. Peter speaks of the divine nature in 2 Peter 1:4. James 3:6-7 references human nature and the nature of beasts.
Theological Significance
The biblical treatment of nature reveals the progression of God's redemptive plan. The Old Testament refuses to let creation exist independently of God. The New Testament engages with Greek thought to clarify that human nature, though created good, has been corrupted by sin and requires spiritual transformation. Paul's natural/spiritual distinction is foundational for understanding conversion, sanctification, and resurrection. Peter's promise of sharing in the divine nature represents the ultimate goal of salvation: restored relationship with God so intimate that believers participate in His very life.
Historical Background
The concept of nature (physis) was central to Greek philosophy from the pre-Socratics through Aristotle and the Stoics. The Stoics in particular taught that living 'according to nature' was the highest ethical standard. Paul's engagement with this concept shows the early church translating Hebrew theological insights into Greek philosophical categories. The Jewish Wisdom literature, particularly the Wisdom of Solomon (part of the Apocrypha), had already begun this process of engaging Greek philosophical concepts with Israelite theology before the New Testament era.