In this edition of TPO Explains, we break down international law, explaining where global rules come from, what they govern, and how they’re enforced without a single global authority.
January 10, 2026
What is international law?
International law is a set of rules that countries agree to follow so they can exist together in a peaceful and orderly fashion… You know, like toddlers in the back seat!
Think playground rules, but for nations.
These rules help manage issues such as war, borders, trade, diplomacy, international waters, space, and human rights, and they provide countries with a way to settle disputes without resorting to violence.
Where does international law come from?
A mix of written rules… and some vibes. There are four main sources:
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Conventions/Treaties: Written agreements between states that create binding legal obligations (e.g., Geneva Convention, which protects prisoners during war)
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Rulings from International Courts (e.g., the International Criminal Court)
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Customary International Law: Widely accepted rules that aren’t written but form when countries consistently behave the same way (e.g., diplomatic immunity, which was eventually codified in 1961)
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General Principles of Law: Basic legal ideas common across many national systems that are assumed true in international law (e.g., agreements must be kept)
Countries are only bound by the treaties they choose to sign and the orders of the courts they choose to recognize, but the more basic norms (e.g., no genocide) apply to everyone.
Who enforces it?
No one… and everyone?
While there are international courts to clarify the laws and judge, there is no international police force. So, if a country breaks an international law, it’s up to other countries to pressure compliance through “countermeasures” (think: sanctions). This means that enforcement is slow, imperfect, and unevenly applied.
For many international laws, enforcement just isn’t necessary, as they provide non-controversial, common standards—like navigation and communication protocols for ships and planes—that everyone benefits from obeying.
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Verse to consider whether you’re untangling the intricacies of international law, or are just glad you finally untangled those charging cords… “From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective.… In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us.”
2 Corinthians 5:16, 19-20 (CSB) (read full passage)
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