What Does God Require?

“Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering.” (Genesis 22:2 NKJV)

But what we need to understand is that this was never about Abraham’s sin, but rather it was a test of Abraham’s faith.

You see, what is needed is not our first born, but like Abraham, what God is looking for is the sacrifice of ourselves. This is what Paul realized when he wrote to the Roman church.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1 NKJV)

But the death of the first begotten is required, not by us, but what was offered by the Lord.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17 NKJV)

But going back to this question posed by Micah, the Lord through Micah gives to us the answer.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you. But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 NKJV)

So, let’s now break this down.

To Do Justly 

To do is an act. It’s not something we think about, or something we just talk about, it is something that we are to do. To do justly means we do what is morally right or fair. This is not just something we talk about, because it goes beyond mere words. It is committing to do what is morally right and fair in every circumstance, even when it is not popular.

And while many may say yes to this, their actions don’t always follow, as the prophet Isaiah said, “These people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me.” (Isaiah 29:13a NKJV)

The Apostle James said, “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17 NKJV)

So, what does this word, “justly,” mean. In Micah 6:8 the Hebrew word is “mishpat,” which means to treat people equitably, that is, the same no matter their race or social status.

But there is an attachment that I see, and that is love. Again, I go to the Apostle James who said, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” (James 2:8-9 NKJV)

How does this look. To do justly is to be fair in all we do. To do justly means to be honest and truthful. It means we treat everyone equally, we hold everyone to the same standard, and we do not apply different standards of fairness to one person over that of another.  This also means we will do what is morally right even when it is not popular according to the world.

It is this first statement that people are looking at these rallies and protests. But it is the second statement that Jesus brings out that balances justice and the law.