That You May Believe - Study Guide
Week 13 - March 28th, 2021
Micah 6:8
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Context: This verse forms the climax of an indictment against Israel from the LORD. Israel has abandoned their covenant with God and served other gods, abandoning the God who made them into a great nation. Israel responds by offering costly sacrifices and extravagant offerings. The LORD wants nothing to do with such things. His desire is their covenant obedience.
Meaning: For Israel, obedience to the covenant was not to be measured simply by sacrifices, offerings, or external religious practices. Obedience to the covenant was to begin with the realization that one is unable to do justice, to please God in his own strength. This should cause one to drink deeply of God's mercy, and then walk humbly before the Lord depending upon His gracious enablement. It is through such a process that God then empowers one to seek justice for the oppressed, mercy for the oppressor, and the humility to recognize which category one is in. God is reminding His people that His required forms of worship (sacrifices and offerings), must never be detached from our inward relationship with the Lord.
Life Application: According to this verse, we must guard our hearts lest external religious actions are substituted for truly humbling ourselves before the Lord, drinking deeply of His mercy, and allowing His grace to enable righteous living. When one's life consists merely of external religious practices, one has substituted a religion for a relationship with the Lord. Allow your Bible reading, church attendance, prayer life, giving, your ministries, your good works, etc., to flow out of a life that embraces a vibrant, loving, dependent relationship with the Lord!
For Further Study: In Galatians 6, Paul urges believers to “do good to all men, especially those who are of the household of faith.” Do you think Paul’s words are a good application of Micah 6:8? Why or why not?