There is a familiar verse in the book of the prophet Micah. “Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness [mercy], and to walk humbly with your God.” [6:8 HCSB]
This is not a formula for salvation. Salvation has always come through sacrifice. In the OT, forgiveness came through the sacrifices of animals, the atonement for sin rolling ahead once more until the entire sin of the world was taken to the cross of Christ Jesus. There the final solution for sin was wrought through the sacrifice of God’s Chosen One.
Micah, when he uttered those words was addressing a people in covenant with God. When we take those words to heart, it is because we too are in covenant relationship with God. Jesus called it the New Covenant in His Blood. No one can act justly, love mercy, or walk humbly with God unless they are in relationship with Him!
To “act justly” is to show true religion. God gave Ten Commandments that set His Holy Standards for our relationship to Him and to others. We cannot achieve salvation through them, but they still set the criteria for our hearts in how we are to connect to Him and our neighbors now that we have salvation through Christ Jesus our LORD.
To “love mercy” is to freely and with great grace and love be willing to show kindness to everyone.
To “walk humbly with [our] God” means to live in that everyday awareness of His presence in our lives, to exercise a spirit of humility before Him. As John the Baptizer said it, “He must increase, I must decrease.”
Lord, grand us by the power of Your Holy Spirit, to live and walk like this every day! Amen.