What does God require?

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8)

In the affairs of men, nothing succeeds like purposeful action, driven by courage of conviction, drawn from a biblical worldview. Revealing the heart of God's law, and summed in a simple formula (as penned by the prophet Micah), the practice of this admonition has carried our republic to heights unknown previously in history.

The Judeo-Christian ethic, when put into practice, has done more to elevate the human experience than any other set of ideals. In God's economy, men and women are created equal, with inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And as manifest in law and order, peace and prosperity, and altruism in the community of nations, the American experience has been a force for good for over two centuries.

However, these self-evident truths must continue to be inculcated individually, passed from one generation to the next, and lived-out (by the power of the Holy Spirit)--to remain faithful to the Almighty's call and the welfare of any people who would live free. Christians in particular, in every dimension of life and sphere of influence, will be held to account for our advocacy and individual contributions to this mission.

With this challenge set before us, let's consider the operative words of this timeless passage...justice, mercy and humility...in light of direction found in relevant excerpts taken from the "Lausanne Covenant." Here we find thought leadership, drawn from across Christendom, for the purpose of accomplishing the commission of Christ in this dispensation of grace. Lord, by your grace may we act with...

Justice (from government)

It is the God-appointed duty of every government to secure conditions of peace, justice and liberty in which the Church may obey God, serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and preach the gospel without interference. We therefore pray for the leaders of nations and call upon them to guarantee freedom of thought and conscience, and freedom to practice and propagate religion in accordance with the will of God and as set forth in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We also express our deep concern for all who have been unjustly imprisoned, and especially for those who are suffering for their testimony to the Lord Jesus. We promise to pray and work for their freedom. At the same time we refuse to be intimidated by their fate. God helping us, we too will seek to stand against injustice and to remain faithful to the gospel, whatever the cost. We do not forget the warnings of Jesus that persecution is inevitable.

(Reference: I Tim. 1:1-4, Acts 4:19; 5:29; Col. 3:24; Heb. 13:1-3; Luke 4:18; Gal.5:11; 6:12; Matt. 5:10-12; John 15:18-21)

Mercy (to the world)

To evangelize is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as the reigning Lord he now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gifts of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. Our Christian presence in the world is indispensable to evangelism, and so is that kind of dialogue whose purpose is to listen sensitively in order to understand.

But evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Savior and Lord, with a view to persuading people to come to him personally and so be reconciled to God. In issuing the gospel invitation we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship. Jesus still calls all who would follow him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and identify themselves with his new community. The results of evangelism include obedience to Christ, incorporation into his Church and responsible service in the world.

(Reference: I Cor. 15:3,4; Acts 2: 32-39; John 20:21; I Cor. 1:23; II Cor. 4:5; 5:11,20; Luke 14:25-33; Mark 8:34; Acts 2:40,47; Mark 10:43-45)

Humility (throughout Christendom)

The development of strategies for world evangelization calls for imaginative pioneering methods. Under God, the result will be the rise of churches deeply rooted in Christ and closely related to their culture. Culture must always be tested and judged by Scripture. Because men and women are God's creatures, some of their culture is rich in beauty and goodness. Because they are fallen, all of it is tainted with sin and some of it is demonic.

The gospel does not presuppose the superiority of any culture to another, but evaluates all cultures according to its own criteria of truth and righteousness, and insists on moral absolutes in every culture. Missions have all too frequently exported with the gospel an alien culture and churches have sometimes been in bondage to culture rather than to Scripture. Christ's evangelists must humbly seek to empty themselves of all but their personal authenticity in order to become the servants of others, and churches must seek to transform and enrich culture, all for the glory of God.

(Reference: Mark 7:8,9,13; Gen. 4:21,22; I Cor. 9:19-23; Phil. 2:5-7; II Cor. 4:5)

In the 19th-century masterpiece, Democracy in America, political observer Alexis de Tocqueville attributed America's greatness to it's goodness. And when asked why the destinies of North and South America turned-out so differently, a Latin American historian explained "explorers came to our shores seeking gold, but they came yours seeking God."

Till now, that America has been "exceptional" among other nations in world history, is inextricably tied to our heritage of reliance on the Almighty, and our willingness to follow his precepts of justice, mercy, and humility.

May the heart of these principles continue to be applied in this generation of God's people and our leadership--for our good and God's glory.

Roy Tanner