029 RIC Biblical Articles: What God truly require. A threefold call.
020 RIC- Biblical Articles What God truly require. A threefold call. May 5, 2025
Micah 6:8 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?
Greetings, precious soul,
Many people struggle with the question: what does God want from me? Some think of great achievements or heavy sacrifices, as if they have to earn something. But the Bible is clear: God’s grace cannot be earned. He Himself has provided atonement through Jesus Christ.
So, what does God ask? Micah 6:8 gives a clear answer. There is nothing hidden or mysterious. God asks us to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. It is not about a checklist of separate actions, but a lifestyle flowing from a relationship with God. Not as a performance, but as a response to His grace.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good.” From the beginning, God has revealed what is good. In the Garden of Eden, man lived in perfect fellowship with Him. But Adam and Eve sinned against God by trusting the serpent instead of Him. Yet God did not leave it at that. Immediately after the Fall, He gave the first promise: the mother promise. The Seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. This promise points forward to Christ, God's only begotten Son.
In His covenant with Abraham, God also made His promises known. He said, “I will make you a great nation” and “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Paul explains in Galatians 3:16 that the promise was not made to “seeds,” as of many, but to one “Seed”: that is, Christ. In Him, the promises of blessing and redemption are fulfilled.
This line continued with Jacob, Israel. And through Moses, God gave His people His law. It made clear what is good in His eyes: a life in communion with Him, in righteousness, faithfulness, and humility. The “I will” of God’s promises was linked to the “you shall” of the call to obedience. Not as a condition for His love, but as a response to His grace.
Still, the foundation of God’s covenant always rests on His “I will.” That is the anchor of faith. What God promises cannot be broken by any human sin. He made a unilateral covenant of grace that is secure in Christ. In this lies our assurance: not our perseverance, but His faithfulness holds firm.
“And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly.” God calls us to pursue justice. In Micah’s time, the people had fallen deeply, as earlier verses show. Through the prophet, God brings a legal case against His people. He reminds them that He has already shown them what is good.
That goodness is seen in concrete actions, such as protecting the vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. It also means honesty in judgment, business, and relationships, and taking responsibility for truth and justice.
Even today, God calls us to do justly in a world full of inequality and injustice. It begins close to home: in how we treat the vulnerable, in honesty at work and in relationships, and in speaking up for those who have no voice. Doing justly is not a grand act, but a daily attitude that shows we live from God's righteous character.
“To love mercy.” This means not only showing compassion but truly loving it. The Hebrew word chesed is rich in meaning: it includes faithfulness, grace, love, and covenant loyalty. It is love that remains, even when the other falls short.
God does not ask for superficial kindness, but for a heart that delights in being faithful to others. This reflects His own steadfast love. In a world that is often cold and calculating, God calls His people to deep involvement, forgiveness, and enduring love. Faithfulness in relationships, helping those who suffer, and bearing each other's burdens: this is what it means to love mercy.
“And to walk humbly with your God.” To walk humbly means to live in dependence and modesty. It is a way of life in which we do not place ourselves at the center, but let God lead us. Humility is not weakness, but inner strength: knowing that you live by grace, not achievement.
Walking with God is daily life in communion with Him. Not just a moment of dedication, but a path of listening to His voice, trusting His guidance, and submitting to His Word. In a time of self-promotion and independence, God asks for a heart that is small before Him and great in trust.
Micah 6:8 calls us away from a faith focused on outward show. God does not desire religious appearances, but a heart that lives from grace. He calls us to repentance, to walk the path of justice, goodness, and humility. He wants to deepen our faith so that we come to know Him as He truly is: righteous, good, and near. And He frees us from every legalistic urge to prove ourselves. What God requires, He also gives. In Christ, we have received the example and the power to live as He intends.
So let us honestly ask ourselves: where is God calling me today to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him? Not in grand gestures, but precisely in the ordinary: in how I act, how I love, how I submit. To love mercy does not simply mean to be nice, but to serve the other with persevering grace and faithfulness, even when it costs something. Walking humbly means letting go of our own will and trusting God’s way. Let this call not remain a pious thought, but become true repentance of heart and life. For what God requires, He also gives: by grace, through Christ, to the glory of His Name.