What Is Required of Christians, Today?
The question is a good one and one that is simply answered directly from scripture.
He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does The Almighty REQUIRE OF YOU? But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8
The context of Micah chapter 6 is abundantly clear, once you apply the history of ancient Israel, recounted by The Almighty, through the Prophet Micah. Here are a few points to keep in mind concerning the context.
- YHWH recounts just a couple of the times in which He came through for Israel when the children of Israel were living righteously…….And it is here, the definition of righteousness must be considered. Psalms 119:172 gives the biblical definition of righteousness….
Let my tongue sing of your word, for all your commandments are righteousness.
Here is Micah 6, YHWH recounts of what He did for Israel when Balaam and the King of Moab, Balak, desired to curse Israel, but because Israel was living in righteousness, YHWH could nothing but further bless Israel. The story is found in Numbers 23 and 24.
2. There is a secret to scriptural understanding the Prophets of The Old Testament……..The context of all the Major and Minor Prophets of The Bible falls under the mystery of typology. That is to say the duality of History. One might understand this better said…..History repeats itself. Thus the historical events of the Old Testament will be repeated as a typology of end-time events, attitudes, and judgment. Micah chapter 6 is no exception.
YHWH’s question, “What does The Almighty require of you?”, is totally applicable for Believers in Christ to this very day……Especially in this very day!
3. In Micah 6:2, YHWH very plainly has a complaint against His people. Thus, the context of verse 8 is in light of a Father’s chastisement of His Children…..And once more, He has asked this all-important question while giving the answer at the same time……A Fatherly method of teaching His sons and daughters the lesson intended. Notice the answer before the question in verse 6. I’ll quote the verse again void of the question.
He has told you, O man, what is good; But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God”
4. There is a hint of ceremonial, sacrificial law in this text. Notice verse 6–7 of Micah 6.
With what shall I come to YHWH And bow myself before The Almighty on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? Does YHWH take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Now, just so you’ll know…..It is here, I must lay a foundation for you to understand a great mystery in Judeo-Christian theology……That is to say, it is a mystery to most all Believers in Christ today.
Read and consider this statement:
There are two sets of codified laws in the Old Testament.
I dare say if you walked into any given Christian Church, of any given denomination in America and asked for the ten most knowledgable people in that congregation to ask this one question……”How many sets of Laws are there in the Old Testament?”, You would have all ten answer the same thing……One!
Fact is, there are two sets of laws. One is totally applicable for Believers to observe and keep and one is totally inapplicable.
These two laws are:
- The Original Covenant Law (which was from Adam to its codification at Mount Sinai).
AND
2. The Added Levitical Priesthood Law (which was added because of sin until The Seed should come in the person of Christ).
First, allow me to deal with Covenant Law. Covenant Law is divided into two parts. As a Believer in Christ, you might recognize this statement…..”Love toward God and Love toward Neighbor”. Now, I will say it another way, with a little deeper meaning. See if you can recognize any of this in Micah 6.
Covenant Law is defined as the proper way to worship YHWH and the lawful way each one of us lives humbly and justly with our fellow man, with the understanding of The Mercy YHWH has placed upon us in time past.
I dare say, there is not a more Christian concept above the above statement, can be made……And yet, I have just defined the original Law of YHWH to you, the reader. Now, let me tell you where you can find this law codified (written down) in your Bible. You ready?
Covenant Law — Exodus chapters 20 through 23, where the member of The YHWH Family, Believers would know as The Christ, spoke and finally wrote this law at Mount Sinai to The Children of Israel. I would encourage anyone who thinks Christ or Paul or any of The Apostles abolished this law to read these four chapters of your Bible and answer this one question…..is there anything in these chapters that is Unchristian, Ceremonial or Sacrificial? What you will find is Love toward God, as well as Love and Justice toward your fellow man…….The very same things Christ came to example and teach.
But that’s not all.
Moses wrote these words down in a Book. This Book is called “The Book of The Covenant”. Exodus 24:7.
Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”
So, the codification of this law took on two forms. YHWH wrote the entire covenant down on two tablets of stone and yes, all four chapters were written on these tablets, not just the ten commandments, writing them on both sides of the tablets, front an back (Exodus 32:15–16) Plus, YHWH instructed Moses to write all these words, the entire covenant, in a book, as well.
But wait, there’s more……
Forty years later, Moses added a second entry to The Book of The Covenant. That second chapter is found in your Bible in Deuteronomy chapters 4 through 31. Finally, at the end of Joshua’s life, Joshua added a third entry to this very important book via the last two chapters of The Book of Joshua, 23 and 24.
So, to review…..The Book of The Covenant are the following chapters in the Bible……
Exodus 20 through 23, Deuteronomy 4 thought 31, and Joshua 23 through 24.
If you are a Christian who believes the Law of YHWH is abolished for Believers, I ask you to read and study these 34 chapters in your bible and ask yourself….Does anything in this section of the Bible go against anything Christ taught?
Shocked? Well, you have heard the rest of the story yet. I haven’t explained the second set of codified laws in the Old Testament. Combine this piece of knowledge with what you’ve learned in the first half of this writing and then let's talk about being shocked.
The subject is The Levitical Priesthood Laws, which were not from Adam, at all. As a matter of fact, they are a punishment from YHWH placed upon Israel for breaking the original covenant. Yes, you read that right. YHWH instituted a set of laws for Israel that were nothing short of a time out for a spoiled brat of a nation.
Paul calls it a Tutor. Let’s look at that in Galatians, but first, allow me to tell you where you can find Levitical Priesthood Law. Exodus 25 through 31:11, repeated word for word in Exodus 35 through 40.
Now to Galatians. Chapter 3:19–25.
19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a TUTOR.
Notice where the confusion hails from. Paul does not specify which set of laws he is speaking about in the text. He just says the law. So how do we know? Well, that’s pretty simple. He tells us. He is speaking of the law that was added because of sin…….So what is this sin he speaks of?
The Golden Calf Event!
All Israel agreed to keep (guard) and observe (do) The Almighty’s Covenant Law. Moses wrote it in a book, read it to all Israel and they agreed. Then Moses went to the mountain to receive this covenant law on the tablets of stone. He was apart from the camp of Israel for 40 days and nights.
In that amount of time, Israel idolatrized themselves by the creation of The Golden Calf and worshiping it because of their “thought to be” fallen leader Moses. It was for this reason and this reason only, YHWH was forced to establish a form of punishment for Israel until the time when The Seed should come in the fleshly body of Christ to re-establish covenant law once again.
Now, go back and read Paul’s statements concerning The Levitical Priesthood Law with that context…….Does it make more sense?
But wait, there’s more……
Let’s consider Hebrews 7:11–12:
Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.
The keywords in this text are “a change of law”, which coincides with the change of the priesthood from the order of Levi to the order of Melchizedek. The change of the law was the abolishment of the ceremonial and sacrificial laws of the Levitical priesthood, leaving only The Original Covenant Law as the requirement for Believers of YHWH and His Son Yeshua, The Christ.
So you now know the high points of the process of dividing the word of YHWH properly concerning His Law. The very testimony of Christ is Covenant Law. The Law abolished for Believers is Levitical priesthood Law.
Now go study these two sets of laws. Own them! Recognize them in your studies of the rest of scripture, so that you can know exactly what is required of you as a Believer in The Christ, the Son of YHWH……..But I’ll go ahead and answer the question for you fully.
The very thing YHWH requires of you as a Believer is to keep (guard) and observe (do) Covenant Law.
Joey Thompson,
Ordained Elder in The Ministry of The Most High, YHWH
JoeyThompson777@aol.com