August 20 -- "What God Requires of You"

 Today’s Reading: Joshua 22

"What God Requires of You"

What does the Lord require of you?  According to Joshua’s words, quite a bit. 

In today’s reading, Joshua is releasing the eastern tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half-tribe of Manasseh) to return to their lands on the eastern side of the Jordan river. Before they go, he gives them an exhortation regarding what God will require of them once they have arrived.  In verse 5, Joshua mentions five requirements: (1) keep the commandments; (2) love the Lord; (3) walk in His ways; (4) cling to Him; and, (5) serve Him with all your heart and soul.

This is a very daunting list.  How is it possible for any individual (let alone an entire community) to meet these requirements?  If you try to observe and do all these things you’re in for huge disappointment (if you attempt in your own strength, that is). If you attempt to earn God’s favor by any form of human effort or determination you will always fall short.  

Keeping God’s commandments and laws is an impossible task for any human being to undertake.  In fact, the New Testament tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s requirements (Romans 3:23).  There is no one righteous, no not one. (Romans 3:1)  If you are attempting to become righteous by your own efforts to keep God’s commandments and love Him and walk in His ways and cling to Him and serve Him with all your heart, you have fallen short.  You cannot earn your own righteousness by doing these things.

Later on, the prophet Micah seems to lighten the burden somewhat when he says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what the Lord requires of you: but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)  At first glance, this list seems much easier than Joshua’s list.  But truth be told – none of us have lived up to Micah’s list either.  We have not always done justly.  We haven’t always been kind and merciful.  And our pride has kept us from truly walking humbly with God. 

That’s where the GLORIOUS news of the Gospel pierces our soul.  The Son of God, Jesus Christ, reveals to us that God’s only requirement is that we believe in Him.  And by doing so, our failures will be wiped off our record and we will be declared righteous in God’s sight. At the cross Christ absorbed the judgment of God that was due to us because of our sin and failure.  Now, by faith we are made righteous in His sight.  Think of it!  All your sins and failures are washed away and you are right with God!

Does that mean we no longer keep God’s commandments and love Him and walk in His ways and cling to Him and serve Him with all our hearts?  Of course not.  It means that we no longer do these things to try and win His acceptance.  We have already been accepted based on our faith in Christ.  We do these things now, not to earn His favor, but because His favor has been graciously bestowed upon us.  And, we do these things – not in our own power – but by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us!