Imagine waking up one morning, pulling out your Bible, or opening the Bible app on your phone and finding that there is no Bible. The book is there, but the pages are empty. The app has disappeared from your phone screen. As you could imagine this would cause some confusion.
You try Bible Gateway, an online Bible, but the web page has no content. Maybe, you run to the library but again find an empty book with blank pages. Opening all the other books that may have been shaped by the Bible, you find none. We now live in a world that does not have God's word.
Where would you go to find a sense of identity that transcends the natural world? The world, after all, is made up of what is natural and can only explain what can be naturally observed. If this is the case, then the value you have would only be based on the natural circumstances that surround you. There is no foundation for anything greater.
Here is another issue. What basis do we have to call something good or evil? Without the Bible, how can we decide what is good other than what is good for you at the moment? There are times when what is good for you may be at the expense of others. Why shouldn’t you lie if lying gets you ahead? Why not steal, if you need what they have? What basis do we have to decide what is morally right and fair? What is justice?
For the Christian, God’s word is an anchor that keeps us in place. There are many who attempt to ground their sense of morality and understanding of justice in natural things. These are not stable enough to provide a proper foundation for people who are created in the image of God. We see this played out in Israel’s history. When the nation lost its connection to who God is, they began to live unjust immoral lifestyles. When the nation was focused on God they lived as a light to their world.
God’s character provides an outline for what is moral, right, or fair. The Psalmist writes, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you” (Psalm 89:14). Knowing the character of the one who sits on the throne, as he has revealed himself in scripture, is to know what is good and just. This knowledge comes from a lifetime of deep meditation on his word.
As it is described in the book of Deuteronomy, his words are to be on our hearts. We are to talk about them when we sit at home and walk along the road. They are to be on our minds when we lie down and when we get up. The Christian’s life is to be centered and founded upon scriptures because in them God’s character is revealed and a foundation for self is laid out.
With this in the background, we read Micah’s words. He writes, “The Lord has shown you what is good. He has told you what he requires of you. You must act with justice. You must love to show mercy. And you must be humble as you live in the sight of your God.” (Micah 6:8). Following God’s character both demonstrates and demands goodness in us. He requires that we live justly in a way that is both merciful and humble. These characteristics are active qualities that are shown in our interactions with others. We are to live in a way that lifts others to the status that they deserve, shows mercy to those who have lived undeservingly, and does not place ourselves in status above other people. When we do these things, we are modeling the character of God. Our lives become a light of revelation to the character of God in a world of darkness.
It is for this reason, and many others, that we are grateful for the Bible. It is the lens through which we see God and the world. It shapes our worldview and provides a foundation for true justice. We would be truly lost if we opened it to find the pages blank or missing content.
Micheal Hurlbert is associate pastor at First Christian Church.
