I was reading a quote from Christopher J. H. Wright speaking about the Mosaic Law. Wright was reacting to the premise that Mosaic Law was given to add a ‘central problems— ensuring “sinful and rebellious people can live in the presence of a Holy God.” (Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert, “What is the Mission of the Church?,” pg. 83). Wright sees this as more like the context of the giving of the law, a sinful rebellious people, rather than the PURPOSE of the Law. Quoting from Wright,

“To present the law as ‘addressing a central problem’ seems to get us off on the wrong foot. The law was not given to ‘solve a problem’ but to shape a people and at an individual level, to give blessing, security, guidance, comfort, and joy to the believer’s life… . Not just the sacrifices but the whole law is a gift of God’s grace intended for a wholesome, life-giving purpose, to enable God’s people of that era to live as a whole community of contrast and witness in response to the grace of their redemption.” (Christopher J.H. Wright, “The Church’s Mission,” pg. 72)

To me, I think that I see this in terms of analogues. Two of them are in engineering design and psychology.

1. In engineering (I used to be a mechanical design engineer) I would regularly have to make changes to designs of pre-existing products. There are many reasons for making design changes. However, two common reasons are (a) fix a problem in the design, and (b) make the product better to be the ‘best it can be.’ One might see the Mosaic Law in terms of DeYoung and Gilbert in terms of the first of these. The people have a problem (sin) and the law provides a way to achieve atonement for those sins. Wright, on the other hand, is suggesting that while that is not invalid, it is inadequate. God has called the people of Israel to live as God’s chosen people— recipients and givers of God’s blessings.

We see this, I think in Micah 6 where the people are living sinful and corrupt lives. Micah notes all the things that God has done for and provided to the people in the first 5 verses. Verses 6 and 7 arguably propose a “fix the problem of sin” solution— keep doing sacrifices. Sin a little and one must sacrifice a little. Sin lot and one must sacrifice a lot. Verse 8 suggests a broader look— the justice and mercy that is demonstrated in God’s law and in His actions should lead to a positive response in the people:

—God’s demonstrated justice should lead people to live just lives.

—God’s demonstrated mercy should lead people to live lives of mercy for others.

—God’s demonstrated concern for His people should lead them to walk humbly with Him.

2. In psychology and more generally in counseling, one can think of care in terms of “pathological” and “positive.” Pathological care involves fixing psychoemotional problems. We need to deal with what is wrong. Positive care involves helping people to live more positive, abundant lives. In pathological care the ideal is someone with all psychological “problems” removed. That is nice… but far from the ideal that a person is ideally created to be. In like manner, seeing the law in terms of fixing what is broken is fine, but it points to something more— a call to a holy community in communion with God.

Is there a corollary in the New Testament? Absolutely. The Mosaic Law can be seen as being all about atonement— addressing the divine ramifications of sin. In the New Testament, Jesus fulfills the Law. One way He fulfills it is in terms of His death— atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. And many ultimately will see the work of Christ in quite narrow terms— penal substitutionary atonement (“PEA”). And much like Christopher Wright with the Mosaic Law, I am not saying that PEA is true. It is certainly true, but it is horribly inadequate.

—Much like the Law, Jesus modeled God’s justice and mercy, calling us through example to live lives of love and justice (in much the same vein as Micah 6:8).

—The work of Jesus, more than simply atonement, was a demonstration of how much we are valued by, loved by God. While some groups emphasize human unworthiness (total inability to earn or be worthy of salvation), this has to be held in tension with the fact that God demonstrated his love for us in that WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, Christ died for us. (see Romans 5:8)

Christians are called upon to be far more than a bunch of humans who have imputed righteousness— just as if we had never sinned. We are called upon to exist in a community of faith, in communion with our God, and living as channels of blessing to the rest of the world.

Micah 6:8 still is relevant to us in our present setting. God has shown us what is good and what is required of us. To demonstrate justice in line with the justice demonstrated to us by God through Christ. We are to act with mercy in line with the mercy shown us by God through Christ. We are to walk humbly, in fellowship and obedience, with our God.

I believe this holds implications when it comes to Christian missions:

Preaching the Gospel message (kerygma) is good. We must tell of God’s saving work on our behalf and how it is available to all. But living in a state of grace is not the whole message of the law (Mosaic Law of the Law of Christ). Fixing the broken is an inadequate response to what God has done in history and in our lives.

Living as citizens of the Kingdom of God is more than having a passport and visa to get to Heaven. It expresses the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship.

Missions— carrying God’s message to those not (yet) part of God’s kingdom— is more than how to be a citizen… but how to live abundant lives in relationship to God and in the community of faith. It is to be carried in words and in deed. It is the whole gospel, meeting the needs of the whole person in their whole community, in their whole context, transforming their whole lives.

Anything less is offering less that what God has given us through Christ. A holistic approach to missions (proclamation, and loving action meeting the full needs of the individual and community) a direct response to what God has done for us.