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Finish this sentence: "You should never..." Most people can do it straight away: steal, cheat, bully, lie. We're full of "shoulds". But here's the harder question: why shouldn't you? Who says?
Maybe your answer is your parents, the law, your feelings, your friends, God, or "whatever doesn't hurt anyone". Every worldview has a "should". The real question is what it's built on. That's the sixth big question: how should I live?
What you'll learn
- Where different worldviews get their sense of right and wrong
- What Micah 6:8 and Jesus' greatest commandments teach about how to live
- Why, in the Bible, living God's way is a response to grace, not a way to earn it
Three answers, fairly
Secular materialism says morality is worked out by humans. It comes from evolved empathy, social agreement and reasoning about what helps people flourish. A common rule is: do what you like, as long as you don't harm others. This view gets a lot right. Many secular people are deeply kind and fair, sometimes more so than religious people. That fits with what the Bible says: God's law is written on every human conscience (Romans 2:14–15). But it struggles with a big question: if there's no God, what makes something truly right, rather than just agreed on? What if a whole society agrees on something cruel?
"Be true to yourself" says: live authentically, follow your heart, and don't live by other people's rules, as long as you don't hurt anyone. It's right that hypocrisy is ugly. Jesus was fiercest with religious people who were fake (Matthew 23). But "follow your heart" depends on what's in your heart, and earlier this term we saw Jeremiah's warning that the heart can be deceitful. And who decides what counts as "hurting someone"?
Rescue first, then response
In Micah 6, before God tells Israel how to live, he reminds them that he rescued them from slavery in Egypt (Micah 6:4). The order matters. Rescue comes first; then the response. Then comes one of the most famous verses in the Old Testament:
"He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)
| Micah 6:8 | What it means | What it might look like for you |
|---|---|---|
| Act justly | Do what is right and fair, especially for people with less power | Standing up for someone being picked on |
| Love mercy | Be kind and forgiving, not just fair | Giving someone a second chance |
| Walk humbly with God | Stay close to God, not proud or self-reliant | Praying; admitting when you're wrong |
The greatest commandments
When someone asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, he answered:
"Jesus declared, ‘‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’’" (Matthew 22:37–39)
He added that the whole Old Testament hangs on these two commands (verse 40). A few things stand out:
- The Bible's ethic is love: upward to God and outward to people. It goes beyond "don't harm anyone" to actively doing good. Not bullying the new kid is good; sitting with them at lunch is love.
- It's a response, not a ladder. Christians don't obey to get rescued; they obey because they've already been rescued. It's a thank-you, not a test.
- It's done together. The church is meant to be a community that lives this way, helped by God's Spirit. Nobody does it perfectly, and nobody is meant to do it alone.
When it costs something
Try running these situations through the different "shoulds": a group chat starts mocking a classmate who isn't in it; you find $50 on the floor near the canteen; a friend asks you to lie to their parents to cover for them; a new student sits alone at lunch every day. Sometimes the worldviews agree. Sometimes Micah 6:8 asks much more of you.
Living this way can make you different from the crowd. Sometimes it costs a laugh or a friendship. In many countries today, following Jesus costs far more: jobs, family, freedom, even life. Jesus warned his followers this would happen (John 15:18–20). Christians believe it's worth it, because of who they're following.
Key words
- Morality: our sense of what is right and wrong, and why.
- Justice: doing what is right and fair, especially for those with less power.
- Mercy: kindness and forgiveness that go beyond what someone deserves.
- Humility: not thinking you're above others or don't need God.
- Grace: God's undeserved kindness, which comes before anything we do.
How this points to Jesus
Jesus is the one person who has ever fully lived Micah 6:8 and the greatest commandments. He acted justly, loved mercy and walked humbly with his Father, all the way to the cross. Christians don't just try to copy him; they rely on his forgiveness when they fail and his Spirit to help them grow more like him.
Think about it
Is "don't hurt anyone" enough to live by? What does it leave out?Show answer
It avoids harm, but it doesn't ask you to actively do good, like including someone who's lonely; Jesus' command to love your neighbour asks for much more.
Why does it matter that God rescues people before he gives them commands?Show answer
It means obedience is a thankful response to God's love, not a way of earning it, so you're not living under pressure to be good enough.
Which is harder: loving God, or loving your neighbour?Show answer
There's no single right answer; many people find loving difficult people hardest, while others find it hard to love a God they can't see. Jesus says the two belong together.
Take it further
Pick one part of Micah 6:8 (act justly, love mercy, or walk humbly) and look for one chance to do it this week. Ask yourself honestly: what would it cost me, and is it worth it? Your worksheet helps you work through a real-life scenario and add the "How should I live?" row to your worldview table.
If you'd like to, you could pray: Lord, thank you that you rescued us first. Help me act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you this week, even when it costs me something. Amen.