Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are more important than religion

Justice, mercy, and faith have always been infinitely important because they are foundational prerequisites for godly living. But it is easy to get carried away with the importance of church attendance, Bible study, worship, prayer, tithing, etc., which can lead to religious legalism. Instead, let God clean you up from the inside out rather than focusing on outward religious observances. Sometimes this requires letting experienced loving Christians into your life.

God puts a premium on the heart attitude over religious works

‘Wherewith shall I come before the LORD,
     And bow myself before God on high?
     Shall I come before Him with burnt-offerings,
     With calves of a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
     With ten thousands of rivers of oil?
     Shall I give my first-born for my transgression,
     The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’
It hath been told thee, O man, what is good,
     And what the LORD doth require of thee:
     Only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. (Micah 6:6-8 JPS Tanakh 1917)

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.” (Luke 11:42-44 WEB)

With the three examples of the “infinitely little” He contrasts the three ethical obligations that were infinitely great, “judgment, mercy, and faith.” The word translated “mint” means literally the “sweet-smelling,” the “fragrant.” —Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

There is no question that the Old Testament law required tithing (Lev. 27:30; Deut. 14:22ff.). Abraham had practiced tithing long before the law was given (Gen. 14:20), and Jacob followed his grandfather’s example (Gen. 28:20-22). The principles of Christian giving under grace are given in 2 Corinthians 8–9. We are not content simply to give a tithe (10 percent), but we also want to bring offerings to the Lord out of hearts filled with love. —Be Loyal (Matthew): Following the King of Kings (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren W. Wiersbe

• What about tithing? What is a tithe? Are tithes required? – The gift of a tithe predates the law. It was added to the 10 commandment law. It is a pragmatic responsibility in the church. God blesses every gift.
• I fear that you will be corrupted by religion – But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
• The fear of religion is a dangerous trap – Have you fallen into the trap? Afraid to give God the glory for what he has done in your life because of the fear of man and his religious inventions?

 Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.  (Jeremiah 22:3)

 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.  (Isaiah 1:17)

Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.  Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?   Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?   Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.  (Isaiah 58:4-8)

I have read that verse thousands of times in my Christian life, but the appearance of a misspelled word in the King James Version jumped off the page and forced me to dig deeper into that last sentence. What is “rereward?” I had always read this as “reward.” But this is not the sense at all. On the contrary, “rereward” is the critically important defensive role of the rear guard of an army. Do you want “the glory of the LORD” to be your protection against attacks from behind?

God wants us to keep the commandments with justice, mercy, faith, truth, and love

All the outward religious observances of the law are worthless without the internal moral change from a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:  but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  (Matthew 5:19)

But go ye and learn what that meaneth,  I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  (Matthew 9:13)

But if ye had known what this meaneth,  I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.  (Matthew 12:7)

Jesus said unto him,  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted  the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done,  and not to leave the other undone. (Matthew 23:23)

Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are the important qualities God is seeking. Obeying the rules is no substitute. While it is good to pay attention to details, we must never lose our sense of priorities in spiritual matters. Jesus did not condemn the practice of tithing. But He did condemn those who allowed their  legalistic scruples to keep them from developing true Christian character. —Be Loyal (Matthew): Following the King of Kings (The BE Series Commentary) by Warren W. Wiersbe

What is justice?

The word used in Matthew 23:23 does not mean separation, selection, judgment, or condemnation. On the contrary, this refers to “the force of a right and just cause.”

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him.  He will proclaim justice to the nations.  He will not strive, nor shout; neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax,  until he leads justice to victory.  In his name, the nations will hope.” (Matthew 12:18-21 WEB; c.f. Isaiah 42:1-9)

What is mercy?

The word “mercy” used in Matthew 23:23 refers to mercy, pity, compassion with one another. This is a pale reflection of the divine mercy of God towards all people.

However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law, and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.  (James 2:8-13 WEB)

What is faithfulness?

The word “faithfulness” used in Matthew 23:23 refers to character. It is used of people you can trust. People who keep their promises.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a WEB)

I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, hearing of your love, and of the  faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;  that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus. For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. [Philemon 1:4-7 WEB)