I want to begin with a very basic gospel question.
Really, two questions.
One question with two parts, whatever.
Here's what it is.
What is sin's principal problem and salvation's principal purpose?
And I just want you to think on it for just a moment.
What is sin's principal problem?
What is salvation's principal purpose?
Of course, that is according to the scriptures.
Now, we may be prepared to offer many answers to these questions,
but I want you to notice what I'm asking.
I'm not asking about all of sin's consequences.
I'm not asking for a list of all the various things that sin does
and that results from our sin and from Adam's sin.
I'm not asking about all of salvation's benefits,
all of the blessings that come from knowing Christ
and being redeemed by Christ.
That's not the question.
The question is, what is the principal issue of sin?
What is the principal aim of salvation?
What's it really all about when you get to the very heart of it?
Now, let's think of it in relation to the very first sin.
If you can bring your mind back to creation and fall
as recorded in Genesis 1 through 3.
The principal issue of Adam's fall
was not his expulsion from Eden,
and it was not his expiration of life or his death.
It was his exclusion from God's presence,
his exclusion from a peaceful, intimate relationship with the creator.
And once we understand that,
that is the presentation of the scripture.
That's not my opinion of what it says.
That's actually the presentation of how the scriptures
describe this for us and explain it to us.
And once we have that understanding,
then we can move on to the second part of the question,
which is about the principal benefit
of salvation and redemption and restoration.
So let's think of it this way.
If Adam's most significant consequence
was his expulsion from the Garden of Eden,
what would then be the chief aim of his salvation?
It would be a return to the Garden.
If the principal issue was that he could no longer be in Eden,
then the principal aim of restoration
would be to bring him back to Eden.
Okay?
Let's change the question.
If the principal issue,
the supreme consequence of Adam and Eve's sin,
was death,
what then would be the chief aim of their salvation?
It would be life, right?
Eternal life.
If the principal issue of Adam's sin
was conflict with others,
what then would be the goal of his salvation?
It would be a peaceful marriage.
It would be lasting friendship.
It would be enduring partnership.
Now, don't misunderstand what I'm saying.
Remember, I'm not asking about all the consequences of sin.
All of those things are real consequences of sin.
Neither am I asking about all of the benefits of salvation.
All of those things are actually benefits of salvation
according to the Scriptures.
They're benefits that we should rejoice in,
but they aren't the principal purpose of salvation.
Since the principal problem of Adam's sin
was his separation from God,
the principal aim of his salvation
is reconciliation with God.
Okay?
You follow?
Now, I think the vast majority of people,
even many professing Christians,
do not understand this.
In our sinful condition,
we focus on every consequence of sin
except the principal one.
We spend our lives trying to achieve
the pleasures of Eden.
We think of what would life be
if we weren't in a fallen world?
And we live our lives trying to restore
that fallenness in some way,
or at least the experience of it.
We want the pleasure,
as much of it as we can possibly get.
Or we spend our lives chasing more life,
trying to extend life in some way.
But we desire all of those things
apart from the presence of God, typically.
It's an earthly mindset.
It's a carnal perspective, unfortunately,
that has influenced the church
and its presentations of the gospel message.
So some professing Christians,
they speak as if the goal of salvation
is heaven
and the pleasures that are contained therein.
To think of heaven primarily as a place of worship
seems to them a disappointment.
We can go to passages like Revelation 4.
We see the great throne room of God
where all of God's people are gathered around
with all of His creatures
and all of His angels,
and they cast their crowns at His feet.
They cry out to Him,
holy, holy, holy.
And we think, wow, that's amazing.
I hope there's more.
Why do we do this?
Why does thoughts of heaven
as primarily a place of worship
seem a disappointment?
Because our thoughts of salvation
are fixated on escaping difficulty
and experiencing pleasurable ease instead.
Little consideration seems to be given
to enjoying God
who actually is the one
who makes heaven desirable.
And we seem to miss that.
And my concern
is that many people
would be perfectly content with a heaven
where God is not actually present.
If everything that we know
from the scriptures
about the nature of heaven,
if we were to go to Revelation in particular
and we were to grasp
the fullness of John's vision,
if we were able to see
what John saw,
the streets of gold,
the gates of pearl,
the walls of jasper,
the sea like crystal,
all of the things
that we long for,
all of the things
that will be blessing
in eternity,
if we could see all of it
and if we could have all of it
without God,
would we be content with that?
And I think the answer
for many people
is
yeah,
that's actually what we're after.
We're after the pleasure.
We're after the ease.
We're after the escape
from difficulty.
And if God chooses
not to be there,
that's fine
as long as he provides
the ease.
You see the problem.
Of course,
this also affects
our presentations
of the gospel.
We present
a truncated
form of the good news
that has as its climax
escape from torment
and entrance
into paradise.
God's role
in those presentations
is essentially
to act
as a means
to a more
fantastic end,
which is
personal pleasure.
We present the gospel
to people that,
hey,
there's no hope here.
Things will be much better
in heaven
and God's made a way.
So if you really just want
things to be better,
God will make a way
for you
and you can enjoy
better things.
Friends,
that's not the gospel.
You can lead somebody
in a wonderful prayer
about Jesus,
but if their hope
is simply
pleasure
that may or may not
be a part of heaven
and in their mind
is nothing
with consideration
to the glory of God
and the reconciliation
with God
and the enjoyment of God,
you have not presented
the gospel
and they are not Christians.
Christ's sacrifice
on the cross
is emphasized
as a means
to a better life
and a future
rather than God's plan
for restoring fellowship
to his creatures.
This kind of gospel message,
it would be like
going to your wife
and saying,
you know,
the chief aim
of our marriage
is sexual fulfillment.
You're great,
I'm glad you're around,
but what I really love
is the pleasure
that I get from you.
And we would say
that's a pretty terrible
view of marriage,
isn't it?
Our wives would not
be very pleased with us
if that were our view
of marriage
and yet it's basically
the perspective
that many people
bring to the gospel.
I'm glad God's there.
I'm happy
that Jesus
was willing
to do so much
in order to secure
my pleasure,
but the thing
that I really want,
I just want heaven,
I want ease,
I want the pleasure.
Again,
don't misunderstand me.
I'm not saying
that those things
aren't realities
or that we shouldn't
crave those things.
They are blessings
from God.
He gives them to us
as a description
in His Word
in order that He might
give us a foretaste
of what eternity
will be for those
who are in Him,
but it's not
the principal aim.
And what many
have failed to realize
is that heaven and hell
are secondary consequences
of one standing
with God.
He is the goal
of salvation,
not the means
to something else.
And to rightly speak,
of the realities
of heaven and hell,
we must put them
in their proper place.
Salvation is not primarily
about entering heaven.
It is about being reconciled
in a peaceful,
intimate relationship
with the Creator
in whom
is the greatest
possible experience
of pleasure
and love
and joy
if we are to believe
that what the Bible
says is true.
And of course,
I do believe it.
And the story
of the Bible,
it's all about
God's pursuit
of this peace
with His creatures.
And the ministry
of the gospel
is one of
reconciling sinners
to God
through the perfect work
of Jesus Christ.
Paul says this
plainly for us.
2 Corinthians chapter 5.
All this is from God.
Speaking of salvation.
Who through Christ
reconciled us
to Himself.
And then He gave us,
that is the apostles
and beyond that,
everyday Christians.
He gave to us
the ministry
of reconciliation.
And what does He mean?
Well, He tells us
that is,
in Christ,
God was reconciling
the world
to Himself.
Not counting
their trespasses
against them
and entrusting
to us,
believers,
this message
of reconciliation.
Therefore,
Paul turns
to his audience
and he says,
we are ambassadors
for Christ.
We're proclaimers
of good news.
Therefore,
God is making
His appeal
to you
through us.
And what's the appeal?
He tells us
in the very next statement.
We implore you,
for Christ's sake,
be reconciled
to God.
Can I tell you
what my purpose is
right now,
in this moment,
is to be an ambassador
for Christ,
to proclaim
the good news,
God making
His appeal
to you
through me.
And therefore,
my appeal,
I implore you,
be reconciled
to God.
Be reconciled
to God.
You say,
well,
why does this
have to do
with Psalm 15?
I'm saying all
of this
because it would
be quite easy
for us to make
Psalm 15
about how a person
can get to heaven.
In fact,
early in the week
in my study,
I was tempted
to actually make
that the title
of the sermon,
How to Get to Heaven.
And it was through
the conviction
of that
that I realized,
no,
that's actually
the problem
many times
is all
we're really
concerned about
is heaven,
but that's not
what David's
concerned about here.
Heaven's a wonderful
implication of this text,
don't get me wrong,
but it's not
what David had in mind
when he was writing
this psalm.
The point
of Psalm 15
is to paint
a portrait
of the one
who can dwell
with God,
the one
who has
this peaceful,
intimate
fellowship
with the creator.
The character sketch,
it includes a question,
it includes the answer,
and then it includes
a blessing,
and we're going to work
through all three
of those things,
but as we work
through these sections,
you're going to
quickly pick up
on a serious problem
in black for us.
So at the end,
after we have worked
through the psalm,
we will look
to Jesus
as the fulfillment
of the psalm
and the agent
of our reconciliation
to God.
Okay?
First, let's see
the question.
Look again at verse 1.
Here's what David asked.
O Lord,
who shall sojourn
in your tent?
Who shall dwell
on your holy hill?
The question David
presents here,
it's all about
who can dwell
in the presence
of the Lord.
In David's context,
a tent was a place
where someone lived.
It was their abode,
their place of dwelling.
The tent of God,
however,
in the Old Testament
has special meaning.
It speaks of
a particular place.
It speaks of,
the tabernacle
in David's time
where the presence
of God
was manifested
among his chosen people.
And this is
an important connection
in the scriptures.
God has always desired
to dwell with mankind
and for that relationship
to be peaceful
and intimate
as we've said
a number of times already.
That was the reality
of Adam and Eve's existence
before they fell.
There seemed no surprise
to them
that God was willing
after their sin
to come in the cool
of the day
to walk with them
in the garden.
And we don't know
if that was a daily event
or if it was
multiple times a day.
We don't know
the nature of it.
We just know
it was no surprise
to them so much
so that they hid themselves
knowing that God
was coming.
There was fellowship,
intimacy,
relationship
between God
and his creatures.
God desired that.
He received glory
and pleasure
through that.
Of course,
that was until
their fall.
And the Bible's
overarching message
is about God's plan
to restore that.
And we see it
progressively unfolding.
We see these
snapshots of it.
First we see
the tabernacle.
God uses Moses,
the people of Israel
in the wilderness
to build it.
What was that all about?
It was about
God's presence
being manifested
among his people.
Then it was
the temple.
We read
in 1 Chronicles 16
to open the service.
What was that
psalm?
What was that
a prayer for?
Was that the dedication
of the temple,
Solomon's temple?
What was happening
in that moment?
The presence of God
filled the temple.
It was a manifestation
of God's presence
among his people.
And then we see it next
in the incarnation.
John tells us
that God
tabernacled
with us.
He tempted
with us
to use
David's language.
How?
In the incarnation
of Jesus Christ.
And then Jesus
ascended back to heaven
and then
what happened?
God the Father
and God the Son
send the Holy Spirit
eternally proceeding
from the Father
and the Son.
And what does he do?
He dwells
within
each believer.
And what happens
in the end?
Jesus returns.
Why?
So that he might
take us
to be with him
and to dwell
with him.
This is the Bible.
This is the
big picture
of the Bible.
This is what's happening.
That's what David
is referring to here.
Who can be
in your presence
in this way God?
Who can dwell
in your tent?
Who can actually
come into the tabernacle?
If he had
the universal
tabernacle in mind
of all of God's creation.
Who can be
in your presence God?
That's the question
he's asking.
The emphasis here
is not on a place.
It's on the presence
of God itself.
But then he uses
another statement.
He speaks of
God's holy hill.
That's the second
question isn't it?
Who shall dwell
on your holy hill?
Well we've seen
this term before.
In Psalm 2
in verse 6
Zion is the
holy hill
from which
God rules over
all of his creation.
Issuing his
judgment against
the wicked.
Blessing all
who trust
in his appointed
king.
And again
the emphasis
is on access
to God's presence
to his safety
to sweet
fellowship with him.
David understood
that the deepest
longings
of the human
heart
love
safety
joy
all of these
things can only
be satisfied
in God
which is a statement
he'll make explicitly
in the very next
Psalm.
Psalm 16
in verse 11
you make known
to me the path
of life he says
in your presence
there is fullness
of joy
David says.
At your right
hand
there are
pleasures
forevermore
eternal pleasures
beyond our
imagination
all of it
in connection
with God's
presence.
These opening
questions
they reflect
the deepest
longing of
David's heart
and the hearts
of all who
will seek God
to dwell in
his presence
where there is
eternal security
and blessing
that's
that's his
desire here
but David's
also fully
aware
that sinners
cannot dwell
with God.
We've seen him
talk about this
already.
Psalm 5
verse 4
you are not
a God
who delights
in wickedness
evil
those who
commit it
may not
dwell with you.
So who then
can gain access
to God's presence
and dwell
in his safety
and love?
Well that's
what the
psalm
seeks to
answer
which brings
us to
the answer.
We've seen
the question
now let's
see the
answer.
And what
follows in
these verses
verses 2
through 5
it's a
character sketch.
It's a
portrait of
the person
who has
access to
God
who enjoys
perfect
fellowship
with the
creator.
And here's
how I'd
like to
break it
up.
I want
to break
it up
by every
two
lines
that we've
talked
before about
chiasms
a literary
structure
that is
common
in the
psalms.
There's
no chiasm
here.
What we
have here
is parallelism.
You don't
have to
know that
word.
You know
it from
your poetry
classes in
high school.
It's a
rhythm.
It's a
prose
and to
poetry.
Right?
And as
we work
through this
every two
lines you
find a
parallelism.
But here's
the point.
No matter
how you
break this
apart,
as many
or as few
characteristics
as maybe
you decide
to do,
the primary
point here
that I want
you to
see is
that moral
perfection
is what
qualifies a
person for
God's
presence.
Moral
perfection.
Okay?
Let's work
through it.
Look first
at verse
two.
Who can
do this?
He who
walks
blamelessly
and does
what is
right.
He who
walks
blamelessly
and does
what is
right.
This first
set of
characteristics,
it's a
summary
heading for
everything
else that
follows.
When the
scriptures,
as you
probably are
aware,
when they
speak of
walking,
it's a
reference to
a person's
way of
life.
David
asserts
here that
one who
can dwell
in peace
with God
must have
a totally
blameless
way of
life.
That is,
his inner
integrity
always reveals
itself in
outward
righteousness.
He's without
blame in
both his
inner spirit
and his
outward
actions.
Always
doing
what's
right.
Now,
you may
look at
that
and say,
you know,
I've got
a piece
of that
together.
I pretty
much always
do what's
right on
the outside,
but you
know your
heart.
You know
it's not
true on
the inside.
That's not
the case
for this
man.
What's
the next
one?
Again,
verse
two.
He speaks
truth in
his heart
who does
not slander
with his
tongue.
You feel
the rhythm
of that,
right?
And speaks
the truth
in his
heart,
does not
slander
with his
tongue.
Again,
the pair
begins with
the inner
person,
ends with
outward
behavior that
reflects the
nature of
his heart.
We know
this is how
life works.
Out of the
abundance of
the heart,
the mouth
speaks,
Jesus says.
The Proverbs
tell us that
you ought not
follow your
heart because
it will end
in destruction.
It's deceitfully
wicked.
Who can
know it?
We're
told.
Well,
this person,
his outward
behavior is
always a
reflection of
his heart
and it's
always good.
In his
heart,
this individual
is completely
trustworthy,
reliable,
a lover of
truth.
He's the
opposite of
the foolish
one who
Solomon said
gives an
answer before
he hears.
truth.
It's
Proverbs
18,
13.
Instead,
he loves
truth.
He seeks
the truth.
He always
acts according
to what is
true.
Says Spurgeon,
such will not
lie even in
the closet of
their hearts
for God is
there to
listen.
They scorn
double meanings,
evasions,
equivocations,
white lies,
flatteries,
and deceptions.
And the
truthful nature
of this
person's heart
means that
he's never
guilty of
slander.
That's the
second part
of the
parallels,
isn't it?
It calls out
slander.
But what is
slander?
It is to
deceptively
damage another
person's
reputation by
misrepresenting
them to
someone else.
We learn to
do this from
our youngest
age.
When we
very quickly
run to our
parents to
tell on our
brother or
our sister,
misrepresenting
an entire
situation in
hopes that
we will be
seen as a
victim and
they will be
seen as an
abuser.
And a wise
parent, as they
inquire into
the actual
event, find that
perhaps it's
actually quite
the opposite.
He doesn't
go about
looking for
ways that he
might accuse
someone.
He doesn't
spin a story
to exalt
himself by
tearing someone
else down.
Next,
verse 3,
he does
no evil
to his
neighbor,
nor takes
up a
reproach
against
his
friend.
Does no
evil to
his
neighbor,
takes up
no reproach
against
his
friend.
Now,
this pair
of traits,
it focuses
on how
one treats
the other
people in
his life,
whether they
are just
merely
acquaintances
or friends
to whom
some level
of loyalty
is expected.
To perform
evil would
be anything
that falls
short of
Jesus'
command,
to love
your
neighbor
as
yourself.
It's
Matthew
22,
37-40.
When
someone
asked
Jesus
to
then
define
who
is
my
neighbor
then,
that's
when he
told the
parable
of the
good
Samaritan.
And what
was the
meaning
there?
That our
neighbor,
to whom
we should
extend
loving
compassion,
is those
who would
even
otherwise be
considered
an enemy.
That's the
man of
Psalm 15.
Christopher
Ash said
that reproach
here is a
strong word
in the text.
It means a
personal attack,
a cutting
criticism,
something that
destroys a
person's good
name, which
the Bible says
is of great
value.
To take up a
reproach goes
further than
simply uttering
criticism.
It carries
the sense
of latching
on to
something you've
heard from
others,
giving currency
to it,
and then
passing it
on to
other people.
We call it
gossip usually.
In the
context of
this verse,
in Psalm 15,
this kind of
action, it
isn't taken
against just
anyone.
It's taken
against someone
who is known
to be a
friend and a
companion.
David says,
one who can
come into
God's presence
and enjoy
fellowship with
the Lord is
blameless regarding
these things,
not guilty of
it.
Verse 4,
in whose eyes
a vile person
is despised,
but who honors
those who fear
the Lord.
Meditate on
that.
In whose eyes
a vile person
is despised,
but who honors
those who fear
the Lord.
Who does a
person tend
to esteem
and honor?
And what kind
of person
does he tend
to despise
and disapprove
of?
If you'll allow
me a moment
to meddle.
There is a
cancerous
trend
among
evangelicals,
and we're
being called
out on it
by the world.
they see
the inconsistency
here.
Christians
actively
esteeming
a vile
political
figure,
musician,
athlete,
so on.
And at the
same time
aggressively
condemning
the faithful
pastor down
the street
with whom
they have
only secondary
disagreements.
Jesus tells
us that
the world
will know
that we
are his
out of our
love for
one another.
Of course,
there's command
there for
loving everyone.
The emphasis
and the impact
of the statement
is for those
who are in
the faith.
And yet,
many times in
our lives,
it is those
who are in
the faith
whom we are
most hateful
towards.
those who
are characterized
by the
vileness
of the
world
and its
philosophies
and its
systems
who we
tend to
defend
and give
approval.
But to
walk in
the footsteps
of the
blessed
man of
Psalm 1
means that
one will
not esteem
the counsel
of the
wicked
or the
way of
sinners
or the
seat of
scoffers.
The portrait
of Psalm 15
is one who
has never
found guilty
of doing
what Paul
condemns in
Romans 1
which is
when he
says in
verse 32
though they
know God's
righteous decree
that those
who practice
such things
deserve to
die,
they not
only do
them,
they give
approval to
those who
practice
them.
Finding
some kind
of justification
for it,
esteeming
what's vile,
condemning
those who
actually fear
the Lord,
imperfectly
maybe.
But fear
the Lord.
Again,
Christopher
Ash says
the one
here described
thinks little
of a vile
person because
he knows
that such
a one
is abhorred
by God.
That is in
the sense
of judgment.
This will
not stop
him loving
him,
showing
kindness
and compassion
to him,
but it
will prevent
him looking
up to the
vile person
as an
example to
be emulated.
On the
contrary,
he honors
those who
fear the
Lord,
no matter
how unimpressive
they may
be in the
eyes of
the world.
Again,
verse 4,
who swears
to his
own hurt
and does
not change.
Simply,
if he's
made a
promise and
later discovers
that the
promise is
not working
to his
advantage,
he perseveres
in the
promise
anyways.
He doesn't
go back
on his
word even
when it is
to his
harm.
Harper
and I had
a discussion
about Psalm
15 this
week.
I often
practice on
my family
before I
preach.
We were
sitting at
the table
and I
said,
Harper,
have you
ever made
a promise
and you
went back
on it
because you
realized that
that promise
hurt you
instead of
helped you?
I've done
that before.
Ashlyn and
I had a
similar
conversation
in Belk
yesterday.
Ashlyn,
have you
ever led
somebody
along,
made them
think one
thing,
and then
when you
realized that
it wasn't
the best
thing,
you kind
of pulled
back and
it was
damaging to
them?
She said,
yeah.
You know
what,
Ashlyn,
I've done
it.
I've done
it.
Done it
many times.
The one
who can
come into
God's
presence
has never
done that.
His
yea is
always
yea,
his nay
is always
nay,
according
to Jesus.
Verse
five,
who does
not put
out his
money at
interest,
does not
take a
bribe
against the
innocent.
God
is
central
focus
here
is
it's
a
trait
of
greed
and
covetousness,
taking
advantage of
others'
personal gain
without any
regard for
their well-being.
the Bible
routinely
condemns
using
financial
power
to
manipulate
and
abuse
others,
especially
the poor.
It
doesn't
condemn
interest
entirely.
We need
not get
the wrong
picture
here.
There
are
times
where
the
Bible
actually
recommends
for good
stewardship
that you
would have
good
business
practices,
but it
does
condemn
this
fiscal
manipulation
that
takes
advantage
of other
people's
misfortune
and
vulnerability.
We're all
prone to
doing this.
It's in
our nature.
The one
who can
dwell with
God is
blameless
in his
dealings
with
people.
He
doesn't
manipulate
or abuse
others
for his
own
advantage.
So we
have the
question.
The question
is,
Lord,
who can
enjoy
access
to your
presence?
Who
can have
the
safety
of
dwelling
on your
holy
hill?
Who
can
enjoy
you,
have the
blessings
that come
from knowing
you,
being
with
you?
And the
answer is
this
sketch.
And then it
finishes with
a blessing,
an amazing
blessing.
Actually,
look again
at verse
five.
He who
does
these
things
shall
never
be
moved.
That's
amazing.
It's a
wonderful
promise,
actually,
isn't it?
Whoever
meets the
conditions
of this
portrait
will not
only be
welcomed
into
God's
presence,
but will
be eternally
secured
in God's
presence.
wonderful.
To be
moved is
to have
stability
taken from
your life
so that
all the
promises
of the
text
are stripped
away from
you.
And
essentially
what David
is saying
is if
you meet
the conditions
of the
portrait
and if
God brings
you to
his holy
hill and
you dwell
with him,
he will
not remove
that blessing
from you.
You will
not be
moved,
he says.
Wonderful.
That
absolute
eternal
assurance
is precisely
what God
offers here.
At least
for all
who qualify
according to
the description
that David
gives.
Which
brings us
to the
final
application
of the
text.
Psalm 15,
it really
is an
incredible
song of
worship.
it presents
the very
real possibility
of enjoying
God in
the safety
of his
presence.
It echoes
God's promise
that all
who find
refuge in
him will
never be
moved from
it.
Not only
can this
be a
reality for
us,
according to
the psalm,
it's an
eternal
reality,
not a
temporary
one.
This is
a glorious
psalm.
But surely
you see
the tension
here.
surely
you feel
the tension
of the
text.
Though
it contains
these
unbelievable
promises,
the
qualifications
for dwelling
on God's
holy hill
are impossible
for us
to meet.
So we
need to
conclude
with four
critical
questions.
Question
one,
who of
us has
met these
conditions?
Who of
us has
met the
conditions?
clearly
none of
us
have.
Not
one.
Even
the best
of us
has not
met
this
portrait.
We may
have the
outline of
the portrait,
but it's
marred.
It's
destroyed by
our fallen
nature,
our
sinfulness.
Who of
us has
lived
blamelessly,
always doing
what's
right?
Who of
us
love
us?
Always
is
committed
to
truth.
Always
loves
others
as we
love
ourselves.
Always
esteems
the
righteous
above
the
wicked
who's
never
taken
advantage
of
someone
to
benefit
themselves.
Who of
us
meets
this
description?
Not
one.
one
might
argue
that
really
what
the
psalm
means
to
say
is
that
if
your
life
is
generally
categorized
by
this
kind
of
righteousness,
it's
enough
to be
accepted
into
God's
good
graces.
That's
a very
real
argument.
Perhaps
maybe it's
something
you're
even
dealing
with
now
as
we're
working
through
this
text.
Well,
he's
not
speaking
in
absolutes
here.
He's
speaking
in
generalities
that
if
your
life
is
characterized
by
these
things
more
than
it
isn't,
then
that's
enough
to
kind
of
bring
you
into
God's
good
graces.
A
logical
approach
to the
scriptures
refutes
that idea
though.
Just
think
for just
a
moment.
It
took
one
offense
against
God.
For
Adam
and
Eve,
to be
expelled
from
his
presence.
Only
one.
And
we
could
look
at
that
and
say
it
wasn't
a
big
deal.
They
ate
some
fruit.
We've
done
way
worse,
haven't
we?
All
of us
have.
And
I'm
sure
they
continued
to.
But
it
only
took
one.
Who
are
we
to
think
that
it
will
take
a
hundred
or
a
thousand
or
ten
thousand
offenses
for God
to judge
us in
the same
way.
Is that
not the
pinnacle
of pride
and
arrogance?
To say
that I'm
so much
better than
Adam and
Eve
that God
will not
judge me
as severely
as he will
judge them
or has
judge them.
The fact
is it's
impossible
to support
moralism
as a
means of
reconciliation
with God.
Present
goodness
cannot
atone
for past
sin.
It's
just not
logical.
Second
question.
Why is
the standard
moral
perfection?
None of
us meets
the description
here.
Why does
God set
the bar
so high?
It doesn't
actually seem
very fair.
God
didn't expel
man from
his presence
because he's
full of
hate.
That would
be some
conclusions.
I don't
think that's
what we
are able to
discern from
the scriptures.
He did
so because
he's
absolutely
holy.
psalm 5
and verse
4 I
quoted it
a moment
ago.
It affirms
that sinners
can't dwell
with God
but why
is that?
We
shouldn't
understand
the
relationship
of sinners
to God
the same
way that
we might
understand
the relationship
of kryptonite
to Superman
for you
comic nerds.
Sometimes we
equate it
that way.
That's not
the way we
need to
think about
this.
Sin isn't
a disease
that God
can catch.
It's not
a weapon
that can
destroy him.
Sinners
can't harm
God.
But they
can't enter
his presence
without him
harming
them.
Moving
to swift
eternal
judgment.
So we
need to
understand
that God's
inerrant
holiness
and
perfection.
It
demands
that he
judge
sin
and those
who are
guilty
of it.
It
demands
it.
If he
is not
just
in judging
sin
then he
is not
holy
himself.
And yet
we know
he's
holy
and we
know
he's
just.
We
also need
to understand
that God's
holiness
is in
relation
to his
loving
grace.
You
can't
have one
without
the
other.
Think
again.
Adam
and Eve.
He
could have
just
simply
killed
them.
I mean
why not
start
over?
Why go
through all
of this?
They ate
the fruit.
He said
they would
surely die.
Why not
just destroy
them and
start over?
But he
doesn't do
that.
They go
on to live
very long
lives,
fruitful
lives.
Have you
ever wondered
why that
is?
It's
God's
loving
grace
at work.
God
cast
Adam
and Eve
from his
presence
because for
them to
remain in
his presence
as sinners
would require
immediate
judgment.
But God
in his
great love
and grace
gave them
life,
time
for
repentance
and
restoration.
Moral
perfection
is not
one of
many
options
and God
just happens
to choose
that and
apply it
to our
situation.
No,
there actually
are no
options.
It's the
only possible
standard there
could be
because God
is perfectly
holy.
Third
question,
is there
any hope
for us?
Is there
any hope?
If we
take Psalm
15,
on its
own,
it's
bleak.
It's
very
bleak.
We can't
take Psalm
15 on
its own.
We have
to look
at it
in relation
to the
whole
Bible.
And the
good news
of the
gospel is
that we
don't
actually have
to earn
our way
into God's
presence.
This is,
I think,
more wonderful
than sometimes
we allow
ourselves to
feel.
we feel
the weight
of the
sinful part.
We feel
the weight
of the
fact that
we have
sinned
against God
in our
very nature.
We deserve
His judgment.
We feel
that,
but then it's
almost as if
sometimes we
don't allow
ourselves to
feel the
wonder of
this part,
which is that
you don't have
to earn your
way to
His presence.
He has
made a
way.
He has
opened the
door.
We didn't
even ask for
it.
He just
did it.
Why?
Because He
loves us.
Because He
loves you.
He's made
a way.
He's opened
a door.
And then He
invites you
to turn
from that
rebellion,
to walk
in His
way by
faith.
What is
the way?
What is
that door?
It's
Jesus.
John 14
6,
Jesus says
it right
away.
I am
the way.
I'm
the truth.
I'm
the life.
No one
comes to
the Father
except through
me.
Now notice,
going back
all the way
to the
beginning of
the sermon,
notice what
Jesus doesn't
say.
He doesn't
say no
one comes
to heaven
except through
me.
He doesn't
say no
one experiences
pleasure unless
they come
through me.
Those things
are true.
That's not
what He says.
What does
He say?
No one
can get
to God's
holy hill.
No one
can sojourn
in His
tent.
No one
can be
at peace
with Him
unless they
come through
me.
I'm the
way.
And then
He says
in John
10,
I'm the
door.
If anyone
enters by
me,
he will
be saved.
This is a
promise,
even more
than it's
an invitation.
salvation.
Jesus
states
fact.
I am
salvation.
If you
come to
me and
you come
to God
through me,
you will
be saved.
There's no
question.
You don't
have to
wonder.
You don't
have to
look at
your life
and say,
well,
did I do
enough?
You don't
have to
look at
your life
and say,
well,
was I
too bad
in this
area or
I still
messed
it up?
No.
Your
goodness
isn't the
door.
Jesus
is the
door.
And he
says,
if you
will walk
through his
door,
you will
be saved.
It's a
guarantee.
It's good
news.
It should
come as no
surprise to
us then,
based on our
study of
these first
15 Psalms,
that only
the blessed
man of
Psalm 1
and the
anointed
king of
Psalm 2
and the
exalted
man of
Psalm 8
perfectly
fulfills
Psalm 15.
What is it
that I'm
always telling
you?
The
scriptures,
they're all
about
Jesus.
They all
take us
to Jesus.
Why?
Because he
is the
way.
He's the
way.
And while
who,
in Psalm
15 1
is generic,
embracing
every person
who matches
the portrait,
we know
that only
Jesus has
done so
to perfection.
And indeed
he has.
Only he
meets the
qualifications
here.
And it is
only through
him that we
can be
reconciled to
God.
You say,
how can we
know that
Jesus actually
did enough?
Well,
great question.
I know
that my
Redeemer
lives.
And all
my life
is bound
to his.
That's the
answer.
It's in the
resurrection
that we know
the answer.
You ever
known anyone
else to be
raised from
the dead
because they
perfectly
fulfilled the
law of God?
No.
Because it
hasn't happened
except one
time.
And it was
Jesus of
Nazareth,
the Son of
God,
born of a
virgin,
who lived a
perfect life,
who lived the
life we were
meant to live,
but failed
to live.
And then
died the
death that
we deserve
to die
so that we
might be
saved.
Don't you
see?
Don't you
see?
His atonement
is sufficient.
He has
made peace
between God
and man.
It's done.
Nothing else
is left.
And he just
says,
come.
He says,
come.
He invites
us to be
reconciled to
God.
And how
do we
do that?
Stop
pursuing your
moralism.
Stop
pursuing
Christianity
as a
thing.
Turn
from your
sin,
or at
least your
disposition
towards sin,
and come
to him.
Trust
that what
he's done
is sufficient.
Follow
him
as Savior
and Lord.
no one
whom God
has not
regenerated
in heart
will do
that.
And you
may feel
the tug
of that
now.
It's not
because you're
just finally
getting it.
That's the
work of God
in your
life.
Don't
ignore
that.
Come
to him.
Fourth
question,
importantly.
do these
qualities
still
matter
if we're
safe in
Christ?
Do the
qualities
still matter
if we're
safe in
Christ?
So,
one argument
might be,
well,
grace,
salvation,
and forgiveness
that comes
from Jesus
is for the
sins that I've
committed,
the sins that I
am committing,
and the sins
that I will
commit.
And to
that we
say,
amen.
Yes,
that's true.
Some would
look at that
and they would
then conclude
that,
well,
then I don't
have to be
really all
that concerned
about sinning.
That's not
what the Bible
presents to us
though,
is it?
We need to
see Psalm
15 first
through the
lens of the
gospel.
But that
doesn't mean
that we
shouldn't
strive to
attain
something of
the portrait
of holiness
that's painted
here.
Our
acceptance
with God
is based
solely
and entirely
on the
righteousness
of Christ.
But he
desires to
conform
his people
to the
image of
his son.
You say,
well,
what's the
image of
Christ?
Psalm 15
is.
You're
saying,
God wants
me to
try to
be like
that?
Yeah.
Not as a
means of
earning your
way into
his good
graces,
but because
you're already
there.
because he's
already saved
you.
Hebrews
chapter 12
and verse
14 is so
helpful here.
Here's what
the writer
says.
Strive
for peace
with everyone,
he says,
and for
the holiness
without which
no one
will see
the Lord.
I want you
to think
about that.
strive for
the holiness
!
We might
say,
without
which no
one will
dwell on
his holy
hill,
without which
no one
will sojourn
in his
tent.
Here's what
the writer
does not
mean.
He does
not mean
that we
must reach
a measure
of holiness
to see
the Lord.
He's
acknowledging
that
positionally
that holiness
has already
been applied
to those
who are
in Christ.
His
instruction
then is
that we
continue
striving to
live up to
the holiness
that has been
credited to
us by
grace.
Isn't that
helpful?
What does
salvation do?
It makes
you free
to do
righteousness
because you're
already
positionally
righteous
in Christ.
That's not
what's at
stake here.
And the
writer says,
so here's
what we
do as
believers.
We strive
to live
up to
that.
Not as
a means
of salvation,
but because
we want
to honor
our Lord.
Because we
want to
please him.
Because we
want to
be like
him.
Though
we'll never
reach
perfection,
we must
if we are
to be
obedient.
be as
holy as
possible.
Which is
why Paul
says this
to the
Philippians
in Philippians
chapter 3.
He acknowledges
not that I
have already
obtained this,
this measure,
this stature
of holiness,
and it's
not that I'm
already perfect,
but I press
on to make
it my own.
Because Christ
Jesus has
made me
his own.
Oh,
do you
see it?
it's the
same thing
the author
of Hebrews
is saying.
Paul says,
Christ has
made me
his own.
He's
cleaned me
up without
any merit
on my
part.
And since
he's made
me his
own,
I want
to strive
to be
like him.
Brothers,
I do not
consider that
I've made
it my own.
He's not
where he
wants to
be.
But one
thing I
do,
forgetting
what lies
behind,
straining
forward to
what lies
ahead,
I press
on.
I press
on toward
the goal
for the
prize of
the upward
call of
God in
Christ Jesus.
And now
notice what
he says,
Christian,
let those
of us who
are mature,
spiritually
mature,
let us
think this
way.
If we
are going
to live
as spiritually
mature
Christians,
we will
pursue
holiness,
not justify
worldliness.
If you're
in Christ,
God has
blessed you
with the
most amazing
gift.
It's the
indwelling
presence
of his
Holy Spirit.
David
asked,
who will
dwell with
you,
God?
The New
Testament
tells us
God still
dwells with
us.
And he
dwells
in us,
those he's
redeemed.
Here's the
blessing.
Do you
know what
the Holy
Spirit does?
The Holy
Spirit,
he's freed
you from
the bondage
of sin.
You're free.
Truly
free.
And he's
working in
you to
transform your
affections
day by
day.
He is
enabling
your
righteousness.
He has
given you
power to
live according
to Psalm
15.
Therefore,
keep in step
with him.
That's what
Paul says.
Keep in step
with the
Spirit.
Walk in the
Spirit,
he says,
and you
will not
satisfy the
desires of
the flesh,
but you
will live
according to
what God
has saved
you to
live.
Thank you.