Thank you to Ian for this week’s MWB
God the Redeemer – – Psalm 15
In v.1 the psalmist asks a fundamental question:
V.1 – Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
In different forms we might have asked the same question – basically – What must I do to enter heaven and stand before the Lord?
The psalmist then gives his answers:
He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbour no wrong, and casts no slur on his fellow-man,
who despises a vile man but honours those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.
Those answers are rather frightening;- in spite of our best efforts, somewhere in that list we fail. What hope have we of entering God’s sanctuary?
Paul in Romans 3 v.23 tells us an evident truth – “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – if he stopped there we would truly be without hope but Paul continues – “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.”
I cannot stand before the Lord in my own righteousness but Paul in Romans 3 v.21 writes – “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe,”
Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
Praise God – – through Jesus Christ we can stand before The Lord in his righteousness