Jim Peters

Do I Have To Be Perfect TO Appraoch God? … YES

Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by Jim Peters in Hearing God - Jim's Daily D

Psalm 15

A Psalm written by King David

¹ Lord, who will live in your tent? Who will live on the hill that you have set apart for yourself?

² The (person who) lives[1] a perfect (life)[2], (who) does what is right and (who) speaks the truth from inside. ³ He doesn’t speak words that harm another person’s reputation with his tongue.  He doesn’t do wrong to another person.  And he absolutely doesn’t use[3] another person’s disgrace against them.

⁴ He despises (a person who should be) despised[4] and he honours (those who) fear the Lord.  He (keeps his) promise (even if it) hurts him and he will not alter it.

⁵ He doesn’t give money (to get) interest and he absolutely doesn’t take a bribe against (someone who is) innocent.

(The person who) does these (things) will absolutely never slip and fall

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[1] “walks/comes/goes/departs”, [2] “whole/blameless/without defect” [3] “lift up/carry” [4] “eyes reject/reprobate despised”

Application

I like to ask who will live with God and who will be able to approach him.

However, I might not like the answer that I get back… ie it’s the person who lives a perfect life.

Firstly, we need to have perfection to even approach God.  This obviously (well obviously to me) refers to the saving grace of God through Christ Jesus, in whom I am restored to perfection.  It is step one in the process of entering God’s tent and living on his holy hill.

Once I am right with God through Christ, then I need to change as he speaks to me about my character and the way I live.

1. I am to do what is right – to obey the law, more importantly, to obey the law in line with my own conscience
2. I am to speak the truth… not just as the truth, but because the truth lives in me and is part of my very being – Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life.”
3. I am not to speak words that harm another person’s reputation.  There is to be no gossip or slander.
4. More than that – I am not even to take another person’s disgrace and use it against them – Imagine if God did that to me
5. There are people that I am to despise and reject.  Jesus didn’t chase everyone who refused him, In fact he didn’t chase anyone.  If people reject my testimony about Christ and continue in a life of evil, I am to leave them – Bad company corrupts good morals
6. If I promise something, I do it even if it hurts or even if it isn’t the most profitable thing I could do – My word is my word.
7. I don’t lend money so that I can make a profit.
8. I never take a bribe and I’m never persuaded to do something wrong against someone who is innocent.

If I live this way I will never slip or fall.

Prayer

Father, help me to live your way, to treat people as you would have them treated and to be righteous and honest in your sight always.

IJN Amen

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