The age old question, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” can be applied to Psalm 15. If you were to ask any random non-Christian what is required to be a Christian they will inevitably say that you must live a moral life, in other words, you must be good enough to belong to what they see as the Christian “club”. Thankfully that answer is incorrect, as no one can be good enough to earn their way into God’s family. Instead, as we are told in Ephesians 1:5, we are adoptedinto God’s family because “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23. However, once we have been given the gift of life, having been adopted into God’s family, we will begin to exhibit the family traits.
So in answer to the question, “What comes first a change in behavior or adoption into God’s family?” the answer is adoption. The changes in our outlook and character are the fruit, the evidence that we will display as a result of having been adopted into God’s family, having been given the gift of eternal life.
In this psalm David sings about some of the character traits that God’s children will increasingly display in their lives.
| Psalm 15 (NIV)
A psalm of David. |
A Question of Character |
|---|---|
|
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? |
1. David’s Question: What character traits and what behaviors will God’s children display? |
|
|
2. God’s Five Part Answer |
|
2 The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous,
|
A. Character
1. Blameless: Psalm 119:1 – Blessed are the blameless 2. Right actions: Psalm 112:6 – you will never be shaken for doing what is right. |
| who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; |
B. Speech
1. Tells the truth: Proverbs 12:22 – God detests lying lips, but delights in trustworthy people. 2. Does not slander: James 4:11 – Do not speak against one another 3. Doesn’t wrong neighbors: Romans 13:10 – Love does no wrong to its neighbors 4. Doesn’t gossip: Titus 3:2 – Malign no one, be peaceable, gentle, show consideration to all |
|
4 who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; |
C. Attitudes
1. Despises those who hate God: Despise – Do you admire or imitate sinners? 3 John 11 – Do not imitate evil but imitate good. 2. Honors those who respect: Honor – Do you honor those who love God? Romans 12:10 – Honor one another above yourself |
|
who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; |
D. Integrity
1. Honors contracts even when it’s costly: Proverbs 11:3 – The integrity of the upright guides them. 2. Not double minded: James 4:8 – Come near to God and he will come near to you, [do not be ] double-minded. |
|
5 who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. |
E. Actions / Value
1. Lends without charging the poor interest: Deuteronomy 23:19 – Do not charge interest to believers. 2. Doesn’t accept bribes: Exodus 23:8 – A bribe blinds justice. |
| Whoever does these things will never be shaken. |
3. God’s Promise to his Children Psalm 112:6 – Surely the righteous will never be shaken, they will be remembered forever. |
This short list covers a lot of ground. It reminds us to think about our character, speech, actions, integrity, and what we value, particularly as it relates to the use of our money.
Who can keep track of all of that?
Well, Christ gave us an easy way to remember all of these characteristics of the Christian Life. He summed it up as follows:
In Matthew 22, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Or as Paul taught in Galatians 6:9: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
By Richard Loper