As a minister, I’ve been asked a wide variety of questions, some valid, others not so much. Probably one of the questions I hear most often is how to grow as a Christian, or how to grow in righteousness.
Psalm 15 is a brief, and yet detailed account of this very thing. In the previous psalm, David wrote about the folly and the wickedness of mankind. In this psalm, though, he looks at the other side of the coin. He describes what a citizen of the kingdom of heaven looks like.
Over the years, a wide variety of books have been written about this topic. Some of them are worth reading, others are not. Some give some excellent pointers, others seem to offer very little help at all.
But David’s brief description in this psalm offers several key characteristics to develop, and a few to avoid as well.
The Question
David begins with a two part question, asking who can approach God. This isn’t just an admission into heaven or God’s presence, but a continual abiding in that place. What can make that happen? What does the person who can stay there look like? To become like that is our goal.
The Response
Over the next few verses, David answers his opening question. He gives a series of alternating characteristics or qualities of the person who is a citizen of God’s holy hill. The first three are positively phrased, the next three are negatively worded, and then repeats both sets again, giving twelve ethical characteristics.
The first three qualities are positive. David tells us that those who are heavenly minded hold these three descriptions. First, his lifestyle displays integrity. Second, his actions display justice. And third, his words display reliability. Even though verse two consists of only seven words in the Hebrew, these three are all participles, indicating a continual practice of doing them.
David’s next three qualities are negatively cast. The citizen of God does not harm others verbally. He does not harm others physically. He does not cast reproach. Each of these three corresponds with the first triplet, giving us a peek at what the citizen of heaven does, and does not do.
The third set of qualities is positive again. The heavenly minded chooses his associates wisely. He respects others, especially other believers. He holds himself accountable. Where the first three positives reflect the inner person, these three seem to be more the outward result of the inner man.
The final set of three qualities are again cast in a negative light. The one with his sights set on heaven is not fickle. He is not greedy. He cannot be bought. The first characteristic is attached to the final phrase of verse 4, closely linked with the third quality in the previous set, but it makes sense to include it with this set as well. The citizen of heaven is a man of his word, generous and upright.
The Guarantee
Finally, the last phrase of verse five gives us the result of living according to this description:
He who does these things will never be shaken.
This is not to say that the one who lives this way will always prosper. No, David is not preaching a gospel of prosperity and wealth here. What he is saying is that the person who lives according to God’s ways will have the strength and integrity to survive the trials and temptations of life. When life throws difficult circumstances, the citizen of heaven can stand strong. And when life seems to favor us with beneficial circumstances, the citizen of heaven can still stand strong, knowing that God’s foundation is firm.
As we learn to live the lifestyle that God desires for us, we see that he teaches us to live lives of dependence upon him. He leads us to stronger relationships with others, and teaches us to live in security and honor in every aspect of our life.
Hebrews 12:28-29 describes the kingdom we are a part of as believers:
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
The kingdom cannot be shaken, and when they live according to the plan God has laid out in his Word, neither can its citizens. That’s a very reassuring promise!
Question: Take a look at yourself. Do you resemble the image described here? In what areas do you need to continue to grow? You can leave a comment by clicking here.