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Psalm 15 "Who May Abide With God" Introduction: The setting of this Psalm is not totally known. Some believe it was written after the ark was brought into Jerusalem. The first attempt was unsuccessful as Uzziah touched the ark and was killed, 2 Samuel 6.7. In verse 9 "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" But before that question we are told, "David was afraid of the Lord that day." Then in verses 12ff we read of the ark being brought into Jerusalem. It is thought that Psalm 24 was written shortly afterward in which vv. 3-4 ask roughly the same question. I) Who Can Be In Fellowship With God? v. 1 A) Fellowship is communion with, joint participation, or working together with. B) Fellowship with God is possible. 1. Some believe God and man cannot be in fellowship. a. Agnostics taught that man was inherently sinful therefore separated from God by his very nature. For this reason they rejected Jesus being the Son of God. b. Deist believe God created man and just took a permanent vacation. 2. God did not create man to be an orphan. He is our heavenly Father. 3. With God all things are possible, Matthew 19.23-26. II) Fellowship with God is important. A) Some do not think it is important 1. Those who assume they have the right relationship with God. They take it for granted. This includes many of our neighbors. 2. Those who are comfortable, relatively happy, satisfied, healthy, and without God. a. They have a home, family, good health, wealth, friends, hobbies, etc. b. Their lives are built on temporary things, Matthew 7.26-27 B) Those who do think it is important 1. Realize the physical blessings of this life are temporary. 2. Realize all the blessings they receive come from God, James 1.17. a. The physical blessings are possible because God created this world and gives us the ability to do things. b. The spiritual blessings are of greater value and come only from God. 3. Realize God listens to the prayers of the righteous, 1 Peter 3.12; gives aid and comfort to those that do His will, 2 Corinthians 1.3-4. 4. Realize that we will all be judged by His word on the Day of Judgment, John 12.48. III) Our Answer A) Fellowship with God is first conditional 1. There are certain things God requires [demands] of us. 2. That fellowship will be broken if we violate the terms of fellowship. B) Verse 2 sets the overall condition of fellowship 1. A person must walk, work, and place the truth (the word of God) in their heart. 2. We understand and walk is used for one's general conduct in life. 1 Timothy 4.12 the word "conduct" is used. 3. We are to have an active, working faith, James 2.24. 4. We are to place God's word in our heart, John 17.17. 5. The next verses can be interpreted as additional requirements or further explanation of verse 2. C) The one in fellowship with God will not sin with his mouth, v. 3 1. Does not talk about his neighbor behind his back or lie or gossip, etc. 2. "Some men's tongues bite more than their teeth. The tongue is not steel, but it cuts, and its wounds are very hard to heal." - Spurgeon 3. We have to speak the truth in love, Ephesians 4.15. D) The one in fellowship with God will despise and honor the right people or conduct, v. 4a 1. They will despise or reject the person that is vile. More than simply a person that sins for we all sin but the person that walks in sin. 2. They will honor or value the person that fears the Lord. a. People tend to gravitate toward those who are like them . b. Those who fear God will seek out others who fear God and vice versa. E) The one in fellowship with God will keep his word, v. 4b 1. They do not make promises hastily, Ecclesiastes 5.4-5. 2. Your word is your bond, Matthew 5.33-37 3. A person that will not keep His word cannot be trusted. A person that values his word, his reputation, will rather suffer a loss than break his word. F) The one in fellowship with God will not take advantage of his neighbor, v. 5 1. Usury is basically the same as interest; but it came to mean an unreasonable amount. 2. Law of Moses restricted the charging of usury a. One could not charge a poor fellow Jew usury, Exodus 22.25; Deut. 23.19 simply states a fellow Jew. b. One could charge interest of a foreigner. Deut. 23.20 3. Does not take a bribe against his neighbor, does not pervert justice, does not swear falsely, etc. Conclusion: The person who values their fellowship with God will strive to live according to God's word and not leave or forsake it. 1 Corinthians 15.58
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