TRUE WORSHIPPERS ARE UNMOVABLE AND WORSHIP GOD THROUGH A TRANSFORMED

January 20, 2017

TRUE WORSHIPPERS ARE UNMOVABLE AND WORSHIP GOD THROUGH A TRANSFORMED LIFE

Psalm 15

Brandon Deamer

Central Truth

God promises that His "true worshippers" will never be moved. He made the way for us to become true worshippers through Christ. Never being moved is assurance of an immediate and eternal relationship with God and motivates us to live a biblically transformed life.

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart.
(Psalm 15:2)

Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?

A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
    and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
    and does no evil to his neighbor,
    nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
    but who honors those who fear the LORD;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
    and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

When I moved to Dallas years ago, a native Texan pointed out characteristics that marked me as a Pennsylvania transplant, including my “accent,” my car lacking air conditioning, my apathy towards Tex-Mex, and my ignorance to understand the history and greatness of Texas. Initially, I may have been annoyed. But now, I’m often hungry for Tex-Mex; I run from A/C to A/C; I appreciate country music and two-step; and frequently say "y'all" in what I consider a great state.

David characterizes the “true worshipper” of God as someone who abides with, and has assurance of, an unbreakable relationship with God. He lists behaviors that almost appear as a checklist of rules. However, walking blamelessly, doing what is right, and “speak[ing] truth in [our] heart” are characteristics of the heart. They indicate that God demands for each of us to become a true worshipper by first changing our heart, resulting in earnestly seeking a transformed life so we can love and experience more of Him.

Because none of us can renew our heart or be good enough, we must rely on God to do that work through Christ, who was perfect for us, and His Spirit, which was promised to us as the means to continue perfecting obedience in us (John 16:13-15).

After many years in Texas, I am easily assumed to be a native because of how much I’ve let the people, culture, and food impact me. I could have resisted change and been miserable, bitter, lonely, and frustrated. But I would have missed enjoying what change brought.

As a true worshipper with a renewed heart, I now earnestly seek change to become above reproach, have integrity, treat others fairly and with love, and to be true to my word no matter the cost (Psalm 15:3-5). Change like that is rarely comfortable; but God’s promise that “whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17) is better than comfort. Salvation is a future promise of heaven and the beginning of a transformation that enables us to enjoy blessings greater than anything we would find on our own under any circumstance.

1. Have you committed your life to God to have immediate and eternal security and intimacy with Him? If not, all you need to do is to confess that you fall short of God’s perfect standard of true worship, trust that Jesus died to take the punishment you deserve, and ask for God’s forgiveness through Jesus.

2. If you have a new life in Christ, ask yourself: How am I doing in earnestly seeking to be more obedient daily to God’s will for my life? Am I enjoying the blessings of abiding with God and “never being moved”?

3. If you don’t know how to answer question 2, ask yourself, your spouse, and your community group the following: How am I doing in living above reproach as a man/woman of integrity; as someone who treats others fairly and with love and who is true to my word even when it costs me; as someone who does not hurt others with my tongue; and as someone who honors those who fear the Lord?