Am I Good Enough for Heaven?

[7:06] This episode starts with Psalm 15, but then goes into Psalm 24, Psalm 25, Psalm 65 and even gets into Ezekiel with some New Testament cross-references in Romans, Titus, and Matthew!  It’s a whirlwind of a study.  It’s a longer episode, but I am proud that I kept it to under an hour.  

[10:07] So, Psalm 15 really got me thinking.  Do you know where you are going when you die?  My Uncle Chris would say, “Do you know, that you know, that you know are going to heaven?’  It is a yes or no question.  I don’t know works, too.  But I hope that this helps you out.  

[13:30] First things first, here’s Psalm 15 from my NIV Bible: “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?  Who may live on your holy hill?  He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has not slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.  He who does these things will never be shaken.”  

[15:00] The thing you need to remember about David is that he had no idea Jesus was coming.  All he knew was that he had to follow the Lord’s commands and then on the day of atonement every year, make a sacrifice for the sins he had committed.  That is what the Old Testament is about.  Ever since Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments that was the plan.  Even before the written list, as soon as they started on their journey to the promised land, the Israelites promised right off the bat that they would do all the things God commanded them.  They were on board.  And that did not last long.  Before Moses could even get back down to them, they had grown afraid and didn’t know what even had happened to Moses.  They questioned was Moses even coming back.  They begged Aaron to make them a god to worship.  This is found in Exodus 32. 

[19:18] (Jackie Hill Perry has an AMAZING sermon on this passage from her Glory tour in 2021.  Go watch it.  This woman can preach the paint off the walls.  You will be blessed and convicted by her. https://youtu.be/gRuISsuU8mw)  So much for that obeying all the commands.   That’s why as time went on the priests set up additional rules to help the Israelites be righteous.  I am sure they didn’t intend for it to end up like it did.  

[22:39] See God knew humankind was going to have this weakness.  All the way back in Genesis 3, the chapter about the fall of man, God says he will make a provision for our sinfulness.  That is the first time a promise of a savior is made.  No one knew what that savior would look like.  So, as David asks, ”God, who gets invited to dinner at your place?  How do we get on your guest list” as The Message translation puts it, or “Lord, who dares to dwell with you?  Who presumes the privilege of being close to you, living next to you in your shining place of glory?  Who are those who daily dwell in the life of the Holy Spirit” as the Passion Translation says it, he is asking who gets to do this?  How is it possible?  The answer for him was the upright, the blameless, the pure of heart, those who walk in paths of righteousness.  

[24:34] David asks and answers this question several times in the Psalms.  We have already talked about these upright a few times before in the past few weeks.  Psalm 24 asks, “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?  Who may stand in his holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart.”  Psalm 25 asks for the LORD to show his ways, instruct our path and remember rebellious sins from our youth no more.  Psalm 65 doesn’t ask for sins to be forgiven, but claims “when we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions” and “You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior.”  David didn’t know he was talking about Jesus here!  He didn’t know that in fact a Savior would come and be the sacrifice for all so that all could experience righteousness.  

[37:18] Oh my gosh, I love this SO MUCH.  Scripture interprets scripture!  Just wait until you see what comes next.  Romans 5 tells us that we have been justified!  That because “God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for Us.”  

Jesus.

He came, lived, went through trials, pain, suffering death on a cross.  All for us.  “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus”…His sacrifice was better than the blood of rams or goats.  

[42:07] On your own, No, you aren’t good enough for Heaven.  But, on your own you are good enough for Jesus.  Jesus makes you good enough for Heaven.  The only way to get there is through Him.