Scripture:
(Point) “The fool says in his heart there is no God. They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God? They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt. There is none who does good, not even one…
(Counterpoint) “Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue; (who) does no evil to his neighbor nor takes up a reproach against his friend….” Excerpts from Ps 14:1-3 and Ps 15:1b-3
Observation:
See above. These pair of Psalms looks like Point and Counterpoint: 14 describe folks who don’t make the grade and 15 describe folks that do.
But there appears to be a conflict. Which one of these describes me, right now, today?
Application:
I remember the cartoon where the little “Not me” spirit is invisible in the corner when Mom asks their son “Who did this?” Family Circus is what I recall as the name of the cartoon.
That is what I think about Ps 14: This does not describe me at all. I neither am nor have ever been as despicable as that. Ps 15: Ah, that is me. All I do is seek after you O God. Blameless: that is my prefix, my middle name, and my suffix.
Boy, how deceived I am—back then, now, and probably in the future.
I write my address as living in the State of Florida; really, if I am not ruthless with the truth concerning myself, I live in the State of Deception.
I always want to think better of myself, especially before God. Fact is if it wasn’t EXCLUSIVELY for Jesus’ atonement for my sin, I deserve every bit of God’s wrath. That is the gift of Adam way back then: all of man has an ability to fool himself to think of himself better that he is; not acknowledging the unbearable truth that he doesn’t do good, incapable of doing good, completely corrupt.
Speaking truth in my heart (like the guy in Ps 15) courageously and fearfully acknowledges the truth of Ps 14 that it is describing the man in the mirror.
I am looking forward to the new sermon series “The Simple Gospel.”
However the Gospel is responded to, however one bows their head in grateful faith for the Atonement, we all will come to the Fact that only He could redeem traitors to His rule—folks like the face in the mirror.
Prayer:
Lord God, how I wonder at your ways. I remember a song: “Why would the Pure give your life for the vile; the Innocent seeking the guilty to be reconciled? I can’t comprehend this fathomless love. I am gripped and amazed at what You have done. Why would the Adored become the Despised to bear all the furious wrath that was mine? How awesome this mystery of Your fathomless love for me.” AMEN.