Psalm 24
Just to be clear, there is one God who created everything and everyone. He has made it exactly the way He wanted. It goes as far as He commands, yet no further than He allows. He sets the parameters.
Q: Who can ascend the hill of that God? Who can stand in His presence?
A: The one He chooses by the way He has commanded.
God requires perfection in action and motivation, the hands and the heart. He requires perfect allegiance and testimony. The person who does that will earn a place in His presence. That one will receive blessing and honor. That one will be given righteousness. Although that one lives righteously, he will receive a righteousness from God, an alien righteousness.
Q: But who could do that? If righteousness is only given to those who are righteous, what hope do the sinful have? It is God's world and He establishes the rules and regulations, but who can pass that test?
A: God Himself will pass the test and pass through the gate. He will climb the hill, our sins on His perfect shoulders, our forgiveness on His lips, our burden on His pure heart. The King of glory will stoop. He will bend down to lift others up.
God doesn't lower the bar to get people beyond His perfect expectations, He lowers Himself to give His perfection to the lowly.
I remember you talking about this with tiny Atticus in the house in Story City. Who can ascend the hill of the Lord? "He who has cwean hands and a pyoh howt."
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