Plainview Church of Christ

Nation's Decline in Moral Conduct II

Ross Triplett
06/14/20 - Articles

Nation’s Decline in Moral Conduct II

David, the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1), asked questions: “Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” Then he revealed the following answers: “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart; He that slandereth not with his tongue, Nor doeth evil to his friend, Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor; In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honoreth them that fear Jehovah; He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not; He that putteth not out his money to interest, Nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved” (Psalms 15).

Most people desire to obtain the favor of Jehovah: favor being friendly regard, approval. The Apostle Paul spoke of his work as one of reconciling men to God, when he said, “We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). This reconciliation is necessary because man is dead through trespasses and sins, “wherein ye once walked according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1-2). Thus, the consequences of sin are expressly stated by Isaiah, saying, “Behold, Jehovah's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God,” (Isaiah 59:1-2). The apostle Paul indicated that, as a result of sin, man is “weak,” (Romans 5:6) i.e., without strength, ability, power, or means to come to God. While “we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly” (Ibid.). Thus, while man was in this state of weakness, “God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Therefore, if you have a desire to obtain favor from Jehovah, you must understand that it is not provided apart from His Son. Nevertheless, there are certain qualities of character that one must possess to dwell in Jehovah’s favor, as David revealed in the fifteenth Psalm.

The tabernacle and the holy hill of Zion were places from which the Divine presence and favor of Jehovah was made known. In the weeks to follow (Lord willing), we want to direct our attention to the answers David revealed, i.e., which character traits are essential to sojourn in Jehovah’s tabernacle, and dwell in His holy hill. We hope you will join us.

Remember the words of the Apostle John, who said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17). Jesus fulfilled that mission the first time He came. The second time He comes, God “hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31), to which, Jesus said, “for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:47-48). ret

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