WHO CAN APPROACH GOD ?

Psa. 24:3,4 ¶ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

At the end of all our decisions and arguments, “our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You” Augustine. That’s what we all long for though most of us have no idea. Our sins have clouded our vision of God and they have also clouded our understanding of what we really want in life. David cuts through all the smoke and just says it, “who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord”. That is what the whole Bible is about, returning to what we lost in the garden, intimate fellowship with the Lord. So how do we approach the Lord, man has struggled with this question and the answer was at the heart of the Protestant Reformation. Here are some thoughts from Luther and Spurgeon.

“It is not he who sings so well or so many Psalms, nor he who fasts or watches so many days, nor he who divides his own among the poor, nor he who preaches to others, nor he who lives quietly, kindly, and friendly; nor is it he who knows all sciences and languages, nor he who works all virtuous and all good works that ever any man spoke or read of, but it is he alone, who is pure within and without.” —Martin Luther

“Who shall be able to “stand” or continue there? He casteth away the wicked, who then can abide in his house? Who is he that can gaze upon the Holy One, and can abide in the blaze of his glory? Certainly none may venture to commune with God upon the footing of the law, but grace can make us meet to behold the vision of the divine presence. The question before us is one which all should ask for themselves, and none should be at ease till they have received an answer of peace. With careful self-examination let us enquire, “Lord, is it I.” — Spurgeon

So how do we become one who approaches and lives on God’s holy hill? There is only one way, having our sins washed away by faith in the blood of Jesus. It’s faith in the blood that makes us that righteous man that can come to the holy hill, no one else can abide in His holy presence.