— A brief exposition of Psalm 15 —
III. WHERE IT IS THE TRUE BELIEVER IS TO ABIDE.
“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?”
For the Old Testament believer these two places represent the location of the God appointed place where He is to be worshipped.
1. It was a place appointed by the Lord. “But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee,”Deuteronomy 12:5-7.
That is what distinguishes the religion of Christ, true religion, from all those invented by man. Every element of true religion is ordained of God!
In the Westminster Confession of Faith, the underlying confession of Free Presbyterianism, there is this statement in the chapter dealing with the Holy Scriptures. ‘The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word; and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.’ (WCF, Chapter 1, Paragraph 6).
Tabernacle and the Temple
In these two edifices, constructed at God’s bidding, there were the appointed means of communicating with the Lord in the Old Testament era. It was to these that the faithful Israelite was to assembly at the times appointed by the Lord. Three feasts in particular were to be observed there. “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles,” Deuteronomy 16:16.
Types
Every element within the tabernacle and then the temple, which replaced it in the days of Solomon, was a type or picture of a gospel truth.
The late Dr Alan Cairns quotes from ‘Baker’s Dictionary of Theology’ in his book, ‘Dictionary of Theological terms’. “A type is a show cast upon the pages of O. T. history by a truth whose full embodiment or antitype is found in the N. T. revelation.”
Thus we have in the sacrifices offered, the priests and their duties, pictures of Christ Himself (the ‘Passover Lamb’ for example), His work of redemption and that which the Lord requires of us as believers. The ’types’ are illustrative of the duties plainly set down in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17).
2. A constant and surrendered attention is to be paid to the Words of God. This is the essence of ‘abiding and dwelling’ in the presence of God.
The duties of the believer are plainly set forth in the Old Testament and are easily understood by the New Testament Christian.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth,” Deuteronomy 6:4-15.
Here is a clear call for us to ‘abide and dwell’ within the parameters of God’s Holy Law.
3. This is a truth which has been neglected and forgotten by many today. ‘Christianity’ has become a very casual affair. We can add to or detract from its precepts just as we please — or that is how many foolish people, who profess to be Christians, are seen to act.
Deceived
Such thinking and conduct is the result of listening to false prophets and deceivers.
There is an example of this ‘casualness’ addressed by Paul. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching,” Hebrews 10:25. The word ‘manner’ means, ‘the custom’. It is used of the father of John the Baptist, Zacharias.
“And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom (manner) of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord,” Luke 1:8-9.
Paul is correcting those who had adopted their own ‘custom or manner’ of just when they should assemble with others to worship the Lord.
God’s appointment is every first day of the week in these New Testament times in order to celebrate the Saviour’s victorious resurrection on that glorious first day of the week, Matthew 28:1.
We can see this is an apostolic institution in Acts 20:7. _“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them.”
Thus also Paul instructed the converts in Corinth.
“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come,” 1 Corinthians 16:2.
Christian Sabbath
This is ‘the Christian Sabbath’ or ‘day of rest’ for that is the meaning of ‘Sabbath’. “To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD,” Exodus 16:23.
It is a resting not only from the physical labours of the other six days (with the exceptions of those acts of necessity and mercy) but also from recreations that are lawful on other days.
All too many Christians have, like Romanism, rewritten the Law of God on the observance of the Sabbath, or ‘Lord’s Day’, as John termed it, Revelation 1:10.
One of the chief deviations by Christians from God’s Law today is that of indifference, defying and blatantly disobeying God’s call to separation from the apostasy that has invaded the professing Church of Christ.
Paul warns of this time.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, . . .” 1 Timothy 4:1.
So too does Peter.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction,” 2 Peter 2:1.
This invasion had begun in the days of the apostles.
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ,” Jude 1:3-4.
Though it had begun some 2000 years ago, we are told that it will grow and increase, despite times of it being checked and hindered by God’s interventions and the reviving of His truth amongst the nations.
It will reach its zenith in the days of the Antichrist.
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (the day of the Lord’s return) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth (restrain) that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth (same word – restrain) will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved,” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10.
The final days are to be days of great wickedness and evil cruelty.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away,” 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
The final phase is very important.
“From such turn away.” That is what we are to do when we encounter those engaged in or promoting the rebellion here described. This call to separation from evil is repeated throughout the Bible!
“Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people,” Leviticus 7:21.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” 2 Corinthians 6:17.
“And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed,” 2 Thessalonians 3:14.
“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds,” 2 John 1:7-11.
Despite these clear warnings and plain commands, there are many professing Christians who remain within the modern ’Sodom’ of Ecumenical apostasy or who maintain it is quite proper to fellowship with those who disobey God in this matter. There are some of such a sinful opinion amongst the membership of the Free Presbyterian Church, sad to say!
That is not what the Lord brought us into existence to do!
Evidence
Evidence of that dreadful ungodly rebellion is all around us today. The news headlines, with their reports of wrong-doing of every imaginable type, are manifold!
They indicate clearly the flood of iniquity that has swamped our nation. The crimes are such that the ‘criminals’ of yesteryear would have been ashamed to be found guilty of them!
Murder, infanticide by parents, slavery, robbery, violence of every form directed against the young, the weak, the aged. Robbery and deception of every imaginable kind.
It is as Paul said it would be in the verses already quoted from 2 Timothy 3.
NCA
The National Crime Agency of the UK, reports that:
‘Fraud is the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, affecting UK society economically and socially. It accounts for over 40% of crime in England and Wales. According to the Office of National Statistics, it was the most common crime type between April 2022-March 2023, with an estimated 3.5 million incidents of fraud experienced by adults aged 16 and over.’
Here in Northern Ireland we have not escaped this ‘tsunami’ of moral deviance. A most shocking headline appeared on the BBC new site on 10th April, 2025.
“Woman forced into prostitution says she was scared for her life”
Such depravity has its fountainhead in the religious apostasy which has steadily engulfed the three mainstream churches here over the last 80-plus years.
Since 1948, when the three main churches here became foundation members of the World Council of Churches, ecumenical lies and duplicity have progressively eroded fundamental gospel truth from their pulpits.
Now the perversions embraced by the morally debased degenerates who espouse the perversions associated with Sodom, are found within the membership of these ‘churches’ and even in their pulpits!
That which the pulpits and pews embraces soon becomes ‘law’ in society. Consequently, it has become ‘illegal’ to denounce or in any way impugn the character or behaviour of those who claim to be ‘female’ but are in truth, male or vice versa!
Consider this headline in a national newspaper:
Nurse who called transgender paedophile ‘Mr’ is suspended after investigation
The report states: “I am devastated to have been suspended simply for whistleblowing,” Ms Melle said. “As a dedicated Christian nurse, I am experiencing relentless institutional abuse, harassment, bullying, and racial discrimination.
Ever since I expressed my Christian beliefs under extreme pressure, I have been a marked woman.
Despite being the one placed at risk, I am the one being punished. I have been made to feel like a criminal.”
Evil is Good
That which the prophet Isaiah denounced is here!
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20.
God’s reaction to this religious hedonism is seen in Malachi 2:17. “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them. . .”
Such views are wearisome abominations to the Lord. Soon will come His manifested wrath upon such.
“Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day,” 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10.
On that day blessed will be those who chose to “abide” and to “dwell” in the holy hill of God!
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)