Man in his Four-fold State

Many responses could be given to the penetrating query of the Psalmist in Psalm 15:1:

A Psalm of David. O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

It may help, I think, to get a fresh Bostonian slant on the human who is fit to inhabit the holy, divine, Tent.

Man in His Innocent State

Our first genetic parent stood in the edenic hilltop tent with a mouth, hand and foot that was free from any taint, with a will and heart to honor his covenant oath as a creature like His LORD. With respect to mind, morals, mind and money, innocent Adam hit the mark is his sinless pre-Fall state.

Man in His Messianic State

Until the time of Christ, all lesser adams fell short - Noah got drunk, Abram resorted to flesh, David fell prey to lust: they thus debarred themselves from an audience with God. In light of this hopeless fact, the Spirit conceived The Son who was free from any stain - only pure fidelity of law-keeping Messiah Jesus could ever earn the right to regain access to Yahweh's House.

Man in HIs Justified State

Outside Christ, all other human beings stand doomed to be devoured by flames of consuming fire Jehovah. Through faith in the Savior, true penitent believers in Jesus, are cleared of guilt, for which He suffered on the Cross - and also fully-pardoned by God who accepts us as His sons. All fear of wrath and death, and all prospect of condemnation, are swallowed up in hope by the precious blood of Christ. Acquitted saints are admitted by grace, through faith, in applied, Gospel, Truth.

Man in His Glorified State

True Christian people, though their safe-status has now been fixed, still sin in this life - to our shame, minds, hearts, hands, feet, and lips are still misaligned to Christ, as we learn, by grace, to check sin so that we mis-think, mis-step, and mis-speak, progressively less-and-less. The love of the Father constrains humble self-restraint so that we put untamed flesh to the sword. We do so in sure hope, that when we see the face of Christ, stood in our Father's House, we will finally be dressed in our glorified tent - with all now-immortal body parts perfected in holiness, transformed to be like His - eternal instruments of good. Joy will be ours in the praise of the Triune God, who gave The Slain Lamb, to equip us for our new home.