Who shall dwell in Zion? If there are none good, then we have no hope, right? We have to realize that
we are not the determiners of who will dwell in the tent that is on his holy hill. Only the triune God sets
the criteria for how one enters into heaven. The criteria comes out of His character. Then, when we look at verses 2-5, we look at how our conduct (what we think, what we say, what we do) comes from our
character that comes from the justifying word of Christ who removes our guilt and sends the Spirit to
sanctify us.

John Calvin rightly notes:

“As nothing is more common in the world than falsely to assume the name of God, or to pretend
to be his people, and as a great part of men allow themselves to do this without any
apprehension of the danger it involves.”

J.D. Greear in his book Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart: How to Know For Sure You Are Saved, told a story of how he was playing pick up ball with someone who cursed, boasted of how many girls he slept with— for beginners. When they were playing, Greear began to tell him his story of how he came to Christ.

The fellow grabbed the ball then said, “Dude, are you trying to witness to me?” He assured him that he had made a decision at thirteen at a youth camp, was active in church, did True Love Waits, memorized verses, missions trips—even led others to Jesus. But after about two years, he discovered sex then discovered he didn’t like a god who would tell him whom he could have sex with. So he put God on hold—and “after a while I became a happy atheist. But I grew up Southern Baptist—they teach once saved, always saved, right?” After Greear thought about it, he rightly said, “Salvation is not a prayer you pray in a one-time ceremony and then move on from; salvation is a posture of repentance and faith that you begin in a moment and maintain for the rest of your life.”

We become right with God when Christ is the center–not simply a decision at the beginning for insurance. Christ is the key! Do you treasure Him about all things?