Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle, who shall dwell in thy holy hill? (Psalm 15:1)

Holy Scripture teaches us that life is a journey offering two and only two paths. How offensive this idea must be to those who demand that we be given absolute freedom of expression to determine our own destiny and our own future life through unlimited choices. But in truth, when we consider all the options, there are really only two views of reality and two conflicting kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. There are just two points of entry to these two kingdoms: the wide road that leads to eternal death and Satan and the narrow gate for the road leads to Christ and life. (Matt. 7:13)

There are only two points of view concerning the Bible. We accept it as revealed true or dismiss and discard it. Just this past week Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury dismissed most of the biblical narrative relating to the Nativity of Christ as fable. He does however believe in global warming as a central issue for the Church.

Modern Biblical criticism insists that our theology should be one of relevance to the moment, an answering theology in which a world ruled by selfish desires asks the questions and critical scientific theology supplies the answers. That was the theology of Karl Barth and Paul Tillich and which nurtured Bishop Pike, Bishop John Spong, Bishop Griswold, Bishop Katherine Jefford Schori and now Archbishop Williams. This school suggests we embrace a philosophy of modernism best expressed in the words "fulfilling felt needs" and which is translated into giving theological cover to every imperative want and insatiable desire.

On the other side sit the theologians tutored by the early Church Fathers, whom the revisionists dismiss as not being "relative to the times". The orthodox theologians claim that only God can supply the answers to the important questions of life. Our world of demanding instant fulfillment of every compulsive desire has strayed so far from God's divine purpose that it does not even know what questions to ask. In Psalm 15, which we sang this morning, God both asks the questions and then gives the answers. This is consistent all through the bible.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ asks the questions and supplies the answers. Later Jesus asks, "Who do men say that I am?" As all men are prone to do when giving answers, Peter gives a misunderstood answer. Paul, the theologian, asks, "Is the Law of no use?" And, the Holy Spirit alive in Paul, provides the correct answer, "God forbid." You see, we have drifted so far from God the Father that we cannot ask the question or give the answers:.cannot distinguish between good and evil, and we must appeal to God's mercy: a thought repugnant to the modernists who in the 1979 prayer book have effectively denied the doctrine of Original Sin.

In his powerful work, "The Great Divorce," C. S. Lewis observes "Throughout our lives we are either drawing closer to God or further from Him." I believe most people us who have matured in Christ would support the validity of Lewis's thesis. There is no middle ground. We are all called to a decision. One of the hallmarks of modern theologians is that they can never take a firm moral stand. Since there is no judge, there is no punishment. Criminals walk the street for lack of a judge. Jesus laid down the ground rules quite specifically, "He who is not for me is against me." This great psalm is the guide. It is Christ's commandment spelled out fully to David a thousand years before the Lord's first advent as Jesus of Nazareth. It is Christ's roadmap to God: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Therefore, in Psalm 15, Christ asks the question of us: "Who may live in the presence of God? Who can stand before Him? Who can know Him now and forever? In other words, who can go to heaven?" Sometimes we give so little thought to these questions that we never entertain the idea that the Lord holds us responsible for all our actions; that we should always live life as though every day is judgment day. Christ comes not only to judge the quick and the dead but because He has come in the flesh and is exalted, He also is always present to inquire of us, "What have you done with the life that I have given you?" The message of Advent is that Justas Christ came, so Christ is coming. But this time, not in a manger, but in power and glory to judge the living and the dead.

Here at St. Thomas of Canterbury we pray the litany on a regular basis. The petition in the litany in which we ask our deliverance from tempest, earthquake, fire, flood, plague, pestilence, famine, battle, murder, and sudden death is a plea that we be given time to confess and repent and receive absolution before the coming of Christ's judgment., and answer the question, "What have you done with your life?" If we have not repented of our sins, we are unable to receive His grace.

As the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus explains, there is a wide chasm between the holy and the unholy who have not received Scripture as the truth, those who claim that Scripture is not relevant today and that we must seek truths other than the Bible. What can a man claim about his life that is positive if he has sought to eliminate Scripture as truth?

So the real question, "Who may live in God's presence?" is answered in verse two and three, "He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness/ and speaks the truth in his heart/He who does not backbite with his tongue/nor doeth evil to his neighbor/nor taketh up reproach against his friend." God both asks the question and answers the question. Everything else in the psalm is but commentary. Everyone who gossips against his friend will be called to answer what he has done with his life, for each person has been called to keep the two commandments Jesus gave us, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

As Jesus taught, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." When I was in college, one of the books that snapped me out of my liberal phase was Karl Menninger's "Whatever Became of Sin?", written at at the close of the sixties. Menninger wrote "The one who dwells in God's presence is the one who 'walks uprightly, works righteousness,' and 'speaks the truth.'" To "walk uprightly" is to follow God's path according to God's rules. To "work righteousness" is to do the things, work those things that are consistent with the character of God. To "speak the truth" is to speak those things that are in conformity to God's walk and work.

Simply, we are to testify "Thy will be done." These truths, David acknowledges in the psalm, are to be in our hearts and not just on our lips. The truth comes from the center of our being to the point in our consciousness where we are ashamed to tell a lie. At that point where we are exposed to ourselves as deceivers of truth, even before we attempt a lie and consequently we refuse to lie. A lie is a technique to manipulate God's people and is therefore against the best interest of God and man. Self-delusion is a lie we tell to manipulate ourselves. Gossip is the effort to manipulate your neighbor so that it puts you in a godly position.

All of life is to be sanctified. It is to be "whole" if it is to be "holy." The person integrated into submission to God throughout his entire character and behavior is that person who now dwells with God and who will dwell with Him forever. Paul gives us the formula, "Hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be presented blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thes. 5:21-23). It is only through Christ that all this is possible. He is the righteous One, and we only discover our righteousness in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21) We can't go it alone.

St. Paul puts our righteousness into perspective with these words, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor. 5:21). C. S. Lewis treated Paul's startling pronouncement in these words, "Be reconciled to God. For God took sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins. Then in return, He poured God's goodness into us." This New Year, I hope we all listen to this divine revelation, "In exchange for our sins Christ poured God's goodness into us." What a wonderful person you are now that Christ has forgiven you. Knowing this, why would anyone even attempt to tarnish the name of his God, his friend, and his neighbor?

Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle, who shall dwell in thy holy hill?