Important Truth – 10 Guidelines For Living a Blameless Life
Have you ever known someone who felt like they needed to climb their way up to the moral high ground before they could go to church? Maybe you’ve felt that way yourself.
David started Psalm 15 with a question…
Who may worship in Your sanctuary, Lord?
Psalm 15:1
Who may enter Your presence on Your holy hill?
Or to ask it in current language . . . Who can go to church and worship You, Lord?
Here’s his answer…
- Those who are innocent and do what is right.
- Those who speak the truth with sincere hearts.
- Those who refuse to gossip.
- Those who refuse to harm a friend.
- Those who refuse to discredit a neighbor.
- Those who despise flagrant sinners.
- Those who honor the Lord’s faithful followers.
- Those who keep their promises even when it’s hard.
- Those who make a loan without interest.
- Those who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. (Psalm 15:2–5 NLT/CSB)
Wow! Wait a minute!
Where does that leave you and me?
Based on David’s “guidelines for living a blameless life” can anyone go to worship in the presence of the Lord?
The truth is . . . the initial answer would be “NO!”
But wait a minute, we know David harmed the innocent. We know David didn’t live a blameless life. He was a sinner just like you and me.
So, what should be our takeaway from his list of guidelines?
Well first, we have to pause and look at what Jesus said to sinners…
Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
Luke 5:31–32
God knew that because we are sinful people living in a sinful world . . . we won’t obey His commands perfectly. We are born sinful and we sin. We need a Savior. Or as Jesus said, we are “sick” people in need of a “doctor.”
So, God sent Jesus to make it possible for us to be saved, not by working our way to the moral high ground, but by grace through faith.
You are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8–9 (CSB)
You and I can’t be righteous by our own effort. We don’t have the right to worship in His sanctuary or enter His presence in prayer. But God came to us and made it possible for us to be blameless and righteous in His sight through faith.
But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
Romans 4:5
And the amazing part of the whole thing is that God’s gift of righteousness gives us the desire to live according to the “guidelines for living a blameless life.” People who KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST the Lord want to speak and act in ways that glorify Him because they are thankful that Jesus has done for them what they could never do for themselves.
Our desire to obey is simply our response to God’s gracious love.
God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
1 John 4:9–10
So, you and I can read David’s guidelines through the eyes of faith and when we do, we will have the desire to live a “blameless” life. Not because we have to but because we get to. And with the Spirit’s help, we will keep our eyes on Jesus so that we might be victorious over temptation and make glorifying God our heart’s desire.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer for Faith to Live a Blameless Life
Father, I read through David’s “guidelines” and I realize that if I had to live a perfectly blameless life before I could worship You, I would never be able to come before You. I am a sinner. I fall short of Your will for me every single day by the things I say and do and the things I fail to say and do.
I am so sorry. I come before You in Jesus’ name asking for Your forgiveness.
The Apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NIV)) And “I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1–2 NIV)
Paul wrote to Timothy that “You want everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4 CSB) You have done for us, for me, what we cannot do for ourselves. You have made us blameless through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. And through Jesus and the presence of Your Spirit, You no longer see my sin . . . you see Jesus in me.
So, yes! I want to live a blameless life. I want to glorify You in all I say and do. I want to do what is right and speak the truth with a sincere heart. I want to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and love my neighbor as You desire. I want to live a life of worship and praise now and forever.
Please help me and give me everything I need each day to focus on Jesus and surrender myself to You in faith. Amen.
May the Lord bless you and help you live a “blameless life” full of faith and hope, trusting that you are forgiven and free in Christ Jesus.
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In the article above Deb
( whom who’s writing I love )
Calls us sinners.
This is incorrect.
We were sinners before we accepted Jesus.
We were translated from darkness into his glorious light.
We were sinners saved by grace and now are kings and priests .
Hi, Jan. I think we all flinch at the term sinners. But as long as we fall short of God’s perfect will of us in our thoughts, our words, or the things we do . . . we are sinning. And that makes us sinners.
The Good News is that when God looks at those who have received Jesus, He sees Jesus in us. Paul wrote – He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.(Colossians 1:22)
And Paul also wrote – I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. (Romans 7:18-19)
Knowing that all we have in Christ Jesus is by grace alone gives us the desire to not give in to our sinful nature and to live according to God’s will. When we fall short of that goal . . . we run yet again to the One who forgives us and declares us “holy and blameless” in Jesus. The One who enables us to shine the light of His love in a dark world.
Thanks so much for joining the conversation. God be with you and bless you.
Beautiful post sweet friend, and as usual your prayers are felt in my heart, as if they are my own. I know that I fall short of God’s glory everyday…we will only be able to serve sinlessly and perfectly when we are in Heaven with Him. Praying for you and Rev. Blessings my friend!
Amen, Kathy! Where would we be without Jesus, God’s gift of mercy and grace? Thank you for your prayers they mean so very much to us! Blessings!
Human pride often gets in the way of recognizing ourselves as sinners, but that is exactly what we are. If we weren’t, we’d have no need for Jesus, would we? As for me, I’m so thankful that I’m forgiven because of what Jesus has done for me and millions of other believers.
Blessings, Deb!
Me too, Martha! Me too! Blessings, my friend!
Oh how I needed this post!! Thank you so much!! Redemption is what it is telling me. I am redeemed through Christ who gave his sinless life for mine and made the way to eternal glory for me.
Thank you so much for this reminder that I needed so badly this week!!
Thanks for letting me know you were encouraged, Sue. How I want to honor and obey Him . . . but oh how I need His mercy and grace. Blessings!