1. “Clean hands.” Ps.24:4. Not hands soiled with clay or soot in honest toil; but, as the hand is the instrument of labor, it is by metonymy used to express the entire acts or deeds of the body upon which judgment will be passed at the bar of God.
He who has clean hands in the sense of the text, is one whose works are morally right, one who keeps the law of God perfectly. But as the carnal mind cannot be subject to the law of God ( Rom. 8:7.), one with clean hands is a person soundly converted to God under the special truth by which he is tested. In a general sense, in Noah’s day it was one who believed in, and made preparation for, the coming flood; at the first advent, one who believed in the incarnate Messiah of Nazareth; and in the present generation, one who looks and fully prepares for the glorious revelation of the Son of God in the near future.
2. “A pure heart.” Ps. 24:4. The unrenewed heart is a fountain from which flow “evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies.” Matt. 15:19. From a pure heart proceed pure thoughts and right motives, as clear as the crystal stream. And since “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matt. 12:34), he that hath a pure heart will speak “the truth in his heart.” Ps. 15:2. A truth may be spoken by the lips, while in the heart it is a lie. Truth and false-hood assume various phases, and for base purposes may be used interchangeably. Napoleon I. deceived all Europe, as he intended to, by publicly declaring that he should cross the Alps with his army to subdue Italy. In his heart he intended to deceive. He who speaks the truth in his heart will not purposely put the best potatoes on the top of the bushel, or the best grain in the sack’s mouth, or the best bag of grain on the top of the load, to deceive the grocer or miller. The best butter will not be placed in the top of the firkin. Remember, reader, that those who love a lie, as well as those who speak it, cannot enter the city of God. Rev. 22:15. Those who enter the pearly gates will be not only such as speak the truth in the heart, but, such also as experience no feeling of satisfaction when a lie is told by other lips, or practiced by other hands. “Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.” Matt. 5:8.
3. “Backbiteth not.” Ps. 15:3. The tongue is said to be full of deadly poison. Jas. 3:8. Like a serpent, it attacks unawares, thus giving its victim no opportunity for self-defense from its venomous bite. It feeds upon the errors and mistakes of others, publishing them widely, but never dares to face its victim, whose penetrating gaze would cower it into abject submission. A brother to the backbiter is he who “taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.” Ps. 15:3. A neighbor may actually do wrong, or report a scandal; or he may be falsely accused of so doing. The backbiter carries it to neighbor “Seeing-it-is-you,” who takes it up with gladness, and affirms it instead of meeting the backbiter according to instructions in Prov. 25:23. Such can never enter heaven.
4. “Sweareth, to his own hurt and changeth not.” Ps. 15:4. Enters into an agreement that entails unforeseen loss of time, money, or convenience, not involving moral wrong, and adheres to his compact; in other words, one whose word can be relied upon. Such must be the character of him who would “dwell with the devouring fire.” Agreements that involve moral wrong should be broken; such as a compact to commit a theft, or murder; just as any other sin should be repented of and forsaken. It is a joy to be reproached for Christ’s sake (1 Pet. 4:14), but woe to him who utters or takes up such a reproach. In the day of consuming fire he will wish that he had not done it. Matt. 18:7.
5. “Putteth not out his money to usury.” Ps. 15 : 5. The regulations on this subject that God imposed upon his ancient people cannot well be improved upon for the benefit of the Christian church. Deut, 23:19, 20. In this time of greed for gain, it is a difficult matter for a man to acquire much property and be right with God. Some who have acquired property unjustly, upon becoming Christians are brought face to face with the principles of restoration, which, heeded, would reduce them to poverty, but unheeded, would debar them from heaven. See Ex. 22: 1- 27, in the light of Rom. 15:4.
6. “Stoppeth, his ears front hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil.” Isa. 33:15. In this is implied a refusal to see or hear that which defiles the soul. Impure sights or sounds, the reading of vile or obscene literature, or attending places of worldly pleasures, where Christ or holy angels cannot bear company, are proscribed by this text. He who would “dwell on high,” and to whom angels will supply bread and water in the time of the seven last plagues (verse 15), must close these avenues to the soul against all such evil, sometimes even literally placing his fingers in his ears or his hand upon the eyes to exclude sound or sight.
The conditions of eternal life are very strict. None out of Christ can compass them, but in Christ they are a possible attainment; and all who are finally saved will have become perfect on all these points, and every way without fault before the throne of God.
The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald Nov. 27, 1883