Psalm 15

    1      LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
    Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
    2      He who walks uprightly,
      And works righteousness,
      And speaks the truth in his heart;
    3      He who does not backbite with his tongue,
      Nor does evil to his neighbor,
      Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
    4      In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
      But he honors those who fear the LORD;
    He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
    5      He who does not put out his money at usury,
         Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

    He who does these things shall never be moved.
-Psalm 15

Most of us know that sin brings separation in our relationship with God, but did you know that walking in righteousness draws you close to the Lord? Just as stated in James 4:8, as we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. So why would we even want to be in the tabernacle of the Lord?

In the Old Testament, we understand the tabernacle as being a physical place where the Priests would meet with the Lord. Today, He tabernacles (or dwells) amongst us. To abide in His tabernacle is to dwell where he dwells. It is the ultimate goal of being close to the Lord. I have yet to meet a sincere believer who did not have it their utmost goal to be near to God. Most struggle with how they go about that.

Walk in righteousness. This does not mean to simply cease sinning (which you should do), but do that which is righteous. When you were still yet a sinner, when you found opportunity to sin you would. Being now saints, when an opportunity comes to walk in righteousness, do so with a  grateful heart. I think it must be stated that this is not earning merit or favor from the Lord, rather you are participating in His likeness. It is no strange fact in our culture that you get closer to those that you are most alike, so as we grow in likeness of the Lord, we draw nearer unto Him.