Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. And these are people whose minds, motives, and principles are pure; whose spiritual allegiance is to God, and to nothing or no one else.
Have you ever wondered what it truly means to be “pure in heart”? You read the scriptures where Jesus said the pure in heart are blessed, and you wonder if anyone could ever attain such purity as to see God.
If it were not so, Jesus would not have said it.
The concept of purity resonates across cultures and beliefs. But what does it mean for us today? How can we embody purity in a world that often celebrates the contrary?
In Matthew 5:8, Jesus was addressing the moral blamelessness of the inner life and why it is necessary for us to experience God at work in us, through us and for us. You want to pay attention to this verse with others that form the Beatitudes among “the Sermon on the Mount”, as Hebrews 12:14 re-echoes it, “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord” (NLT).
Desiring a pure heart often comes from a longing for inner peace and authenticity. It’s not about following some moral codes for an outward appearance of purity. You’ll find people in the world who display a badge of outward purity but those who really desire a pure heart embodies a greater inner substance of grace that needs no announcement.
So, it begs two questions, “What does it mean to be pure in heart?” and “How can you become pure in heart?”
What Does It Mean To Be Pure In Heart?
Katharos is the Greek word for “pure” in Matthew 5:8. It means to be “blameless, clean and, unstained from guilt.” Kardeeah is the Greek word for “heart” in the same verse. It applies to our temple of thoughts, desires, sense of purpose, will, understanding, and character.
To be pure in heart means to have clean thoughts, blameless desires, unquestionable will and character approved before God and man.
Kind and noble deeds fuelled by sincerity in thoughts or intentions is a mark of people who are pure in heart. They are the same people in public as they are when they think nobody is watching.
Man may be deceived by external piety and purity, but God knows who we are. “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” – 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT).
How Can You Become Pure in Heart?
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? – Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)
What we see in the world today is a testament to how bad the human heart is. From the days of old when “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5), not much have changed as it concerns our way of life.
The wars, the killings, lying, stealing, greed, jealousy, pride, and the likes, all are around us. No one is immune, but those who strive for God’s ideal of life and living have been soaring by His grace and mercy. These are the people declared innocent by the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ at the cross.
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Of course, though saved by grace, these people are still humans, and they face temptations and trials that test their faith and beliefs. While some may fall and fail from time to time, their “Anchor” holds strong, and they can trust in Him to rescue them every time.
Fundamentally, those with inner purity have a singleness of heart toward God. No hypocrisy at its best, no guile, no hidden motives. They live careful and transparent lives and stand by and for the truth of the Scriptures, with an uncompromising desire to please God in all things.
Beyond an outward show of purity, they possess a purity of the soul. And you too can have a sanctified heart when you repent of the harmful ways of human nature and accept to live by the grace of God in Christ.
Conclusion
We really cannot pursue purity because we will keep failing at it. Mere mortals we are and weak as we come. A pure heart is evidence of God working in us to make and mold us into His likeness.
If a pure heart is what you desire, humbly submit yourself to the mighty hands of God, trade your will for His and if your request is sincere, wait and watch God do what he does best in the lives of man.
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