The Beatitudes: 6. Purity
The Beatitudes: 6. Purity.
Please read Matthew 5:3-10.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8).
You will cheer with delight when your innermost being is cleaned of mixed motives and impure thoughts. Congratulations! Your clean inner reservoir of instincts will now more clearly reflect a pure image of God, and your eyes will open to see more and more of Him.
Sometimes we have hidden agendas, even kept secret from ourselves. Often we are mysteries, even unto ourselves. We can surprise ourselves with our double-mindedness and questionable convictions. How can we ever see deeply enough into our psyche to determine if our motives are really pure? Can we consciously choose to have innocent knee-jerk reactions to situations in life? Will we ever have spotless, involuntary impulses? These are deep internal matters, and here we find ourselves right where God wants to work. He wants us to be gradually purified at our subterranean level. He longs to see our motivations become unmixed with inner sinfulness. He yearns that our heartfelt reactions become clean and upright. God wants to transform our deepest, most innermost beings to become unsullied, a pure mountain stream flowing way below the surface with all the impurities washed away. God wants our unbidden thoughts to be righteous, our random feelings to be filled with goodness.
This purification process is a continuous cleansing, it is ongoing. When we daily submit to that process, we are to be envied! We are supremely fortunate! For hearts filled with light and purity allow us to see God more and more clearly. The more pure our hearts, the more light that is allowed to reach under the surface, the wider open our eyes to recognize the Lord. When complete purity has been achieved, it’s time to celebrate! We will then be seeing Jesus face-to-face! In the meantime, our vision of God will only sharpen as we ask the Holy Spirit to wash us clean at that deep, deep level. Ask for a daily bath down below in the heart. We are unable to cleanse our own hearts at that level. Only the Spirit.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:23-24).
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” (Ps. 51:10-11).
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8).
“We know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” (I John 3:2-3).
“Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Ps. 86:11).
“The goal of this teaching is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (I Tim 1:5).
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers and sisters, love one another deeply from the heart.” (I Peter 1:22).