Creating a Counter Culture - a Study on the BeatitudesSample

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Jesus came to usher in the Father’s Kingdom, an upside-inside out kingdom. He is describing the heart of the kingdom. In fact, Jesus was introducing a ‘right side up’ kingdom and not an upside-down kingdom. The religious leaders turned it upside down with their twisted, loveless interpretation of Scripture.

You cannot understand God’s commands without a relationship of love with Him.

What is the heart? It is the seat of all our emotions, desires, affections. God always looks at the heart and not our behavior alone.

Who can have a pure heart?

The starting point is to recognize and acknowledge that our hearts are impure. That is why we need a Saviour who alone can cleanse our hearts of a guilty conscience. This is the message of the gospel. The blood of Jesus has justified us, but we are sanctified. That is a lifelong process.

What is a pure heart?

Another word for pure is sincere, without duplicity, to act with integrity. It is not double-minded. The pure heart upholds the truth no matter what the cost.

“Purity of heart is to will one thing.” Soren Kierkegaard.

What corrupts a pure heart?

A heart gets cold when it is double-minded and unfocused.

A heart gets hard when it is clogged with pride, bitterness.

A double-minded heart.

How can I keep my heart pure?

By staying close to God’s Word. Purity of heart requires us to be very strict with our conscience and not allow things to slide by justifying or rationalizing our faults. Also, you need to hold up the mirror of God’s Word to your soul each day. Doing this will prevent your conscience from being dulled, misinformed, or seared.

What does it mean to “see God”?

It is a deeper revelation, insight, intimacy, relationship with God. From this follows, we will know His ways, heart, thoughts, and will. When we are single-minded about becoming Christlike, the reward is seeing God.

Why is seeing God so important? Without Jesus, we have no life. He has the words of eternal life.

Today I am calling and encouraging us to live the Christian life as it should be: Where inside and out is the same, and it is the right side up! For this, we will need to give up the need for self-preservation at all costs and embrace the pain of purification. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we will cultivate a pure heart.

REFLECT AND ASK YOURSELF:

• Have you caught yourself being double-minded? What would you say is the reason for it?
• How badly do I want the fruit of Godly living?