WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PURE?
Matthew 5:8

The sixth Beatitude reads as follows:  Blessed are the pure in heart,  for they shall see God.  We might say that with this Beatitude, Jesus goes to meddling.  He pokes His nose into that area of our lives that we guard as sacred.  That area we call motivation.  Jesus drives the sharp edge of His Word deep into our hearts and asks us why we do what we do. 

This Beatitude raises the following questions: 
1.  What do you think about when your mind skips into neutral?
2.  How much sympathy do you have for deception, no matter how skillful?
3.  How much sympathy do you have for shady humor, no matter how funny?
4.  To what do you pay consistent allegiance?
5.  What do you want more than anything else?
6.  What and whom do you love?

Really this Beatitude is all about the masks we wear in our relationships with God and with others.

The Greek word translated as "pure" had three uses.  First, it could refer to something that was simply clean, such as soiled clothing that had been made clean by washing.  Second, it would also refer to wheat that had been winnowed from the chaff, or an army which had rid itself of all discontented and cowardly soldiers, such as Gideon did before his encounter with the Midianites.  Finally, it also referred to milk or wine that had not been diluted with water.  It was whole-milk.

The Bible identifies several types of purity.  First, there is the purity that exists only in the person of God Himself.  God is absolute purity!  Second, there was the purity that existed in the Garden of Eden.  Adam and Eve were created in purity.  They were sinless before a pure God.  A third type of purity is that which we receive the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior.  It is often called the righteousness of Christ.  It is that purity which now gives us a standing before the Father in heaven.  This can be best expressed by those words of Paul to the Corinthians:  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Then, there is that purity which God desires that we exhibit daily in our lives.  This can only come as we completely yield ourselves to Him.  Again, listen to the words of Paul:  Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1).  Finally, there is that ultimate purity which shall be ours the moment we receive our glorified bodies.  Then we shall be just like Jesus Christ!

But, what is Jesus asking when He states that we should be pure in heart.  That will be the thoughts of our next study.

Father, You are holy and pure.  No unclean thing can stand before You.  And Your desire for Your children is that we walk in purity of life as we represent You before the world.  Father, in a world so contaminated with sin, it is difficult to maintain a purity.  But we commit ourselves to You asking that Your Holy Spirit would mold us into that life of purity which You desire.  We ask this in Christ's name.  Amen.

 

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