Beatitude definition:
a statement of blessing.
The sixth of eight beatitudes JESUS preaches about in Matthew 5 is, “Blessed
are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
The English dictionary describes a thing or person that is pure
as being “free from what vitiates (spoil
or impair the quality of), weakens, or pollutes; containing nothing that does not properly belong; free from moral guilt”
Some synonyms for “pure” are: uncontaminated,
untainted, unstained, undefiled, untarnished, immaculate, unpolluted,
uncorrupted, virtuous, undefiled.
Biblical purity
Purity is a sacred
refined thing. It stands diametrically opposed to whatever defiles…. Purity of
heart does not exclude purity of life, no more than the pureness of the
fountain excludes the pureness of the stream. But it is called purity of heart,
because the heart is the main thing in true religion, and there can be no
purity of life without it… Civility
and morality are not purity. A man may be clothed with great moral virtues,
such as justice, charity, prudence, temperance–and yet go to hell. Thomas Watson (1620-1686), Heart Purity
The WORD of GOD teaches that the fruit of a pure heart is a life
of holiness, which pleases GOD.
The writer of Psalm 24 tells us that a man’s character
(integrity of heart) defines the quality of his life and is of such that qualifies
him to stand in GOD’s presence and be blessed by GOD: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy
place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul
to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from
the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. V. 3-5
In his epistle to Titus (1:10-16), the Apostle Paul shows us what
purity isn’t; just giving verbal assent to GOD and His moral law is not
purity. Here Paul warns Titus against a group of people who “profess to know God, but they deny him by
their works.” Titus 1:16. Paul describes them as people with impure hearts whose” minds
and their consciences are defiled,” thus showing themselves to be “detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any
good work.” Certainly not among the qualified
who would “see GOD.”
Paul’s caution to Titus reminds us that outward behavior and lifestyle
are an outcrop of our heart condition, “To
the pure, all things are pure, but to the
defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Titus
1:15.
Blessedness of purity
A pure heart is manifested in a holy lifestyle, which GOD
rewards…. and for the holiness without
which no one will see the Lord. Romans
12:14
A child of GOD is
called to a life of holiness by the mere fact that our Father chose us through His
SON by whose power living in us we can live pure and holy lives. “…but as he who called you is holy, you
also be holy in all your conduct (1
Peter 1:13).
Our reward for
obedience in purity is that we shall see God.
All human beings will have an audience with GOD on Judgement
Day (every eye will see him, even those
who pierced him…Revelation 1:7).
However, while the profane will see GOD as Judge, the pure in heart will be blessed
to see and enjoy GOD as His chosen people and a Friend (They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Revelation 22:4).
The pure in heart who "see GOD" will live with Him in His Kingdom for all
eternity.
"As for me, I will see YOUR face in righteousness; I shall be
satisfied when I awake in YOUR likeness." Psalm 17:15
Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Holy Father, our LORD and our GOD whose
love never ends, we thank you for choosing us and for sending YOUR SON to teach
us about purity and holiness and the reward we can look forward to in the here
and now and in YOUR soon coming Kingdom. We thank you that the same power that
lives in CHRIST JESUS lives in us so we can do all things through Him. Father YOU
are so faithful…YOUR goodness is boundless and your mercy is new every morning.
We are grateful for YOUR WORD which is life to us and became LIFE for us. We
adore YOU, we adore JESUS, our Savior and precious Friend. To YOU, we
give all praise, all honor and all glory, and our earnest desire is that the
words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts always be pleasing in YOUR
sight. We ask all things in JESUS’ Holy NAME. Amen.
Always by God’s Word and prayer,
Cecile
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