True Happiness through Purity in Heart (Matthew 5:8)

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Our heart is the centre of our emotion, desire and understanding. It affects every aspect of our life. Jesus cried out saying, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:25-28). In Jesus’ time, whole society was busy to perform different rituals in the temple thinking that it would purify them. But our Lord Jesus Christ didn’t emphasis on rituals to reform the manners of society, but to change the heart of sinners. Therefore Jesus proclaimed these revolutionary lines saying, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28). In other words, for Jesus heart as whole person is crucial issue. Jesus didn’t come in this world because we have some bad habits that need to be broken, but He came because we have such dirty hearts that need to be purified.

Many centuries ago, King David wrote, “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has … a pure heart …” (Psalm 24:4). When Samuel was sent by God to anoint the new king for Israel, he saw good physical appearance of elder son of Jesse, Eliab. He thought that he would be the one whom God had anointed as king. But God said to Samuel, “…I have rejected him. For … man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Sam. 6:7). In other words, God rejects every kinds or forms of externalism, which promotes only hypocrisy. God looks for the inside purity which touches outside. No place for hypocrisy.  

       

WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN? (vs. 8)

“Blessed are the pure in heart ...” (vs. 8). The word ‘pure’ translated from the Greek adjective ‘katharos’ (καθαρός) meaning ‘clean’. Its basic meaning is clean and unmixed. It has various kinds of usage, which described its meaning extensively. Originally it describes the pure gold which purified by fire. Agriculturally, it is used to describe the process of pruning vine that it could bear the fruits. In the Leviticus sense, it denotes the things which are not forbidden. Ethically, it applies to one who is blameless and innocent; free from guilty or every form of falsehood. The Greek noun ‘kardia’ (καρδία) is used for ‘heart’. Literally it denotes the organ which helps for blood circulation within the body. But figuratively, it means inner man; represents the true character of human beings. In this verse, it is used figuratively to address whole human being.  The phrase ‘pure in heart’ means ‘having an undivided motive or commitment’ and ‘cleansed from dirt’. It conveys the idea of integrity of the heart.

There are three types of purity the Scripture speaks. First, it is perfect purity. This kind of purity exists in God alone. It reflects the threefold holiness of God (Isaiah 6:3). Second, it is positional purity. It is given to us by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 3:24, 5:1; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:16). In other words, God has purified us in and through Christ (Col. 1:21-22). Thirdly, it is called practical purity which is moral purity in real sense. Apostle Paul encouraged the believers in Corinthians Church writing, “... beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1). Here Paul spoke of to practice purity in our daily living. Jesus didn’t speak of perfect purity which belong only God alone and no human being is capable to attain that holiness, but he spoke of positional and practical purity, which each believers should desire and strive. As the Lord himself said, “... be holy, for I am holy.” (Levi. 11:44).  

      

HOW DOES IT COME IN OUR LIFE?

The heart - our inner being is the root of all our actions. From our heart come our motives, our desires, our emotions and our thoughts. “For from within, out of the heart of man come evil thoughts ... and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:21-22). If our heart is not pure, everything comes out of heart would not be either. Therefore it is essential to keep our heart pure. Now question is this: how can we keep our heart pure? Solomon asked the question, “Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin?” (Prov. 20:9). Throughout the centuries, different people had suggested different things. Some advised that you should adopt asceticism and get rid from all kind of social activities. Some said that don’t see evil, hear evil and speak evil. But these human efforts have added more burdens and guilt instead of lightening the burden and guilt in human hearts which reside already. We should know that we are incapable to obtain and practice purity by ourselves. There is no way except what God has provided in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “...With man this impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26). In other words, God creates the purity for us and in us so that we may pursue the purity.

For positional purity, Jesus said, “... you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3). James said in the Jerusalem Council, “... having cleansed their heart by faith.” (Acts 15:9). When we turn to Christ in repentance and faith with obedience to HIS Word; God purifies us from our all impurity (1 John 1:9) and makes us holy in and through Christ. Our positional purity is not product of our deeds or efforts, but it is gift from the Lord as we put our trust in Christ. God creates a new heart within us (Eze. 36:26).

For practical purity, Apostle Paul suggests us three ‘puts’: put to death, put away and put on (Col. 3:5-17). The real struggle for purity begins in this area. Apostle Paul also described the struggle between sin and purity (Rom. 7:13-25). But God helps us day by day as we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit in order to practice purity in our daily life. It is continue process till we meet HIM face to face – the day of our glorification. We should understand that our purity both positional and practical is complementary. Positional purity is who we are in Christ and practical purity is an effort in the power of Holy Spirit to live matching with our position. 

  

WHAT BLESSING DOES IT BRING IN OUR LIFE? (vs. 8)

“... for they shall see God” ( vs. 8). Grammatically, the phrase in Greek is future continue tense. It should be like this: they shall be continually seeing God. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive ... for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” The word ‘see’ doesn’t mean only see with eyes, but it also applies for understanding what we see or hear. It doesn’t mean to see God literally with our physical eyes, because no one can see God (Deut. 4:12, John 5:37, 6:46, 1 Tim. 6:16, 1 John 4:12). Even though Moses talked with God face to face (Num. 12:8), he never saw God in HIS essence (Ex. 33:20). Speaking of Moses, Hebrews 11:27 says, “By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” But according to 2 Cor. 3:11-18, we have greater privilege than Moses had. In and through Christ, the glory of God has been revealed to us and we are being transformed into HIS likeness by the Holy Spirit as we behold the glory of the Lord. When Philip asked, “Lord, show us the Father ...” Jesus said, “... Whoever has seen me has seen the Father ...” (John 14:8-9). Our daily fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ by praying and reading the Scripture purifies our heart and enables us to see God who is invisible.

Romans 1:19-20 says, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made …” In other words, God has revealed his own attributes in the nature. One whose heart is purified by the blood of Jesus Christ can understand HIS glory revealed surrounding us and see HIS fingerprints in the nature. In the summery, purity of heart cleanses the eyes of our soul, by which the invisible God becomes visible.

CONCLUSION / APPLICATION

Purity in heart doesn’t means only to be clean, but much more. God purifies our heart by grace when we put our trust in Christ. But we are responsible to look after the purity of heart by practicing holiness in our daily lives. A worldly king or queen cannot be served with impure hands. It would not be acceptable service. If a servant comes with dirty dress to serve in royal palace, he or she is ineligible to attend the service of king or queen. In the same way, Jesus Christ – the king of kings requires that those who want to serve HIM should have clean hands and pure hearts. So purity in heart is an essential qualification to those who are in HIS service. Keeping our heart pure is not always easy.  

Therefore we should pray as King David did in Psalm 51 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”  We need HIS grace and divine help from above to practice purity in our all aspects of our lives.

Let’s pray together!

(This sermon is delivered on 8th July, 2018 at Phulbari Sewa Mandali)