Christian Character - Pure In Heart

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In Matthew 5:8 Jesus says “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”  This is the next Beatitude we will discuss.

When we look up the word “pure” in Strong’s, we see that it means clean and unstained (katharos).  Helps further defines it as “without admixture” and “what is separated (purged), hence "clean" (pure) because unmixed (without undesirable elements)”.

Before we can go further with the word “pure” we need to add context by defining the word “heart” as well.  Heart is never used in the Bible to describe the physical muscle that pumps blood throughout the body, but instead is used figuratively.  When we look in Strong’s we see it defined as “mind, character, inner self, will, intention, and center.”  It is basically who we are.

I think 1 Samuel 16:7 shows that God looks at who we are on the inside.  Samuel was told to go anoint one of Jesse’s sons and Samuel looked at Eliab and based on his outward appearance thought that this was who God wanted anointed.

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

Eventually Samuel anointed the youngest son David.  God chose David because of what he saw within David and not necessarily based on any outward characteristic man could see.  God chose him based on his heart.

In Matthew 15:11 Jesus spoke a parable; “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”  He later explained that parable to his disciples in verses 17-20 when he said:

“Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”

I think this is a good illustration of the word “heart” used to mean who we are.  When we talk about the heart, we are dealing with motivations and attitudes and desires.

We still do not have a clear picture when we look at pure in heart.  When we rephrase it to something like “unmixed or single-minded motivation, attitude, and desire”, we leave it wide open to mean anything.  We could easily take this to mean pure evil instead of pure love.  Therefore, we must also consider that Jesus was speaking here and included “for they shall see God.”

There is only one place where we can see God.  That is in heaven; the kingdom of God.  In Exodus 33:20 we read “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.”  The Bible is pretty clear that looking upon God as a man is certain death.  In fact, the Bible says in Exodus 33:21-23 that God was so careful with Moses that God put him in a crevice and blocked him from seeing God’s glory as he passed by.

“And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: and I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.”

We cannot see God and live.  We can only see Him where he is and that is in heaven.  Since sin does not exist in heaven and according to Romans 3:23 we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God the only way into heaven is through Jesus Christ.  His sacrifice, his blood, washed away our sin making it possible to enter heaven.

This sinless requirement rules out a purity of evil.  The motivation, attitude, and desire must be aligned with what God wants.

Those who are pure in heart are they who have a single-minded motivation, attitude, and desire for that which pleases God.
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