Pure in heart

 Matt. 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. [1]

The Beatitudes: Matthew 5:3–10

[2]

2513 καθαρός [katharos /kath·ar·os/] adj. Of uncertain affinity; TDNT 3:413; TDNTA 381; GK 2754; 28 occurrences; AV translates as “pure” 17 times, “clean” 10 times, and “clear” once. 1 clean, pure. 1a physically. 1a1 purified by fire. 1a2 in a similitude, like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit. 1b in a levitical sense. 1b1 clean, the use of which is not forbidden, imparts no uncleanness. 1c ethically. 1c1 free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt. 1c2 free from every admixture of what is false, sincere genuine. 1c3 blameless, innocent. 1c4 unstained with the guilt of anything. Additional Information: For synonyms see entry 1506, eilikrines.See entry 5840 for comparison of synonyms. [3]

This pureness is not just outwardly, (such as the Pharisees, the outside of the cup) or not just inwardly although I would rather you start from the inside, because it will definitely affect the outside

And if we really see where the pureness is we will see that it is in the heart, (the mind, emotions and the will, or if you will it is the seat of the desires) and if our desires are pure then our actions will be pure

The devil is a master at causing our desires to be less than pure, to be tainted and how much impurity does it take to be impure or less than pure

Now I am not advocating a position of total purity or sinless perfection as some do. In the first place perfection does not mean what they perpetrate it to mean, it means maturity. But one thing we must realize is that when we are allowed to see our impurities, the first thing the devil will try and do is to beat us down in our minds.

Well you say what am I to do seeing I am so impure? Well it is at this point in each of the steps in getting here that we must acknowledge our poorness (confession) and then start on the process back up the ladder of blessedness (happiness), which is the step towards repentance

There is a major lie in the minds of many today and it goes like this, It does not matter how I act because my heart is right,

Well there is a major problem with this, first of all the attitude of “it does not matter” is definitely not a Christ like attitude and if we know what the scripture says we know that it is what is in the heart that cause the outward to act like it does

Matt 15 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. [4]

John 15: 1-5  What we must realize is that Christ not only came to save us from the penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin and salvation although being a specific word, it is also all inclusive of our Christian life

Clean is from the same word as pure

Why are we clean or pure through the word Christ has spoken? Or how can we be?

The how is if we abide in what he has told us to do (it will always coincide with the Word of God) And the why we are clean, because if we are submitting to the Word of God spoken to us then we are not only partaking of his life (as the branch does the vine), but we are dying to ourselves and allowing the life of Christ to be lived out in our daily lives

The most incredible thing about God is that although he has all power and could force us to do anything he wanted. He does not force us to die to ourselves, to turn away from the wickedness, and he does not force us to acknowledge our state of poorness or participate in any of the 9 Blessings put forth here.

What he does do is to arrange our circumstances each and every day to show us our condition and state before him so that we might acknowledge that we have a need. It is at this point that he will come to our aid. This also is the point where our faith shows forth, which is evidenced many times in many of the miracles through the people who came to him with their needs.

As we have already seen in past Sundays we now live in the Laodicean age, which is primarily known by the attitude of “we have no need.” We also know that the word rich in that particular passage does not mean rich in worldly goods, but rich in spiritual goods.

This implies that they were not the poor as is in our current study, they did not realize their current state. Now let us realize that Jesus was speaking to the disciples and not to the lost at this time, so even though we are Christians, we must continually realize our depravity and not become prideful as the Pharisees did. In this Laodicean age the prevalent problem will be our attitude of no need and of how spiritual (rich) we are.

2 Tim 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day[5]

How are we going to obtain or get hold of this purity?



HEB 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water[6]

Sprinkled—to cleanse, to purify---By the blood of Christ—initially only we will know

Evil---wicked or guilty—the result of an evil deed

Conscience---the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad

Is the heart and soul synonymous?

From this scripture it appears that the conscience and the soul are one in the same, but that they both have residence in the heart

2 Tim. 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.[7]

Youthful—age or to what is recent or new, could be an older person wit a new toy

Lust—I must have it at once, especially if it is forbidden, fierceness, passion, anger boiling up,

Ex: when the desire to do or have something creates such a boiling or an unsettledness that if someone or something gets in the way, it causes an anger or an agitation to be seen, when your spirit is unsettled or agitated you must realize that something is wrong

follow---5a to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire, w/o the idea of hostility, no anger.[8]

Righteousness—conformed to the will of God, needing no rectification in the heart or the life

1 Tim 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned[9]

end---purpose, intent, goal, fulfillment

commandment---to transmit a message along from one to another, to declare, announce.[10]

To give instruction

Why is this significant? Because there comes a point in our lives (or it should), that we do not need all the instruction because of our love for God

Why out of a pure heart? Can we truly love from an impure heart?  YES

But there is a major difference and that is an impure heart is trying to serve two masters, while the pure heart is serving one, while having a warfare with the other. One vivid point we must realize is that you can be serving only one master, but that does not mean that the other one is dead and gone

James 1,27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. [11]

Affliction ----45 occurrences; AV translates as “tribulation” 21 times, “affliction” 17 times, “trouble” three times, “anguish” once, “persecution” once, “burdened” once, and “to be afflicted + 1519” once. 1 a pressing, pressing together, pressure. 2 metaph. oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits.[12]

Finally purity of heart, soul and mind does not imply or even state that we will be free from trouble, that we will not face battles in our lives. What it does mean is that in going through these times we will have a pure motive and a proper attitude in them.

FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD

See—to be visible, to appear, to perceive with the mind or to know, unmixed, unadulterated, unalloyed---Matt 6: 19-23 lay up for yourselves treasures---thine eye be single

Verse 24—no man can serve two masters

There are two implications in this word see---the one being that God will be visible to us, will appear to us and that we will perceive with the mind and know it.

In order for this to be we must have a single eye and not trying to serve two masters, that is in our hearts our sole desire is to glorify God and not to satisfy the flesh

How can we see God? 

How many of you have seen God? I think we have, but we just didn’t realize it.

 I put forth this point and that is, as we walk with God in our daily lives through the circumstances that are allowed to pass our way, we will see the life of Christ, who is the eternal God, being lived out in our lives and if our thinking is correct and not pharisaic, we will attribute that to the grace of God, to God himself and not to our own goodness or our ability to think positive.

In this way we can actually say that we have seen God. We have seen the power of God and the life of God evidenced in the very life we live.

So as we have briefly studied this beatitude we see that it is in this step of purity that we begin to see the very God we are to be serving

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[1]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 . Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA

[2]Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. 1987. The teacher's commentary. Includes index. Victor Books: Wheaton, Ill.

adj adj: adjective

TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

TDNTA Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume

GK Goodrick-Kohlenberger

AV Authorized Version

[3]Strong, J. 1996. The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the test of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) . Woodside Bible Fellowship.: Ontario

[4]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 . Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA

[5]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 . Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA

[6]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 . Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA

[7]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 . Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA

[8]Strong, J. 1996. The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the test of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) . Woodside Bible Fellowship.: Ontario

[9]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 . Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA

[10]Strong, J. 1996. The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the test of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) . Woodside Bible Fellowship.: Ontario

[11]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 . Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA

AV Authorized Version

[12]Strong, J. 1996. The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the test of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) . Woodside Bible Fellowship.: Ontario