Blessed are the pure in heart

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph on April 11, 2010. Happy Reading!)

Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount, the most treasured principles to Christian living - a life full of meaning and happiness. He started the Sermon with the beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 and ended His Sermon in Matthew chapter 7 with the example of two men – one wise and the other foolish. The wise man built his house upon the rock; the rains came, the floods rose and the wind beat upon that house – and it stood firm. But, the foolish man built his house on the sand; the rains came, the floods rose and the wind beat on that house and it fell. And great was its fall.

We all understand and know that we have to face turbulence and storms in our lives. And this we ought to know, that obedience to Christ is what will make our life meaningful and our house to stand firm. Those who hear his words and do it are like that wise man!

Jesus taught them beginning with the beatitudes: BLESSED {HAPPY | REALLY TO BE ENVIED} are those who do these things…Yes, true happiness is found in following the simple rules – the beatitudes. Of all that Jesus spoke on that Mount, I would like to share just one this Sunday morning…It’s found in Matt. 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”

Pure? Me?

Yes. YOU! Blessed {Happy} are those who are pure in heart…What a contrast to the world system that teaches, worldly pleasures- desires and impurity bring you happiness. But are you content being pure in the body? Are you satisfied that you have preserved yourself from committing adultery? Hear what Jesus says in that same chapter – Matt 5:27, 28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Pure? How?

Well… as it is said, the heart of the matter is in the matter of the heart…Purity in heart. Blessed are those who are pure in heart. Jesus has raised the bar for moral standards that calls for purity in thought and purity in heart.

Proverbs 4: 23-27 says this: “Keep your heart with all diligence. For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left; remove your foot from evil.”

Watch over your own heart. The passage implores us to keep a watch over what we speak, what we see, and where we walk. The matter of the heart is also found in our speech. It is written …for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). Therefore we know that this is our Christian standard; a standard higher and superior to what we see around us in this world – Purity in heart, in what we speak, in what we see and where we walk.

Pure? But why?

2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” We are called to be people who have the fear of God in our hearts and therefore work in perfecting holiness.
1 John 3:3 says, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure”. Everyone who has this hope - of seeing Jesus again…purifies Himself. That is why it is written, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

God’s stand and will has remained unchanged over ages…from the Old Testament to the New, the same command echoes over and over “Be holy for I am Holy”. Among a perverse and wicked generation we are called to be the torch-bearers- the shining stars. We have a conscience in our own spirit and are convicted if we stray. Paul says that he lived a life with good conscience before God (Acts 23:1).

Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” The book of Proverbs abounds with the phrase ‘fear of the Lord’ (e.g. Prov 14: 26, 27). From Genesis to Revelation we are instructed in the importance of purity….and finally in Revelation we read a strange ending to the call to purity…He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still… (Rev. 22:11).

Pure? Possible?

YES! 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8 says, “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.” Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, where there is uncleanness and sexual immorality that was even condoned. He exhorts them saying we who know God must conduct ourselves in sanctification and honor (v4, 5)…and Paul concludes saying we are not alone and helpless in our quest for purity; that we have a Helper who will help us in our sanctification – even God’s Holy Spirit.

Salvation is free; we have received the forgiveness of sins freely when we believed. And now we are called to live a holy life in Christ Jesus. Purity in our heart needs our effort. Paul writes to Timothy, “Pursue righteousness, godliness…” (1 Tim. 6:11).

Do you desire to be holy, but find no real strength to follow through? We can pray for God’s help. Jesus commanded his disciples to Watch and Pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26: 41). And we must remain alert – never to let our guard down… for the flesh to take over or to fall into temptation… Speak, see and walk with an alert mind and keep your foot from evil; that you may remain pure and holy.

David was a man after God’s own heart…He was passionate about the things concerning God and His Kingdom. He would compose and sing psalm after psalm, in his victory and in his pain; in his ups as well as downs of life…trusting, hoping in God. His life remained an exemplary exhibition of faith, courage and a deep love for God…except for one evening when he saw, spoke and walked the path to evil…and we know how he fell.

No one is exempted from the pursuit of holiness in the Christian life here on earth! I pray, that our hearts may be open to receive His word and that we may experience the blessedness that comes because of the purity in heart. The purest man who ever live on this planet earth – Jesus Himself says, “Blessed are the pure in heart…”; Surely He found the blessedness being pure and we now follow His example.

There is an adversary out there, to lure and to trap. But we will watch and be alert. We will stand firm, and not fall, for we do His will…We will keep our foot from evil and flee youthful lusts…God is watching over us and we will conduct ourselves in the fear of God…We are not alone but we have a Helper who will help us-Holy Spirit…We have a hope of seeing Jesus again and therefore we pursue holiness… Purity in thought and purity in heart is what Jesus called us to, and that is what we do…

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

May God help us to have a blameless conscience, before Him, all our days here on earth. Amen.