01.27.2021
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8).
We come to the sixth of the Beatitudes, those pithy sayings with which Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount. They are intended to be a picture of the righteous life. They point the way to godliness.
As we have considered the first five Beatitudes (verses 3-7), we found that godliness starts with an honest assessment of yourself before a holy God. Recognizing your sin and His holiness, you mourn over your seemingly hopeless plight. Then you meekly, humbly submit yourself to His righteousness provided through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. It is your only hope. Having received His righteousness, your heart then yearns for more. Your life is changed as you begin to show mercy to others around you.
Blessed are the pure in heart. When a person becomes righteous through the work of the Lord Jesus, he not only has a different attitude toward others, but His whole attitude toward God changes.
The background to our text today is found in Psalm 24. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD; who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands and a pure heart.
First century Judaism placed emphasis on external ritual purity. There was a great deal of hand and vessel washing. Here Jesus is emphasizing internal purity. No man can make his own heart pure. Who can say, “I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin? (Proverbs 20:9)
A clean heart brings peace with God. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).
The word ‘pure’ also contains the idea of being ‘unmixed. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8).
…for they shall see God. What does this mean? How do we see God? The Word tells us that no man can see God and live. So this must be talking about a fuller understanding of God. Let me suggest four ways that a person who knows God can more fully ‘see’ God.
First, in His Creation. The heavens declare the glory of God… (Psalm 19:1). All about us, in the earth and sky, in the microscopic and telescopic worlds, we can see God and His handiwork.
Second, we see God in His Word. He, of course, is the Author of the Word. Though he used many different men with different backgrounds, from different cultures and different perspectives, every word was ‘moved along’ by the Holy Spirit.
Third, we can see God in our circumstances. He reveals to His children daily His power, justice, pleasure, tenderness and wisdom. He is a loving God who cares deeply for those who have come to trust under His wings.
Ultimately, the child of God will see God in heaven. Job, who likely lived during the days of Isaac and Jacob, understood this. For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and although after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:25, 26).
The sixth step in the life of godliness is a pure heart. Where are you along the path of righteousness? Please don’t hesitate to let me know if I can be of any help to you.