Daily Dose: Blessed Are
Blessed Are: The Pure In Heart - Part 6
Matthew 5:8 (ESV)
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Purity is often reduced to outward behaviour, but Jesus goes deeper than appearance. He does not say blessed are those who appear pure before people. He says blessed are the pure in heart.
In Scripture, the heart represents the inner person: desires, motives, thoughts, intentions, affections, convictions, and worship. A person may appear disciplined outwardly while inwardly being ruled by pride, lust, bitterness, selfish ambition, hypocrisy, or hidden sin.
Jesus exposed outward religion without inward surrender. Matthew 23:27 (ESV) says, “You are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones.”
Joseph gives a powerful picture of purity when Potiphar's wife tempted him. Genesis 39:9 (ESV) says, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” His decision was about honouring God when no one else was watching.
After his repentance, David prayed for inner cleansing. Psalm 51:10 (ESV) says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
The pure in heart are not people pretending they never struggle. They are people who keep bringing their hearts honestly before God and refuse to make peace with sin.