Holy Heart Check

The term “pure” is the Greek word katharos, a noun form of katharizo, which means to ‘cleanse from filth and iniquity.’ In a moral sense, it means “to be free from sin.” Katharos is akin to the Latin word castus, which is the root of the English word chaste. In medicine, a catheter is used to cleanse a wound. When people go to a counselor or a psychologist, they often endeavor to have a catharsis, or a soul cleansing. In a real sense, the word, “Pure” in Matthew 5:8 simply means “to be cleansed.” On the other side of the coin, the word pure suggest that which is ‘unmixed.’ It is said that something pure is unalloyed, unadulterated, uncontaminated and unmixed—a foreign element has not been added to it. And in applying this Beatitude, Christ is saying, ‘I’m going after a heart that is unmixed in its devotion and motives.’ In this sense, the idea and notion of purity would have to do with the reality of spiritual integrity and singleness of heart as opposed to double-mindedness and dual allegiance.

II. THE PRACTICE OF THE PURE IN HEART

A person with a passion for purity is one who has been cleansed in character so that the way he or she looks in public is the way he or she is in private. As someone has said, “character is what you are when no one is looking.” Jesus is saying that the one who is single-minded in his commitment to Christ will also be inwardly pure. We see this in Psalm 24:3-4 when he asks: “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who will stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…”

Here are three ways to work on having a pure heart.

1) REMEMBER that God is watching your heart.

Here’s my question: do you really understand that you have no secrets God doesn’t know? Prov. 5:21- " For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths." In Matt. 6 Jesus uses this phrase three different times, (verses 4, 6 & 18) "..the Father, who sees what is done in secret.." In other words, we never surprise God. He sees and knows every thought, every longing, every deed. Does that bother you? To realize that God knows every thing you think, feel and do? It bothers me sometimes. Have you ever seen a small child put their hands over their eyes and by doing so think that since they can’t see you then you can’t see them. You know, they stand in full view, put their hands over their eyes and say, "Try and find me." Well, that’s the picture we should have if we think God doesn’t see. He knows everything! No matter how dark, how secret, no matter how obscure... He knows. And yet often we think if no one on earth knows then God won’t... we can sin in obscurity? Hebrews 4:13- "Nothing in all of creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." One practical way to work on having a pure heart is to remember that passage - God sees everything. Why try to fake it if God already knows? I mean, I might be able to fool others, but I can never fool God. And yet, here’s what blows me away! God sees everything I do, He knows everything I’m going to do and yet He still loves me, He stills wants me, He still pursues me!