Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the Pure in heart!
Hi as you know we’ve been wandering through the beatitudes, well today’s beatitude or the blessing that Jesus talks about is “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.”
There’s been an interesting discovery this week in the science world and it’s that they have discovered particles that travel faster than the speed of light. Now they will have to rewrite the text books, Albert Einstein was a little off the mark it seems.
There is also a discovery about our species that many already know but requires some clarification. Now this ties in with this verse about the pure in heart , it is that there are two subspecies of Homo sapiens. These subspecies have been known by mankind their fellow “Homo sapiens or Knowing man” for many years; well at least two thousand years since the pure in heart were first seen as a distinct group. They are Homo sapiens (selffocusedamii) and Homo sapiens (purein hearteii). Before we go any further lets just have a look at a power point which shows the distinct physical features of each subspecies.
These subspecies have not as yet been researched by science but are definitely known to people who encounter each of them.
Often the selffocusedamii is known by the damage it leaves behind it, damage to individuals-others of it’s species it encounters and its environment, taking what it can and not contributing other than to fill its own pocket, get what it wants or feed its ego but it can lead a very quiet existence which only seems to result in harm to a small number and itself; whereas the pure in hearteii, gives of itself and contributes to its surroundings and those who it encounters.
As you see the specimen on the left, Homo sapiens (selffocusedamii) and the specimen on the right Homo sapiens (purein hearteii) are both stunning examples of the adult male of their particular subspecies, [pp exactly the same photo of myself] both are really quite indistinguishable from one another at first glance.
These subspecies do however live together in community often with selffocusedamii taking what it can from other selffocusedamii and purein hearteii. Strangely the Homo sapiens species there are occurrences of some individuals fitting into both subspecies; often there is a dynamic life change that can occur that means that members of the subspecies selffocusedamii change subspecies to purein hearteii. Also while it is rare purein hearteii can revert to selffocusedamii.
Some individuals having rested for a night can wake up unsure as to which sub species they are that day and in their confusion usually revert to Homo sapiens selffocusedamii. Let’s have a closer look at each subspecies.
Homo sapiens (selffocusedamii) as a subspecies it is all about the individual, while able to coexist with other Homo sapiens this creature is self focused and if something gets in the way of what it wants it is quickly cast aside, they have a theme tune that they play over in their heads, ‘it’s all about me’ or ‘I did it my way’ appear to be the most popular. On seeing something that they want it becomes their precious, these creatures are driven by a desire to possess, sometimes a thing, some times a feeling, sometimes a status, some times another member of either subspecies, often there is a need for these creatures to just be in control to the detriment of others, control of the TV remote, the money, the thinking of others, selffocusedamii have a tendency to act out their feelings.
Often as individuals these creatures are angry with authority figures, God in particular if they know of him, some even say they follow him, but they are angry with him because of some wrong that came about through the sin of another of their sub species or as a result of the fall of the original Homo sapiens; the first Knowing Man and woman who first knew the difference between good and evil.
Homo sapiens (selffocusedamii) are never completely happy, they are often confused by their motives, sometimes they are found voicing their thoughts to the horror of those around them of either subspecies, and they will refuse assistance to resolve issues that trap them in their (selffocusedamii) existence, for selffocusedamii know best.
Homo sapiens (Purein hearteii) on the other hand is creature that by and large that has been freed from its selffocusedamii existence, I said by and large because there is a as I have mentioned earlier some individuals who seem to exist as both sub species at the same time. It has been suggested that these are a separate and third sub species Homo sapiens (sittingondafencamii) [PP Me sitting on a fence] some times referred to as (lukewarmamii) [pp just looking confused]. Because of this groups ability to exist in either subspecies group they are never really any use in the purein hearteii group because they aren’t pure in heart.
So you may be wondering what does a purein hearteii really look like?
i) From the original language of ‘He’ who spoke of the “blessed pure in heart”, pure means ‘clean’. In the same way that dirty clothes are cleaned, the pure in heart have been cleaned.
ii) Also from the original language this word pure is used to refer to grain that has had all of it’s outer layers removed, and being clean is now useful in cooking. It can also refer to an army whose soldiers are free from discontent or unwillingness to fight.
iii) Often it is used to refer to a pure amount of something such as milk, creamy and full bodied that has not been watered down it is the real thing. Not mixed with anything else.
So these pure in hearteii, these blessed pure in heart it’s been said that this could be said about them, “Blessed are those whose motives are always unmixed for they shall see God.” (Adapted from William Barcley: Matthew)
So where do these pure in heart see God?
They see him in a number of places which for the selffocusedamii comes as a surprise because the pure in heart are often in the same places seeing God and the selffocusedamii just don’t see him, how could this be?
The apostle Paul who was himself a particularly self focused selffocusedamii who became a purein hearteii by very dramatic means said this, “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)
So it appears that to become ‘pure in heart’ takes a belief in God, then not only is this belief, but with the belief occurs something that changes a person into someone who is pure in heart. A little later we might have a look at how this comes about.
But back to the purein hearteii, where is it they see God?
1) The pure in heart see God in creation, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
From the smallest creature to the largest [pp’s], the pure in heart see the hand of God at work, they see his sustaining hand and they see the wonder of his mighty hand at work. The pure in heart will see God!
2) They also see him in what he has done through the ages for his people and they celebrate the freedom he brings. For instance Psalm 66 tells of seeing God in the Exodus, in the leading of a nation to freedom, with these words,”Come and see what the Lord has done, how awesome his works in mans behalf! He turned the sea to dry land, they passed through the waters on foot – come, let us rejoice in him.” (Psalm 66:5-7) The pure in heart will see God!
3) The pure in heart see God in Jesus, Jesus said this, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7) an interesting thing about that is not only do they see God as God but they also see him as God the Father, their heavenly Father, a father who wants an eternal loving relationship with them. The pure in heart will see God!
4) The pure in heart, have an understanding of God that means that they see life in a different way that it is not all about them, they see that in treating others how they themselves would like to be treated, that they are actually serving God. This thing called “the golden rule” by some, these words of Jesus “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12). This is probably the most distinguishing feature of the two subspecies as the focus comes off self and onto others God can also be seen at work in the lives of other people. Once this is achieved in the life of a Homo sapiens selffocusedamii they are not likely to remain part of that subspecies for long. The pure in heart are blessed for they will see God!
5) For the pure in heart then begin to know of their place in the eternal scheme of things, of their place with God in eternity, Job who was renowned for his pureness of heart had this to say about it, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes I, -and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27)
The pure in heart see that they have a place in God’s creation that is eternal.
They see that because they are focused on God that they will see him, in eternity! The pure in heart will see God!
As you know I’ve used my imagination a little today and that while there are not really two subspecies of humans there is a distinct difference though between the pure in heart and the self focused, almost to the point that there could be two different types of humans walking the earth. Jesus said that “not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
To do this focus on God not self, for the pure in heart see God this is their blessing!
