"Very solemn and searching is this sixth Beatitude, for it equally condemns most of that which now passes current for genuine religion in Christendom. How many today rest satisfied with a head religion, supposing that all is well if their creed be sound; and how many more have nothing better than a hand religion--busily engaged in what they term ‘Christian service.’ ‘But the Lord looketh on the heart’ (1 Samuel 16:7) ... " (Arthur Pink)
The Bible puts a great deal of emphasis on the heart. No doubt the Lord included this sixth Beatitude, as well as other remarks which we will discuss later in these lessons, because of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. The most common charge leveled against the Pharisees by the Lord was that they had a keen interest in the outside of the pots and platters, but they blatantly ignored the inside. When viewed externally, the Pharisees had it altogether and were found to be without spot. But inwardly they were, to quote the Lord, "full of hypocrisy and iniquity" (Matthew 23:28). They were guilty of omitting "the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith" (Matthew 23:23), while they were most concerned about the external injunctions of religion.
When the Lord said, "Blessed are the pure in heart", He was pronouncing blessedness on those who are pure at the very center of their being, at the very source of their every activity, not those who are merely pure on the surface. May we keep in mind that "the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."
I. THE PERCEPTION OF PURITY
A pure heart is one that is:
A. Free from Corruption
1. In one sense, to be "pure in heart" means to be clean; to be without blemish.
2. This initial cleansing of the soul takes place at the time of salvation (Acts 15:9; Romans 6:17-18; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:22).
3. In order to keep our heart clean or "pure" we must acknowledge our sin and seek God’s forgiveness daily (Psalm 51:2-3, 5-6, 10; 1 John 1:7, 9).
B. Fixed on Christ
1. Another sense in which it means to be "pure in heart" is to be without hypocrisy; to be single-minded; to have unmixed motives.
2. Psalm 86:11
a. The desire of the Psalmist was to learn the way of the Lord and His way only. He wasn’t interested in learning any other way. Once he learned the right way, David was willing to commit himself to walking in that way. He was committed to living a life that conformed to the Scriptures. But he knew that in order to follow a single path it would take a single heart, so he prayed "unite my heart." The word "unite" means "to be or become one." (Compare Hosea 10:2)
b. Even David knew the danger of having a divided heart. A divided heart results in an unstable life (James 1:8).
3. To be "pure in heart" our foremost desire must be to please the Lord and to follow Him, and nothing must be allowed to interfere with the fulfillment of that desire (Luke 16:13; 1 Corinthians 10:21; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15; Revelation 3:15-16).
II. THE PLACE OF PURITY
A. The Heart Defined
1. In the Bible, the word "heart" means the center of man’s personality. It is used in reference to man’s intellect, will, and emotions.
2. Intellect - Mark 2:8
3. Will - Daniel 1:8
4. Emotions - John 14:1
B. The Heart Described
1. The heart can be proud - Proverbs 18:12
2. The heart can be pure - Proverbs 22:11
3. The heart can be heavy - Proverbs 11:25
4. The heart can be sick - Proverbs 13:12
5. The heart can be bitter - Proverbs 14:10
6. The heart can be sorrowful - Proverbs 14:13
7. The heart can be merry - Proverbs 15:13,15; 17:22
8. The heart can be fretful - Proverbs 19:3
9. The heart can be envious - Proverbs 23:17
10. The heart can trust - Proverbs 31:11
11. The heart can lust - Proverbs 6:25
12. The heart can be faint - Genesis 45:26
13. The heart can be willing - Exodus 35:5
14. The heart can be discouraged - Numbers 32:7
15. The heart can be trembling - Deuteronomy 28:65
16. The heart can be disquieted - Psalm 38:8
17. The heart can be hot - Psalm 39:3
18. The heart can be contrite - Psalm 51:17
19. The heart can be overwhelmed - Psalm 61:2
20. The heart can be smitten - Psalm 102:4
21. The heart can be wounded - Psalm 109:22
22. The heart can be broken - Psalm 147:3
23. The heart can melt - Ezekiel 21:7
24. The heart can be hardened - Exodus 8:15
25. The heart can be obstinate - Deuteronomy 2:30
26. The heart can be grieved - Deuteronomy 15:10
27. The heart can forgive - Matthew 18:35
28. The heart can love the Lord - Matthew 22:37
29. The heart can doubt - Mark 11:23
30. The heart can be troubled - John 14:1
31. The heart can be pricked - Acts 2:37
32. The heart can be anguished - 2 Corinthians 2:4
33. The heart can be condemned - 1 John 3:20
34. The devil can put thoughts into the heart - John 13:2; Acts 5:3
35. The heart must be guided in the right way - Proverbs 23:19
36. The heart must be kept with all diligence - Proverbs 4:23
37. The heart must be fixed to give praise to God - Psalm 57:7
38. The heart must be fixed to trust in the Lord - Psalm 112:7
39. The heart of fallen man is desperately wicked - Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 22:15; Matthew 15:18-20
40. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the heart of the child of God - 2 Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 4:6
41. God know’s the secrets of man’s heart - Psalm 44:21; Luke 16:15; Acts 1:24; 15:8
42. God can create a clean heart in man - Psalm 51:10
43. The Lord tries the heart - Jeremiah 11:20
44. The Lord looks on the heart - 1 Samuel 16:7
45. The Lord ponders the heart - Proverbs 21:2; 24:12
46. The Lord gives understanding to the heart - Job 38:36
47. The Lord opens the heart - Acts 16:19
48. The Lord hardens the heart - Exodus 4:21
49. The Lord searches the heart - Romans 8:27
III. THE PROCESS OF PURITY
A. A Spiritual Process
1. One of the greatest fallacies of modern day thinking is that all we need to do to change the way people are is to change their environment. That simply is not true. Where was it that the first man fell? It was in Paradise, a perfect environment.
2. The Bible teaches us that all of man’s problems come from the heart, a heart, that according to Jeremiah "is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ... " (Jeremiah 17:9).
3. Man’s problem lies at the very center of his being and will not be solved by changing his environment or developing his social skills or increasing his knowledge. Man’s need is for a new heart.
4. The first step in the process of purity is salvation (Acts 15:6-9; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Peter 1:22).
B. A Practical Process
1. Although a person may have experienced the initial cleansing of the soul through salvation, there still exists the need for a daily, practical cleansing of the heart and life (James 4:7-8).
2. The practical process of purifying our hearts is dealt with in the following verses of Scripture:
a. Proverbs 4:23
b. Proverbs 23:19
c. John 15:3; 17:7
d. 2 Corinthians 7:1
e. Colossians 3:5
f. James 1:27
IV. THE PROMISE OF PURITY
Like the other promises associated with these Beatitudes, this one has both a present and future fulfillment.
A. Presently
1. There is a sense in which the "pure in heart" can have a vision of God while they are in this world (Hebrews 11:27).
2. The "pure in heart" see God as they survey the history of the world both past and present.
3. The "pure in heart" see God as He works through the circumstances of their lives as well as the lives of others.
4. The "pure in heart" see God as they sense His presence in their lives.
5. The "pure in heart" see God in the salvation of the lost.
B. Eternally
1. Although it is nice to "see God" in a spiritual sense while we are in this world, and although there is a certain sense of satisfaction in that, we will one day see God "face to face" and will be completely satisfied as we awake with His image (Psalm 17:15).
2. 1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 13:12
3. It is the prospect of one day seeing the Lord face to face that leads to purity of heart (1 John 3:3).
