Blessed are the pure in heart

A Beatitude is an announcement of an existing state.  

Jesus is giving us declarations of who we are in him and the promise that results from that state.

Blessed are the Pure in Heart for they shall see God-Matthew 5:8

1.) How can we be pure in heart

Without having the understanding of what Christ did for us on the cross this beatitude would seem impossible.  Who among us has the capacity to be pure in heart?  However, Let’s remember our earlier definition of beatitude as an announcement of an existing state.  Good News!  Jesus had made me pure in heart so that means I don’t have to do anything right?  Not exactly.  

“There are several Greek verbs for observing.  Greeks have been called “people of the eye.”  Their approach to reality is primarily visual.  But Greek influenced by Hebrew thought is not simply about recording what is visible.  The Hebrew influence requires that what is seen is also understood.  Yeshua is saying that the pure in heart rejoice because they truly see.” Skip Moen PhD

Our understanding that comes from seeing causes us to change the way we make choices.  We see what God sees is best for us and we adjust our choices accordingly.  This is the development of Godly character.

The greek word used for pure is the word “katharos”; it refers to ritual cleansing.  Does that mean we have have to do religious things to make us pure?  Of course not, our righteousness will never measure up.  

“For hundreds of years religious purification rituals dominated Jewish religion.  The distinction between “clean” and “unclean” was so important that it was inseperable from belief in God. Unless a Jew was clean in the ritual sense, he could have no part in the ceremony of worship.”-Skip Moen PhD

2.) New Covenant Context

Bill Johnson makes a great distinction of what happens when we apply the New Covenant to our understanding of purity of heart.  In the Old Testament if you touched a leper you were considered unclean and you would have to perform some ritual of cleansing.  In the New Testament when you touch the leper, the leper is cleansed as demonstrated by Jesus many times.  Jesus came to make all of this practical but it doesn’t mean that I’m just blinding thinking something it is a belief that changes my behavior.  Too often we think that if we know something it is good enough, the message of the New Covenant is that if I know something I’m responsible to model that belief.  

3.) Purity of Heart is a gift

A gift in Hebrew thought is not a possession.  It is a tool.  In order to change things, it has to be used.  Faith grows as it operates on what it has seen.  Seeing what heaven sees should inspire me to change my behavior and resulting choices.  It’s not enough to know it we must do something with the knowledge we’ve received.  

“A pure heart comes from the combination of godly gift and human effort. How do we know this? Because we are called to be like Him, and the only way that can happen is if we act like Him.”-Skip Moen PhD