Clean hands and a pure heart meaning4/9/2024 ![]() Isaiah realised that impurity of heart would hinder his relationship with God. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). It is only those who have been thus cleansed who will see God. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). We will look at our responsibility in the second part of this study, but it should be abundantly clear that it is impossible to worship God with an impure heart. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” (Psalm 24:3-5). How can any person think that he or she has salvation without being willing for God do this work of heart cleansing in them? If they are willing, surely there must be the corresponding effect in their lives! “ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8). “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. All that is necessary is for us to come to the Lord and be willing to do what He requires of us. “ And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). Someone who has been born again cries out for God to do this and He give them the strength to withstand all temptations and to live according to His word. “ Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you” (Ezekiel 36:25). He is able, upon repentance, to rid us of all the idols we have enthroned in our hearts. We cannot achieve it through religion, morality or good deeds. This is where purity of heart begins, but the Bible also explains how it can be maintained.įirst and foremost we have to accept that the cleansing of the heart from sin is the work of God alone. “Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). Therefore purity of heart is found in those who have truly repented of their sin. ![]() “ A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” God is the one who makes our hearts pure – by the sacrifice of His Son and through His sanctifying work in our lives (see also 1 John 3:1-3).“ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).Ī pure heart is one that has been cleansed from sin through the sacrificial blood of Christ, since those who accept Him have been given a new heart. The only way we can be truly pure in heart is to give our lives to Jesus and ask Him to do the cleansing work. It is more than an external purity of behavior it is an internal purity of soul. The pure heart is marked by transparency and an uncompromising desire to please God in all things. A pure heart has no hypocrisy, no guile, no hidden motives. ![]() So, to be pure in heart means to be blameless in who we actually are.īeing pure in heart involves having a singleness of heart toward God. It is where thoughts, desires, sense of purpose, will, understanding, and character reside. But it also refers to the spiritual center of life. This can be applied to the physical heart. The Greek word for “heart” in Matthew 5:8 is kardeeah. Those who are truly “pure,” then, are those who have been declared innocent because of the work of Jesus and who are being sanctified by His refining fire and His pruning. For a vine to produce fruit, it must be pruned. Jesus refers to believers as being the branches and to Himself as being the vine (John 15:1-17). Malachi speaks of the Messiah as being like a “refiner’s fire” (Malachi 3:2). John the Baptist told people that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). It means to be “clean, blameless, unstained from guilt.” Interestingly, the word can refer specifically to that which is purified by fire or by pruning. The Greek word for “pure” in Matthew 5:8 is katharos. Jesus spoke this during His famous Sermon the Mount. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).
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