Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8

This post is out of sync with the other beatitudes. I was multitasking and hit the wrong button. But here you go. Better out of sync than not at all. Thanks for understanding.

The word heart in Hebrew and in Greek is typically not referring solely to emotions but to the mind, will and emotions – the inner life. So, purity of heart signifies not so much a person without sin but a singleness of heart in devotion to God.  Their greatest desire is to see God.

Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous—possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God! Matthew 5:8  AMP

Pure — in Greek is Strong’s #2513 Clean or pure.

1. Physically
2. Purified by fire — Like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit
3. In a Levitical sense–the use of that which is not forbidden.
4. Ethically– free from sin, guilt, sincere, or blameless

Here is the definition — freedom from defilement of the flesh and the world

Heart – is Greek is Strong’s # 2588. It is defined as the center of all physical and spiritual life.

1. The soul or mind, as it is the fountain and source of the thoughts, passions, emotions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, and endeavors.
2. The seat of the intelligence and understanding
3. The will and character

Colossians 3:22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.

Pure of Heart: No mixture, not double-minded, no impure thoughts, not deceitful or hypocritical.

To have a pure heart is not only to speak pure words and have pure actions but to have pure motives and intent.  We can talk a pure life and act in purity but still hold impure motives and intent in our hearts.  In Psalm 139:23-24  The Spirit searches our heart. It is His job to recreate us in the image of God, but it is our job to cooperate with Him.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

But what does God consider wicked?

Our conception of wickedness is different than God’s.  We see wicked people involved in terrible things like human trafficking, murder, high level deception, etc.  But God sees wickedness with a broader stroke.  He considers those not walking in accordance with His word as wicked as well. 

Wicked people value their own opinions or the opinions and guidelines of others more than they do God’s truth.  

Wickedness has to do with anything that places itself above God’s Word or His Spirit in our words or deeds. 

When we put our will above God’s will, people pleasing, chasing after fame and fortune we are displaying evidences of an impure heart.

To see more about the meaning of this word ‘wicked,’ check out the end of this post.

And in Hebrew the meaning corresponds with the Greek definition.  Heart in Hebrew is #3834 and it means inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, and understanding.  It appears 231 times in the Old Testament.

Psalm 24:3-4  Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.

Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Psalm 51:10-11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

When the prophet Samuel went to anoint David as the future king, Jesse lined up all his sons except David. Samuel looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. Forthe Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:6-7

Ezekiel 11:19 KJV And, I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

The NIV puts it this way,  I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

The word ‘heart’ appears in the New Testament 160 times.  Consider these verses in line with how ‘heart’ was defined

Struggle to keep a pure heart:

Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Mark 7:6 ‘This people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Acts 2:44-47 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity (singleness– KJV) of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Blessings of a pure heart—

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

Revelation 22:1-4   And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. ² In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³ And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. ⁴ They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

Paul writes:

I Corinthians 13:12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

May we daily pray David’s prayer–

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Shalom my friends. Just remember, It’s not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD. Zechariah 4:6 Holy Spirit is the only one who can direct and empower us. Spend time with Him daily. ♥

Photo by Teo Lê on Unsplash