Purity Is Not An Assurity

Hi there, my name is Tony and today we’re going to continue our study of the beatitudes and how it applies to our lives.

This study has special meaning for me because the Celebrate Recovery program that I attend  is based entirely on the beatitudes.

CR is a 12-step Christ Centered program for life’s hurts habits and hang ups. If you are struggling with drugs, alcohol, anger, depression, anxiety or any of life’s pitfalls I encourage you to find a CR group and see what it’s all about.

Our verse for today is, Matthew 5:8 ESV – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Could you imagine seeing almighty God face to face.

For some, that will be a glorious experience and for others trembling and fear will consume them. The very state of your heart will determine whether your eternal journey will be a blessing or a curse. Yet for the pure in heart this joyous occasion will have to wait until they leave this world. 

John 1:18 NKJV – 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

So how do we prepare our hearts for the journey that awaits us?

How can we be truly pure in heart? Let’s take a look at a few verses that should encourage us and guide us to that pure heart. First,

Psalm 51:9-10 NKJV –

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,  and renew a steadfast spirit within me

If we have a clean heart the dirt and corruption of this world does not dwell within us. Just like pure gold, all the impurities have been removed and nothing remains but that which is purified. If that refining process did not occur, that gold is useless. The second part of this verse says to renew a steadfast spirit within me. We need to be steadfast in our faith. Never wavering or wandering to those dark places. We need to continue to look to the cross and not the things of this world. 

Next, 

1 Peter 1:22 NKJV – 2 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

We are purified when we obey the truth.

That truth is God’s word which should dwell in us richly. In order to serve God, His word, His truth needs to be a part of who we are. Because it is impossible to truly love someone when we don’t have a pure heart. That love will be tainted and fall short of that sincere love for our brethren. This verse calls us to love fervently. That passion and desire to love without restraint cannot be present when we have an impure heart. If God’s truth is not in you, then your truth becomes whatever you want to make it. Your desires and love become the desires and love of this world. This world is corrupt. A pure heart cannot exist in those who seek the things of this world. The following verse is something we can relate to. We’ve all been there. The  temptations that accompany those who are young and foolish or those adults that have never moved beyond those youthful passions.

2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV – Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

We read that we should flee youthful lusts and passions. It doesn’t say just slowly walk away from them.

But rather flee from those things.This verse has a sense of urgency about it. Don’t put it off until tomorrow, but flee from the passions and the lusts that want to consume you.  Next it calls us to pursue or follow after righteousness, faith, love, and peace. We cannot have any of this if we call on the Lord without a pure heart. Righteousness is being in right standing with God. If we seek what is right in our own minds, then we have chosen to take a path that leads to separation from God. Where do we place our faith? Do we put our faith in what we can obtain through worldly pursuits like wealth, possessions or what we can achieve in this life? True faith lies in complete surrender to God’s will for our lives. Doing what He calls us to do, even though it may not appear to be the best option at that time. Faith is believing God is who He says He is. Love is the very essence of God. So if we do not share the love of Christ with those around us, we have darkened our hearts and fallen short in our pursuit of purity. Again, peace becomes an unobtainable mirage when we don’t pursue righteousness, faith and love with a pure heart. 

Our childlike innocence is gone and our eyes have been opened to the realities of this sinful world. We can never go back to that blissful naive innocence.  As adults we are fully aware of our sinful behavior and can no longer plead innocence. But we can strive for purity. We can actively make the choice to fill our hearts and minds with the things of God and not wander into the dark places that once consumed us.

2 Corinthians 11:3 Voice

But now I’m afraid that as that serpent tricked Eve with his wiles, so your hearts and minds will be tricked and you will stray from the single-minded love and pure devotion to Him.

Don’t be tricked. Satan wants to take you out.

We need to have that single-minded love. A love that is focused entirely on our Lord and Savior. Pure devotion means not letting your mind wander to the things of your past.  Our purity is not an assurity. It is a purposeful and resolute reliance on God. 

1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

Christ is wisdom.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t we want to pursue a relationship with Christ so that we too can obtain wisdom. For out of His wisdom Christ made us right with God. We need Christ’s wisdom in order to have that relationship. In so doing we have obtained purity and a right standing with God. We are holy and no longer slaves to sin. Amen.

This concludes today’s lesson. 

As always I’d like to thank you for listening and may you have a week full of opportunities to share this good news with those that need to hear it. Let’s just go to the Lord in prayer.

Heavenly Father we just thank you for this day. Lord, we just thank you for your Son and his wisdom. Lord may we seek that wisdom daily so that we too can have that purity of heart. Father our souls yearn for that day that we may see you face to face. Let us strive in this life to have that single minded love and pure devotion to you. May all that we do bring honor and glory to your name. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.