Purity of Heart

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Purity of Heart ------------------- Date: 7/7/2003
Keywords: “purity”
Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation.

The Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount will be the basis for the next several days’ worth of eXXit studies. The Lord preached the Sermon on the Mount to both serious disciples and to curious onlookers. Regardless of which camp you are in right now, you will find help in your struggle for purity in Jesus’ words.

Passage: Matthew 5:3-8*

3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (see eXXit study for June 30)

7. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

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

Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus promises blessing/happiness to those who are pure "in heart" rather than to those who are pure "in action"?

 

2. Does Jesus have in mind somebody who is completely pure? 99 44/100% pure? 51% pure?

 

Practical help

In point of fact, purity in the absolute is something that awaits our arrival in Heaven. Nobody makes it to total purity in this life. We all struggle with mixed motives and impure thoughts. From time to time, we all fail in some measure and to some degree with the outworking of purity in our actions.

So, is Jesus holding up an impossible standard for us to achieve, mocking us with the unattainable hope of seeing God, knowing full well that we won’t ever be pure enough to get the view we long for in this life? Nope.

Purity of heart is the gift of God, given to a man on the day he places his trust in Jesus for salvation. The pure in heart, Jesus promises here, will see God. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. This is the future blessedness/happiness of the man (or, of course, the woman) who is saved.

It only makes sense, then, that we who have come to faith in Jesus and have been given a pure, forgiven, cleansed heart should lead a life consistent with who we now are: a life of purity!

Porn strugglers, put aside the filthy stuff! It makes no sense for someone with a cleansed heart to continue to pollute it with smut. You will one day see God — prepare for that day by purifying yourself this day!

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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."