He Blesses the Pure

 By: Joanne Viola

“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8, NLT)

Jesus, in speaking to the crowd that day, now reminds the people - the pure will see God. They would have immediately understood the implications as they would know all it took for the priests to enter the Temple. Ritual purity and cleansing was required before going in to meet with God.

The psalmist writes:

“Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.” (Psalm 24:3-6, NLT)

This God who required much also made a means for us to meet this requirement through His Son.

Through Christ, we are made righteous. And we are being made righteous (pure) continually as we come before the Cross. We no longer live stuck in the mire of our past but instead, live with hope for the future and all that we are yet becoming.

“Purity is not innocence – it is much more than that. Purity is the result of continued spiritual harmony with God. We have to grow in purity. Our life with God may be right and our inner purity unblemished, yet occasionally our outer life may become spotted and stained. Remember that spiritual vision depends on our character – it is the “pure in heart” who “see God”.”

(from My Utmost For His Highest, March 26,  by Oswald Chambers)

Before the Cross, we all stand equal, for we all have sinned. And do sin, I would dare add. Yet we are invited into the very presence of the Lord, where we can enter to pray and leave our burdens.

“But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” (Romans 3:21-24, NLT)

It is the grace and mercy of our loving God, who sent His own Son to die and meet the penalty of sin on our behalf that makes it possible for us to one day see God.

The pure will see God and one day sing in a mighty chorus:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered – to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12, NLT)

 

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