Blessed Are the Pure in Heart – Part 1

This week, Michael writes that the beatitudes are attitudes attuned to walking in fellowship with God. You can choose a blessed attitude by focusing on the things of the kingdom of God. Blessed attitudes are diametrically opposed to the world’s attitudes. The nature of our fallen flesh that we inherited from Adam revels in the attitudes of this egocentric world. However, what the world considers blessings are the opposite of what Jesus defines as God’s blessings. Therefore, Jesus said, blessed are the poor in spirit. The world doesn’t consider poverty a blessing. However, until we empty ourselves of our own prideful spirit, God cannot fill us with His Holy Spirit. In John 3:5-7 Jesus answered Nicodemus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” Without the spirit of God in Christ, we cannot receive or understand the things of the kingdom of heaven.  

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. The comfort is in the gift of God’s Holy Spirit ... the gift of the new birth we received when we were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life and I am the fountain of living waters.” For Jesus Christ, who was without sin, became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. In Christ we are sanctified ... set apart, fit for the purpose for which God designed us with a heart of Christ in us the hope of glory.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. The meek are eager to seek God’s instruction and humble to receive the Word of God with a heart of joy and rejoicing. With a heart of meekness, a Roman centurion approached Jesus and said, “my little daughter is sick and near unto death.” Jesus said, “I’ll come heal her.” The centurion said, “I am a man of authority. I command men and they obey my words. You are a man of authority. Just say the word and she will be healed.” Jesus marveled at the centurion’s believing. He said, “I have not see such faith, no not in Israel.” Meekness in believing is the condition to receive the promises of God.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Lovingkindness and tender mercy are the very nature of God himself. His steadfast love endures forever.  

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. A heart purified by God’s righteous payment of His son’s sinless life on our behalf is blessed by the things of the Spirit of God. We even glory in tribulation because God purifies our hearts through trial and testing. Pastor Chuck Smith said, God will deliver us through the fire, in the fire, or by the fire. Proverbs says the crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold, but God tries and purifies the heart.

The Pharisees in the time of Jesus thought that they were justified by keeping their interpretation of the Old Testament law. They thought they alone were righteous and that everyone else was condemned because they failed to keep their Pharisaical laws. Jesus reproved them ... they were proud, arrogant, judgmental and unrepentant. In Mark 7:5-7 he said to the leaders of the Pharisees, “Well hath Esaias (Isaiah) prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” 

Let's continue Michael's message on the Beatitudes in the nest post.

In Christ, Brian