Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is … goodness.

   

Some questions that come from these verses are:

1. What is purity?
2. Will only the pure see God?
3. What is goodness?
4. How do we apply these things?

WHAT IS PURITY?

God approves of those who are pure in heart... and because of His approval there is a reward…they get to see God!

It’s hard to think of purity in a culture filled with impurity. 75 years ago, there was still perversion and sin, but it was not paraded in front of your face through every available means and opportunity. Today, through vast media empires and platforms, there has never been a time when impurity has been championed and pushed to the degree that it is.

The sexual revolution of the 60’s led to heightened promiscuity, disease, a cheapening of the purpose of sex, the objectification of women and downgrading of them at the same time. It also had a profound impact on marriage and the family.

The pornographic revolution led to all of the same things and is related to all the perversions of God’s design for sex. The porn industry is a business, and in a country claiming to be a majority of which is Christian, it should be out of business! They say you can vote with your feet (leaving) and your pocketbook (spending your money), but you can also vote with what you put in front of your eyes…

… “O be careful little eyes what you see, O be careful little eyes what you see. For the Father up above is looking down with love, so be careful little eyes what you see.” The rest of the verses in that song are just as powerful:

• O be careful little ears what you hear.
• O be careful little tongue what you say.
• O be careful little hands what you do.
• O be careful little feet where you go.
• O be careful little heart whom you trust.
• O be careful little mind what you think.

7 stanzas all with God looking down from above; just what does He see when He looks at you and me?

The homosexual revolution is next on the sin scale of escalation with impurity and only opens the door wider and wider for ungodliness and abominations. Sin always takes a downward spiral and grows more and more offensive to a holy God. And it’s not just the sin of homosexuality, but the normalization of it, the demanding of its acceptance or at least the toleration of it. Gay marriage, gay parents, and gay pastors?

We are in the midst of a transgender revolution, at least the normalization, acceptance, and toleration of it. What is a woman? Good question, our culture can’t seem to answer a simple 5^th grade biology question. It is instead treated as if it’s a fluid question that can change with every individual depending on age and personal feelings. If you are a male rapist stuck in a male prison, then just claim you are a woman, and they will transfer you to a women’s prison because only you can define what a woman is. If you are a 6’4” mediocre male swimmer then just claim you are a woman and you can go into their locker rooms, change in front of them, and compete with them and win medals, again because only you know what a woman is. If you are a male powerlifter and want to break all the women’s records then it’s easy, just claim “hey, I’m actually a woman now” and voila! Those are 3 actual stories of things that happened when people give in to idiotic notions and accept relative truth as the standard. There is also a push for children to transition between genders, offering hormones, puberty blockers, and mutilating irreversible surgeries – and that without the parent’s consent! While there are only two genders, an issue simply explained back in Genesis 1, there are certainly men who have some feminine tendencies, and women who have some masculine tendencies as well. There are also genetic errors, or mutations, that can cause reproductive organ issues which can affect a very small percentage of the population (like about .5% throughout all of Europe and slightly more here in America), but by and large it is still as straight forward as it was back in the Garden of Eden.

In a culture consumed with sexual impurity the only standard that will be held onto will be consent. Regardless of the age of each person, the number of persons or their genders, consent will become the standard for right and wrong, and even that will become twisted at some point. This is something that is knocking at our door…pedophilia will one day soon not be a crime as long as there is consent. Prostitution and pimping won’t be a crime. Free sex with whoever, whatever, whenever, and however you want it, just as long as they say it's ok! Wow, what a brave new world we live in and are leaving to our children! Scary…

That is just the tip of the iceberg of the amount of impurity that surrounds us today! And the Bible tells us that the pure in heart will see God! So, when you look around at what is going on, how many would you say are on their way to see God? Can you say with a straight face, “God bless America”, because America is doing such a good job of being obedient to God that they deserve to be blessed? Just how pure do you have to be to see God anyway, and what does the Bible mean when it says that?

katharos  kath-ar-os´; (27x)  clean, pure, unsoiled, Mt. 23:26; 27:59; met. clean from guilt, guiltless, innocent, Acts 18:6; 20:26; sincere, upright, virtuous, void of evil, Mt. 5:8; Jn. 15:3; clean ceremonially and morally, Lk. 11:41 → clean.

The first time katharos (pure) is used is in the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5:8. It is translated in the ESV as pure (14x), clean (8x), clear (3x), and innocent (2x).

Matthew 23:26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

(Righteous works apart from pure hearts)

Matthew 27:59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud

(Jesus’ dead body is treated with purity, just like His pure life)

Luke 11:41 But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

(A pure heart from within pours out purity)

John 13:10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

(Chosen, purified, and far from perfect believers)

John 15:3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

(Jesus is the vine, we are the branches – Purity begets purity)

Acts 18:6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

(Paul washed his hands clean of their disbelief)

Acts 20:26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all,

(A clear conscience for proclaiming the whole council of God)

Romans 14:20   Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

(What goes inside is not unclean, but rather what comes out)

1Timothy 1:5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

(A pure heart gives love and yields a good conscience and sincere faith)

1Timothy 3:9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

(Those who serve must be pure)

2Timothy 1:3   I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.

(Again, serving related to purity)

2Timothy 2:22   So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

(Purity denies evil and pursues good)

Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

(Godliness leads to purity, godlessness leads only to evil)

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

(Jesus’ sacrifice = fulfillment of temple sacrifices and cleanses us)

James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

(Purity puts others first)

1Peter 1:22   Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

(Purity = love for truth and others)

Revelation 15:6 and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests.

(Bowls of final wrath served by agents of purity)

Revelation 19:8      it was granted her to clothe herself

             with fine linen, bright and pure”—

(Bride of Christ = pure and undefiled)

 for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

 

Revelation 19:14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

(Saints robes white & pure, Christ’s robe drenched in blood)

Revelation 21:18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

(untainted, refined or pure)

Revelation 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Besides the use of the word in each of these individual verses, larger portions of Scripture are dedicated to the ideas of impurity and purity:

Ephesians 5:1   Therefore be imitators of God (in other words be pure), as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Ephesians 5:3   But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

     “Awake, O sleeper,

             and arise from the dead,

     and Christ will shine on you.”

 

Ephesians 5:15   Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil (impure).

It says a little later in Ephesians 5 how Christ makes the church pure:

Ephesians 5:25   Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

That is how you and I are made pure, through the blood of Christ:

Hebrews 9:19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

 

Hebrews 9:23   Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Purification through Christ is done once and is everlasting. That is what makes us pure in heart in the eyes of God and allows us to see Him one day.

WILL ONLY THE PURE SEE GOD?

So, we know that those who are in Christ will see God one day, but is that only for the pure in heart? The short answer is yes and no! Only the pure in heart will enjoy God’s presence for all eternity, but all eyes will see Him at His second coming and the judgment seat where every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is king of kings and lord of lords!

There are numerous lists of those who will not be in the kingdom of God (the impure):

1Corinthians 6:9   Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Revelation 22:14   Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

There is only one way to see God, for an eternal glorious way, and that is through His Son:

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

As narrow-minded and bigoted as that may sound, that is usually the case with any truth. Take it or leave it! If you want to see God, then your sins need to be covered by the blood of Christ which makes you pure, just like we read in Isaiah:

Isaiah 1:18    “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:

     though your sins are like scarlet,

             they shall be as white as snow;

     though they are red like crimson,

             they shall become like wool.

WHAT IS GOODNESS?

The simplest definition of what goodness is, is that it is whatever agrees with godliness. The absence of goodness is the absence of godliness! You can think of light and dark along with good and evil the same way. Darkness is the absence of light, and evil is the absence of goodness.

S G19   agathōsynē ag-ath-o-soo´-nay; 4x  

goodness, virtue, beneficence, Rom. 15:14; Eph. 5:9; 2 Thess. 1:11; generosity, Gal. 5:22*

Romans 15:14   I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

 

Ephesians 5:9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

 

2Thessalonians 1:11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,

Goodness is probably best described in an encounter with Jesus:

Mark 10:17   And as he (Jesus) was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (In other words, what specific good deeds must I do to earn eternal life) 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. (Jesus immediately addresses the person as a whole, not just their deeds. Good defines the inner self, or the heart, as good or evil, and goodness or good deeds is just an outworking of that) 19 You know the commandments (A call to be good mostly in a negative format): ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” (if you think you are good then how did you do at keeping the bare minimum law of God with regards to treating other people?) 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” (Basically Jesus, I am a good person and I have been my whole life!) 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing (goodness): go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Jesus is saying your level of goodness is not enough, and it will never be enough on your own! Only I possess the goodness you need, so give up on your own standards of goodness and submit to mine!) 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Goodness comes at too high of a cost for those not willing to die to themselves!)

 

Mark 10:23   And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Impossible for those who rely on their own goodness and not God’s) 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words (the disciples were from a religious system based on good works and obedience to the law, of which the wealthy were often the head of that religious system). But Jesus said to them again, “Children (possibly addressing their spiritual immaturity and lack of understanding), how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (No good deeds are ever going to earn enough to receive eternal life – impossible apart from God) 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” (If it’s not good works or deeds then what must we do?) 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (God is the standard of goodness and transfers that goodness through the Holy Spirit to believers because of what Christ has accomplished on the cross – God makes the impossible to man possible through Himself.)

Goodness and purity are deeply connected. That which is pure in God’s eyes is good and that which is good in God’s eyes is also pure. You can’t surround yourself with impurity and expect goodness to come out of that, that’s not how it works:

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Impurity will ALWAYS defile whatever is pure, and DO NOT BE DECEIVED into thinking that it won’t happen. Impurity always leads to more evil, while godly purity will lead to goodness. A person recovering from drug addiction shouldn’t spend all their time around drug addicts and drug dealers. An alcoholic who is trying to quit shouldn’t spend every night in a bar and around those who are still using alcohol. A godly person trying to avoid evil and sin should not make it a habit to surround themselves with as much evil and sin as possible! It’s not going to be a “good” result or end well.

Goodness only comes down from God and through His Spirit in your life. That’s why it’s a fruit of the Spirit:

James 1:16   Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

 There is a generic kind of goodness that we all can possess: 

Matthew 7:11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The goodness we possess, however, does not earn us any favor with God, only with other people. Worldly goodness, or righteousness, is like filthy rags in God’s eyes.

Isaiah 64:6    We have all become like one who is unclean (impure),

             and all our righteous deeds (goodness) are like a polluted garment.

             We all fade like a leaf,

             and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Romans 3 perhaps gives the truest sense of how God sees “good” in man, or the lack thereof:

Romans 3:9B For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

     “None is righteous, no, not one;

11         no one understands;

             no one seeks for God.

12         All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

             no one does good,

             not even one.”

13         “Their throat is an open grave;

             they use their tongues to deceive.”

     “The venom of asps is under their lips.”

14         “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

15         “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16         in their paths are ruin and misery,

17         and the way of peace they have not known.”

18         “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Left to our own devices we are evil and running headfirst into impurity! While we can do things to limit the degree of evil and impurity in our life, we can never get rid of either on our own. Only God can purify us and make us good. Only He can walk us through this life and keep us on the path of purity and goodness. Even though we are prone to stray, He will find ways to pull us back in:

Hebrews 12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?   “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

So, what should a person pursuing purity and goodness look like? Are you thinking of someone specific in your mind? A super upbeat, happy, goody-two-shoes who drives everyone else crazy? Someone who takes all the fun out of everything because they find everything to risqué or offensive? Or maybe self-righteous religious people out to make a name for themselves?

As a Christian the only role model you need is Christ Himself!

Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

3John 11   Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

Ephesians 5:1   Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

What makes Jesus pure?

2Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 7:26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

1Peter 1:19 … the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

1Peter 2:22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

1John 3:3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

Jesus is sinless and pure in heart. His thoughts are pure, His words are pure, and all of His actions are pure. The inside and outside of His cup are clean! The right motive with the right attitude leading to the right deed, and in that order…

First, God must purify your heart, or give you a new heart, and that’s spiritual life. Once you have been born again and the Holy Spirit dwells within you, then you must grow in maturity. Purity doesn’t just fall into your hands, it must be intentional, discerned, and practiced. It’s not easy to be “in” the world and not “of” the world system.

1John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

1John 2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

To focus on what is pure means to continually remind ourselves of what that is:

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

First, we get a new heart, then we are told what to think about, and then it leads to our actions. You don’t start at the end and try to work your way backwards. First, clean the inside of the cup, then the outside will be clean as well.

If you refuse these steps, then you are doomed to fail!

If you won’t let your heart and thinking be transformed then you are left with your own ways, and that leads to destruction.

If you can’t discern what is and is not pure, then you will walk in impurity.

If you refuse to grow and mature, then you are stuck as an infant in a world system that is ready to devour you.

I can’t stress this enough…purity first starts within you through God, and that is the only way that God sees you as pure and God enables you to live a relatively pure life. Forget about the list of things to be doing, and instead focus on the thing to be – Christ filled, transforming you from the inside out. The rest will take care of itself.

What makes Jesus good?

It is just simply by deduction that because Jesus is sinless, or void of any evil, then He can only be good.

His love and compassion on all who approach Him for healing – good.

His mercy and patience toward those who hate Him – good.

His righteous anger towards those who turned His Father’s house into a house of commerce – good.

His calling out of the hypocritical religious teachers of the day – good.

His obedience to His Father’s will – good.

His creation of everything from nothing – good.

His sustaining of all life – good.

His wrath and judgment at the end of the age – good.

His life given as a ransom for many – good.

His preparing a place for us and acting as a mediator – good.

His getting directly to the heart of the matter with whoever He talked to – good.

And on, and on, and on…every aspect and interaction in His entire life and ministry, including what He is doing now is good, and just like the end of creation when all of it is looked at it is indeed very good!

For now, wherever you are at spiritually, I want you to focus only on one thing. Being pure in heart before a righteous, holy, all-powerful God. Without being born-again and God dwelling inside of you, you have nothing! You won’t see God, and nothing you do will be good in the eyes of God.

Being pure in heart means God has given you a new heart and that’s where all the transformation starts, it’s the foundation of spiritual life – and it is the natural flow in the beatitudes that leads to a new heart:

1. Bankrupt and broken.
2. Mournful over your sin.
3. Humble.
4. Hungry for God.
5. Recognizing God’s mercy and reflecting that to others.
6. Getting a heart transplant! – the verdict is in and after looking at the rest of the beatitudes it is determined that your old heart is killing you and you need a new one – a spiritual heart that will beat for all eternity!!

Let’s pray…