Matthew 5:8 – “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
The Beatitude Before Us
This morning we come to the sixth beatitude. At first glance, it seems both simple and mysterious. What does it mean to be “pure in heart”? And what does it mean that those with pure hearts will “see God”? To answer, we must take a closer look at two words: heart and purity.
What Is the Heart?
In Scripture, the heart is more than the organ beating in our chest. It is the very center of our being—the seat of personality.
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Mind – our thoughts and understanding.
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Emotions – our feelings and affections.
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Will – our decisions and commitments.
Together, these form what the Bible calls the “heart.” In essence, the heart is the real you.
But Scripture also warns us:
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“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
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“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Matthew 15:8)
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“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
The heart reveals who we truly are. That is why Proverbs 4:23 urges: “Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
What Is Purity?
The Greek word for purity here is katharos. It means clean, blameless, unstained by guilt, free from corruption or hypocrisy. It also points to a single-mindedness of devotion—free from divided motives.
This connects directly to Psalm 24:3–4: “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.”
Purity of heart, then, is not just about external behavior but about integrity before God. It means we will one thing: the truth and glory of God. As Søren Kierkegaard put it: “Purity of heart is to will one thing.”
The Struggle of a Divided Heart
Double-mindedness is the opposite of purity. James 1:8 warns: “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” It is trying to love God and the world at the same time, to serve two masters, to play both sides.
John describes the tug-of-war clearly:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1 John 2:15–16)
These three—lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life—are all heart issues. They corrupt the wellspring of life.
Jesus Himself applies this truth throughout the Sermon on the Mount:
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Temperamental purity – Anger and hatred are as serious as murder (Matthew 5:21–22).
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Sexual purity – Lust in the heart is as serious as adultery (Matthew 5:27–28).
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Financial purity – “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
The heart matters. Purity of heart means no hidden agendas, no false fronts, no divided loyalties.
What Does It Mean to See God?
The promise attached to this beatitude is astonishing: “They will see God.” What does that mean?
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To be admitted to His presence – To “see the king’s face” is to have access to His presence. The pure in heart are welcomed into the courts of God Himself (Exodus 10:28–29).
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To be awestruck by His glory – Job said, “I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5–6). One day, faith will give way to sight, and we will behold His glory directly (Revelation 21:23).
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To be comforted by His grace – The psalmist cries, “Hide not your face from me” (Psalm 27:9). To see God’s face is to experience His favor and His comforting presence.
So this promise is both now and not yet. Even now, the pure in heart see glimpses of God in His Word, in His Spirit’s work, and in His people. One day, they will see Him face-to-face.
Purity in Practice
Purity of heart is not something we can achieve on our own. It is the gift of God through the cleansing work of Christ and the sanctifying work of the Spirit.
David prayed in Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” That prayer must also be ours.
When we live with a pure heart:
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We make choices that honor God.
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We walk in integrity and truth.
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We resist the pull of divided affections.
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We experience God’s presence, His glory, and His comfort.
Reflection
Jesus promises: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Reflection Question: Where is your heart tempted to be divided—between pleasing God and pleasing the world? How might you seek God’s cleansing today so that your heart is undivided and pure?
