The Qualities of a Christian Life
Part 6: Pure at Heart
A friend of mine recently told me of door-to-door salesman who was selling vacuum cleaners. He found a nice suburban home that had just been built and knocked on the door. A very nice lady opens the door. Before she has a chance to say anything, the salesman throws cow patties all over her brand new carpet. He says, “Lady, if this vacuum cleaner doesn’t clean up this mess, I’ll eat every chunk of it.” The woman responds, “Well, would you like some ketchup with that?” “No. Why do you ask,” he replies? “Well, we’ve just moved in and don’t have the electricity turned on yet.”
Each of us has moments in life when we feel we’ve made a huge mess of things. I wonder if this is how David felt when he wrote these words from Psalm 24: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts…” (Psalm 24:3-4, NRSV). In response to this question as to who may stand in God’s presence, Jesus claimed that it is the pure in heart will see God.
In the Bible, the word heart appears 592 times. The Scriptures indicate that the heart is the mission control center of all human thought and action. The heart is the motivating hub that gives energy and direction to our lives. The human heart is important because out of it flows the very basis of our character.
But there is more. Our heart is also the dwelling place of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible describes the presence of Christ in our hearts as light. And, wherever light is present darkness cannot be. The gospel of John declares that “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). In other words, wherever the light of Jesus shines, evil cannot dwell. It’s an either/or proposition. If I welcome Christ into my heart, evil cannot be present. I must live in the light or in the dark. The two cannot coexist.
So, getting back to the question David asked, “Who can ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in His holy place?” Both David and Jesus insist upon those who are pure in heart. The Greek word, pure, means more than to be simply clean. Purity is like a kind of metal that has absolutely no tinge of alloy in it. It possesses a uniform composition. It has an undivided, singleness of nature.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the human heart, we all know how difficult to achieve this state truly is. Our hearts are anything but undivided, aren’t they? Trying to be pure is like the college freshman who was about to go on her first blind date. Her roommate was making all the arrangements and asked, “Do you prefer northern or southern boys?” The freshman asked, “What’s the difference?” “Well, southern boys are more romantic. They will take you for a walk by moonlight and treat you like royalty. Northern boys, however, are more active. They like to go places and do exciting things.” Well, the freshman pondered her options for a moment then said, “Well then, could I have a southern boy from as far north as possible?”
The fact is we are very much double minded. This is the reason the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do” (Romans 7:19). Like all of us, Paul was a walking contradiction. So, too, was King David. In Psalm 51, David wrote of the division in his own heart, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
These words echoed David’s cry for forgiveness. The prophet, Nathan, had just confronted David about the blatant sins David had committed. The secret was out. David had engaged in adultery with another man’s wife. Then, he murdered the woman’s husband to try and cover up his offense. Yet here is a man whom the Bible describes as one who is after God’s heart. Talk about a heart that is divided.
But hear what David said to God: “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight…” (Psalm 51:3-4). If you listen closely, these are the words of a man coming clean. David knew that his heart was divided. So, he had to be brutally honest with himself and God about what he had done. That’s not an easy thing to do. In fact, there are no easy fixes for a divided heart. Change requires hard work and a willingness to open one’s heart to the transforming work of God. Transformation is never easy because it requires us to take an honest look at ourselves—to do the tough work of self-examination.
Yet when we appraise our lives rigorously—when we do the tough work of self-examination, confession and repentance—Jesus then fulfills his promise to move us closer to a purer heart. When given a chance to clear all the darkness from our lives, God can more fully reveal Himself to us.
I want you to take a look at the screen in front of you. [Show portrait of Christ in Nature.] What you see is a mountain range. However, if you were to slowly tilt your head to the right, a different image will come into view. Do you see it? Do you see the face of Christ?
It’s true that we see only what is revealed to us. But, all revelation requires clarity. And, clarity involves eliminating the shadows and clutter from the eyes of our heart.
Several years ago, I participated in a weekend spiritual renewal program called Emmaus. During the three day experience, I met a woman named Mary. Mary was in her early twenties. She had grown up in a suburban community on the east side of Columbus. However, Mary had endured great pain during her formative years, as her step-father had repeatedly accosted her. Upon graduating from high school, Mary became addicted to drugs and fell into the dark world of the sex slave trade. By God’s grace, Mary was rescued and given a second chance at life. During the Emmaus weekend, Mary approached the altar during a time of worship and fell on her face. For several moments she did not move. Suddenly, she sprang to her feet. She began to rejoice saying, “I’ve been set free!” The former cheerleader then moved up the center aisle doing back hand springs. She had placed her life on the altar of God’s grace. The Great Physician removed from her the hurts, hang ups, and habits that had been destroying her life. As the Scriptures declare, Mary died with Christ and was raised to new life in Christ.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they hide nothing. They have a singleness of purpose to know God. They possess an undiluted willingness to expose the dark recesses of their lives to the light of Christ. They are willing to have their Redeemer remove all the refuse that clutters and clouds their spiritual vision. And, because they do these things, they see God. They know and are intimately known by Him.
Is that your desire today? Do you want a clearer vision of the Lord Jesus in your life? If you do, if you want to see God, then you must be willing to take a hard look at yourself. You must be willing to deal with some of the garbage in your life you may have piled up. You must be willing to have your heart changed. If that is your greatest hope this day, I invite you to pray with me for a time of examination.
Prayer:
Lord God, forgive us when we grow comfortable living in the dark. The light exposes aspects of our lives we would just as soon leave hidden. Yet we acknowledge that there are particular temptations, thought processes, attitudes, false beliefs, and patterns that become toxic to us when left unaddressed. Therefore, we give you permission to remove from us every impurity that poisons and stains our souls. Cleanse our hearts and place a new and right Spirit within us, so that we may know and love you more fully. Through Christ we pray. Amen.