Blessed Are The Pure In Heart by Don Sorenson

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God

Skeptics say if there is a God, show Him to me. On the other hand, Christians know that there is a God and stand in awe of Him. But still, Christians long to see God. Moses asked God to show him His glory (Exodus 33:18). God replied that no one could see His face and live, but He allowed Moses to see his back after He had passed by. Do we conclude then that it impossible to see God? No, the Bible has more to say about that.

John the evangelist tells us that no one has ever seen God, but that God the Son has made Him known (John 1:18). John also tells how Jesus explained to Nicodemus that while we can’t see the wind, yet we see its effects and hear its sound. God is like that. By faith we see things that God has created, things He sustains, and things that God has brought about in response to prayer (John 3:8).

This beatitude tells us that we see God when we are pure in heart. My experience confirms this truth. I’ve seen how the unbeliever’s heart, stained with sin, doesn’t see God. They hear of God, and are occasionally brought close to God by the power of His Spirit, but until they accept the fact that Christ is God and that Christ makes God known to them, they never really see God. It was true for me. Since I’ve been a believer I see God in the work of Christians serving in His name. Unbelievers might think that Christians are just do-gooders who are either driven by some set of church rules, or who get a personal kick out of being better than others. I see the work of Christians as the work of God, and I see God in these people.

Of course, seeing God in other Christians is not the same as seeing Him face-to-face (like Moses wanted). The Bible teaches that someday we will see God face-to-face. For those whose names are not written in the lamb’s book of life it will be a terrible thing, but for those washed pure by the blood of the lamb it will be a glorious experience. At that time God will give us a new heaven and a new earth. We will “see His face” (Revelation 22:4). Nothing impure or false will be there. We will all be pure in heart.

How does it happen? How do we become pure in heart? We need to take on God’s character. We express reverence for God in our worship, but we demonstrate our faith by our efforts to be like Him. Foremost in this must be purity of our motives. God forgives our sins and our failures in actions we take; He rewards our actions arising from pure motives. Secondly, we must ourselves take on the character traits of God. These include: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22). They also include holiness, humility, compassion, forbearance, contentment, thankfulness, considerateness, sincerity, and perseverance. Our task is before us—take on the character of God. Our proper motive—that we will see God!

Questions to think about:
1) Are God’s standards too high? Can’t we set the bar a little lower?
2) Where do we get the power to do all that God has called us to do?
3) What will it be like to see God face-to-face someday?