The Beatitudes by Arthur W. Pink
The Sixth Beatitude
"Blessed
are the pure in heart: for they shall see God"
This is
another of the Beatitudes that has been grossly perverted by the enemies of the
Lord, enemies who have, like their predecessors the Pharisees, posed as the
champions of the truth and boasted of a sanctity superior to that which the
true people of God would dare to claim. All through this Christian era, also,
there have been poor, deluded souls who have claimed an entire purification of
the old man. Others have insisted that God has so completely renewed them that
the carnal nature has been eradicated, so that they not only commit no sins but
have no sinful desires or thoughts. But the Spirit-inspired Apostle John
declares, "If we say that we have {present tense} no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1Jo
1:8). Of course, such people appeal to the Scriptures in support of
their vain delusion, applying to experience verses that describe the legal
benefits of the Atonement. The words "and the blood of Jesus Christ His
Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1Jo
1:7) do not mean that our hearts have been washed from every trace
of the corrupting defilements of evil, but primarily teach that the sacrifice
of Christ has availed for the judicial blotting out of sins. When the Apostle
Paul, describing the man who is a new creature in Christ, says that "old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2Co 5:17), he is speaking of the new
disposition of the Christian's heart, which is wholly unlike his inner disposition
prior to the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration.
That purity
of heart does not mean sinlessness of life is clear from the inspired record of
the history of God's saints. Noah got drunk; Abraham equivocated; Moses
disobeyed God; Job cursed the day of his birth; Elijah fled in terror from
Jezebel; Peter denied Christ. "Yes," perhaps someone will exclaim,
"but all these things transpired before Christianity was
established!" True, but it has also been the same since then. Where shall
we go to find a Christian of superior attainments to those of the Apostle Paul?
And what was his experience? Read Romans 7 and see. When he would do good, evil
was present with him (Ro 7:21). There was a law in his
members, warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity
to the law of sin that was in his members (Ro
7:23). He did, with the mind, serve the Law of God; nevertheless,
with the flesh he served the law of sin (Ro
7:25). The truth is that one of the most conclusive evidences that
we do possess a pure heart is the discovery and consciousness of the remaining
impurity that continues to plague our hearts. But let us come closer to our
text.
"Blessed
are the pure in heart." In seeking an interpretation to any part of this
Sermon on the Mount, the first thing to bear in mind is that those whom our
Lord was addressing had been reared in Judaism. As one said who was deeply
taught of the Spirit,
I cannot help
thinking that our Lord, in using the terms before us, had a tacit reference to
that character of external sanctity or purity which belonged to the Jewish
people, and to that privilege of intercourse with God which was
connected with that character. They were a people separated from the
nations polluted with idolatry; set apart as holy to Jehovah; and, as a holy
people, they were permitted to draw near to their God, the only living and true
God, in the ordinances of His worship. On the possession of this character, and
on the enjoyment of this privilege, the Jewish people plumed themselves.
A higher
character, however, and a higher privilege, belonged to those who should be the
subjects of the Messiah's reign. They should not only be externally holy, but
"pure in heart"; and they should not merely be allowed to approach
towards the holy place, where God's honour dwelt, but
they should "see God," be introduced into the most intimate
intercourse with Him. Thus viewed, as a description of the spiritual character
and privileges of the subjects of the Messiah in contrast with the external
character and privileges of the Jewish people, the passage before us is full of
the most important and interesting truth (Dr. John Brown).
"Blessed
are the pure in heart." Opinion is divided as to whether these words of
Christ refer to the new heart received at regeneration or to that moral
transformation of character that results from a Divine work of grace having
been wrought in the soul. Probably both aspects of the truth are combined here.
In view of the late place that this Beatitude occupies in the series, it would appear that the purity of heart upon which our
Savior pronounced His blessing is that internal cleansing that both accompanies
and follows the new birth. Thus, inasmuch as no inward purity exists in the
natural man, that purity attributed by Christ to the godly man must be traced
back, as to its beginnings, to the Spirit's sovereign work of regeneration.
The Psalmist
said, "Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward
parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom" (Ps 51:6). This spiritual purity that
God demands penetrates far beyond the mere outward renovations and reformations
that comprise such a large part of the efforts now being put forth in
Christendom! Much that we see around us is a hand religion-seeking salvation by
works-or a head religion that rests satisfied with an orthodox creed. But God
"looketh on the heart" (1Sa
16:7), that is, He looks upon the whole inner being, including the
understanding, the affections, and the will. It is because God looks within
that He must give a "new heart" (Eze
36:26) to His own people and blessed indeed are they who have
received such, for it is a pure heart that is acceptable to the Giver.
As intimated
above, we believe that this sixth Beatitude contemplates both the new heart
received at regeneration and the transformation of character that follows God's
work of grace in the soul. First, there is a "washing of
regeneration" (Tit 3:5), by which we understand a
cleansing of the affections, which are now subsequently set upon things above,
instead of things below. This is closely linked with that change that follows
upon the heels of regeneration, in which all believers undergo a
"purifying {of} their hearts by faith" (Ac
15:9). Accompanying this is the cleaning of the conscience (Heb 10:22), which refers to the
removal of the burden of conscious guilt. This results in the inward
realization that, "being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ro
5:1).
But the
purity of heart commended here by Christ goes further than this. What is
purity? It is freedom from defilement and divided affections; it is sincerity,
genuineness, and singleness of heart. As a quality of Christian character, we
would define it as godly simplicity. It is the opposite of subtlety and
duplicity. Genuine Christianity lays aside not only malice, but guile and
hypocrisy also. It is not enough to be pure in words and in outward deportment.
Purity of desires, motives, and intents is what should (and does in the main)
characterize the child of God. Here, then, is a most important test for every
professing Christian to apply to himself. Are my affections set upon things
above? Are my motives pure? Why do I assemble with the Lord's people? Is it to
be seen of men, or is it to meet with the Lord and to enjoy sweet communion
with Him and His people?
"For
they shall see God." Once more we would point out that the promises
attached to these Beatitudes have both a present and a future fulfillment. The
pure in heart possess spiritual discernment, and with the eyes of their
understanding they obtain clear views of the Divine character and perceive the
excellency of His attributes. When the eye is single the whole body is full of
light.
In the truth,
the faith of which purifies the heart, they "see God"; for what is
that truth, but a manifestation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ
{2Co 4:6}-an illustrious display of
the combined radiance of Divine holiness and Divine benignity! . . . And he {who
is pure in heart} not only obtains clear and satisfactory views of the
Divine character, but he enjoys intimate and delightful communion with God. He
is brought very near God: God's mind becomes his mind; God's will becomes his will; and his fellowship is truly with the
Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
They who are
pure in heart "see God" in this way, even in the present world; and
in the future state their knowledge of God will become far more extensive and
their fellowship with Him far more intimate; for though, when compared with the
privileges of a former dispensation, even now as with open face we behold the
glory of the Lord {2Co 3:18}, yet, in reference to
the privileges of a higher economy, we yet see but through a glass darkly - we
know but in part, we enjoy but in part. But that which is in part shall be done
away, and that which is perfect shall come. We shall yet see face to face and
know even as we are known (1Co 13:9-12);
or to borrow the words of the Psalmist, we shall behold His face in
righteousness, and shall be satisfied when we awake in His likeness (Ps 17:15). Then, and not till then,
will the full meaning of these words be understood, that the pure in heart
shall see God (Dr. John Brown).