Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
-Matthew 5:8
King David asks: “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?” His answer is simple: “The one who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalms 24:3-4). Building upon this a thousand years later, James clarifies David’s proclamation: “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8) to emphasize a single-minded focus.
PURITY
Purity is a familiar word indicating a product to be unadulterated by other contaminants or anything other than what the product claims to be. Examples would include pure honey or pure water or pure emotion such as the joy of our daughter after bungie jumping on the Corinth Canal in Greece.
More to the point, purity of heart is a state of being transparent with no hidden agenda or deceit. Clarity of purpose and meaning would be another aspect. James tells us that pure religion that is acceptable to God is to care for those who cannot reciprocate and to disengage from any worldly activity that would distract us from our devotion to God (James 1:27).
CALL TO PURITY
Indeed, God calls us to be pure as He is pure. The apostle John tells us that “when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). Hence, the pure in heart, Jesus says, “they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).