Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
We all remember the fairy tale called The Emperor’s New Clothes, in which a vain emperor was tricked by tailors who claimed to make him garments made of a cloth that could be seen only by those who were wise and worthy of their position. Fools, the tailors claimed, would be unable to see the magical material. They were able to get away with their deceit because nobody wanted to admit that they were unable to see the clothes. To admit that they could not see the clothes would be to admit that they were fools and unworthy of their positions. They are like those today who either deny their is a God or who claim to have their own way of approaching God, because otherwise they would be fools. What they don’t realize is that, like the tricked emperor, they are fools for believing a lie.
Our text tells us that only the pure in heart can see God. That lets me out, at least in my own merit. And it lets you out, and everybody you ever knew or heard tell of. The great religious leaders who claim to have the inside track to God’s presence are like the emperor, they are just pretending, to keep everyone from discovering that they are fools. Remember the pathetic televangelists of a couple of decades ago, who preached up a holy storm on television while committing gross deeds of immorality and theft behind the scenes. It’s not hard to see behind the whitewashed ceremony and fanfare of the papacy, and the trappings of religious leaders of all kinds. Do these men really think they can deceive people into thinking they are close to God. Unfortunately, many of them are successful with their deceit. But they are not pure in heart, and will never see Heaven, let alone enter it and see the Almighty. Who then can see God? Can we?
Only One who ever walked this planet was pure in heart. And we are told (2 Corinthians 5:21) that He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. We cannot enter into all that is expressed in the term ‘righteousness of God’, but we do know that it includes receiving a pure heart. You and I know the pride, the naughtiness, the disobedience, the deceit that abides in our own hearts. But the One Who knew no sin provides to His own His pureness of heart. And we will one day behold our God. Even today, we can obtain a glimpse of Him in His Word, we can enter His presence in prayer, we can enjoy the fellowship of His people. And our ability to draw near to Him increases the more we put into practice the purity that we have received.
The pure in heart! It’s a title we do not deserve. But it is the only title that includes the privilege of seeing God. -Jim MacIntosh