“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” —Matthew 5:8–9
Being “pure in heart” is the most comprehensive of all the beatitudes. Those who are pure in heart are inwardly clean from sin through faith in the Lord Jesus.
David writes:
“The one whose deeds are blameless and whose motives are pure, who does not lie, or make promises with no intention of keeping them. Such godly people are rewarded by the LORD, and vindicated by the God who delivers them.” —Psalm 24:4–5
Pure motives are what we lift up to God. We have a proper attitude and will. True Christianity lies within the heart—in the purity of a heart that is cleansed from evil. The heart is used figuratively in Scripture as the seat of our desires, feelings, affections, and passions. Those “whose motives are pure” are those individuals whose lives inwardly conform to God’s Law in motive, desire, and thought. It is into the heart of the believer that God sends the Spirit of His Son. Scripture confirms this in the following verses:
“Oh people of Jerusalem, purify your hearts from evil so that you may yet be delivered. How long will you continue to harbor up wicked schemes within you?” —Jeremiah 4:14
“And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls ‘Abba! Father!’” —Galatians 4:6
The life of the heart is a hidden life, although Scripture tells us that one’s actions are typically very good indicators of what is one’s heart. God alone is the perfect discerner of the hearts of all people. He searches the private and concealed. We never fool Him. We are told in Scripture:
“Certainly the LORD watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.” —2 Chronicles 16:9
“I, the LORD, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.” — Jeremiah 17:10
“And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.” —Hebrews 4:13
Jesus tells us the pure in heart will have the benefit of seeing God—seeing His hand in circumstances, seeing His Spirit move for His child’s benefit. We see with spiritual eyesight. It is the perfection of the soul’s happiness to see God.
Jesus tells us that “peacemakers” are blessed as well. Those whose lives breathe peace into circumstances, rather than contention, aggression, hostility, or assertiveness. The peacemakers delight in love and peace. Peacemakers preserve peace as well as seek to recover it when it is broken. Those who are “peacemakers,” Jesus tells us, will be called “sons of God.” Paul tells us we are to seek to live at peace with everyone:
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.” —Romans 12:18
Become More
“Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. They draw continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then they bring His love, mercy, forgiveness, strength and wisdom to the conflicts of daily life. God delights to breathe His grace through peacemakers and use them to dissipate anger, improve understanding, promote justice and encourage repentance and restoration.” —Ken Sande
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical. And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.” —James 3:17–18
Further Reflections
“Let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.” —Hebrews 10:22
“This knowledge [of our own sinfulness], though it strikes man with terror and overwhelms him with despair, is nevertheless necessary for us in order that, stripped of our own righteousness, cast down from confidence in our own power, deprived of all expectation of life, we may learn through the knowledge of our own poverty, misery and disgrace to prostrate ourselves before the Lord, and by the awareness of our own wickedness, powerlessness, and ruin may give all credit for holiness, power and salvation to him.” —John Calvin