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Purity is a condition of freedom from any form of defilement and unholy mixture. The fact that Jesus specifically emphasised where purity must be rooted;that is, in the heart, suggests that it can be counterfeited and camouflaged. The Pharisees were most guilty of unholy and irrelevant emphasis on the doctrine of purification as they reduced same to a mere,empty show of outward piety,which lacked the corresponding content of the heart (Matthew23).
Purity of the believer has internal and external dimensions; that is, the internal pureness is matched by external hygiene. The outward purification with water before entrance into the Jewish temple of old as seen in many old testament's passages and injunctions symbolised the need for internal purification by the blood of Jesus in the new testament,before a person is formally admitted into the presence of the Holy God.
EFFECT OF PURIFICATION
*Having obtained pardon and purging, a believer is expected to radiate this purity in all department of his life
*Purity of the spirit , the soul and body - This bother on the need to avoid any contact with strange god or deity by which one becomes 'joined' to them and their abomination - Exodus 23:32 ; Number 25: 1,2; Daniel 1:8; Luke 21:34; Acts 15:20,29; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrew 13:4; 1Peter 2:11
*Purity of heart - Matt. 5:8; Hebrew 10:22; James 4 :8.
*Purity of thought - Proverbs 23:7; Mattew 9:4; Acts 8: 20-22
Purity of motive - 1 Samuel 15:20,21; 2 Chronicles 25:1,2; Mattew 6:1-18; John 12:4-6.
Purity of action - Genesis 39:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; 2 Timothy 2:22.
Purity of desire - 1 Kings 1:5-8; 1Kings 2:16-25; Mattew 5:28.
CONCLUSION
"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God...". Is a vital lesson of cause and effect laid out in the beatitudes by Jesus Christ. The question of Delilah to Samson , "And she said unto him , How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me?" (Judges 16:15). Though applied for the destruction of a disobedient man, forges an eternal truth on the need for our hearts to be right with God
The fact that the heart is singled out as a seat of purity is understood because all human faculties derive their impulse from the contents of he heart.
The lesson of purity is very practical and a sincere assessment of our lives and environment will reveal dark areas of our lives both inwardly and outwardly where the blessed Holy Spirit may not be ready to pitch His tent.
The promises of God both for our cleansing and for the reward of purity are abundant and inexhaustible and we only need to connect the pipe of our lives to the fountain and be washed clean by the blood of the lamb. ( see Ezekiel 36:25-27; Hebrew 9:14).
QUESTIONS FOR STEEMIANS
Should the king of kings appear now, would he commend or condemn you as per the contents of your heart?.