Rise Up the Jesus Way: Purity

When Jesus sat on the mountainside to teach, He laid out a new way of living that still challenges us today. In the Beatitudes, He said:

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
(Matthew 5:8)

Purity is not a popular word in today’s culture. For many, it brings up images of rules, restrictions, and impossible standards. But in Scripture, purity is not about living under guilt or shame—it’s about living free, whole, and fully alive in God’s presence.

What Does Purity Really Mean?

The dictionary defines purity as freedom from contamination, immorality, or corruption. But the Bible’s vision goes much deeper.

The Greek word Jesus uses for “pure” is katharos, meaning clean, clear, or unmixed. It carries the sense of being free from divided loyalties, hypocrisy, or anything that pollutes.

Purity, then, isn’t simply about external behaviour—it’s about the condition of the heart. It’s not perfectionism. It’s not legalism. It’s a heart wholly devoted to God.

David prayed in Psalm 24:3–4:
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.”

Purity is not about ticking boxes—it’s about who and what your heart truly belongs to.

Purity Is About the Heart

The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were obsessed with external purity. They kept meticulous rules about food, rituals, and cleanliness. Yet Jesus exposed the problem: their hearts were far from God.

He said in Matthew 23:27:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”

Outward appearances can be deceiving. Purity is not just about what people see—it’s about who we are when no one is watching. A pure heart is not divided, not hypocritical, not living one way in public and another in private.

Purity Is About Devotion

To be pure in heart is to be fully devoted to God. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24:
“No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money.”

Purity is singleness of heart. It is living with one clear loyalty—to God above all else.

James 4:8 says:
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Notice the connection: purity is the opposite of being double-minded. It is not divided between two loves or two masters. It is wholehearted devotion to Christ.

Purity Is About Seeing God

Why does Jesus say the pure in heart are blessed? Because they will see God.

This is the ultimate promise. Purity is not just about saying no to sin—it is about saying yes to God. When our hearts are cleansed and devoted, we are able to experience His presence, His voice, His beauty, and one day His glory face-to-face.

Hebrews 12:14 puts it plainly:
“Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.”

Purity clears the fog from our vision so that we can see God more clearly. Sin clouds, distracts, and distorts—but purity sharpens our spiritual sight.

Pursuing Purity in a Contaminated World

We live in a culture that often mocks purity and celebrates compromise. Everywhere we turn, there are images, messages, and temptations pulling us toward impurity—whether in thought, desire, speech, or action.

So how do we rise up the Jesus way and live pure in heart?

1. Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 says:
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Be mindful about what you allow to shape your heart—what you watch, listen to, dwell on, or give your attention to. Purity begins with the inner life.

2. Fill Yourself with God’s Word

Psalm 119:9 asks:
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”
When we let Scripture dwell in us, it renews our minds and realigns our desires with God’s.

3. Stay Accountable

We are not meant to pursue purity alone. Trusted brothers and sisters in Christ can help us stay strong, pray with us, and encourage us. James 5:16 reminds us:
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

4. Keep Short Accounts with God

When we stumble, we don’t need to run from God in shame. We run to Him in repentance. 1 John 1:9 says:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Purity is not about never falling—it is about continually turning back to the One who makes us clean.

5. Live for an Audience of One

At the end of the day, purity is about living to please God, not people. Jesus is our standard. His Spirit gives us power. His presence is our reward.

Purity and Sacrifice

Choosing purity often means sacrifice. It may cost us relationships, opportunities, or temporary pleasures. It may set us apart from cultural norms.

But purity is worth it. Because in choosing purity, we choose God Himself. And nothing compares to the joy of seeing Him more clearly, walking with Him more closely, and reflecting Him more fully.

Rise Up in Purity

To rise up the Jesus way is to rise in purity—not as legalists, but as lovers of God. Not from guilt, but from grace. Not striving in our own strength, but empowered by His Spirit.

Jesus doesn’t say the pure in heart might see God—He says they will. That’s a promise we can hold on to.

So, let’s not settle for divided hearts or polluted devotion. Let’s rise up the Jesus way: with clean hearts, clear vision, and undivided loyalty to our King.

5 Questions for Reflection

1. What areas of my life are “divided” or pulling my devotion away from God?
2. How am I actively guarding my heart against influences that contaminate my purity?
3. Do I run to God quickly in repentance when I fall short, or do I hide in shame?
4. Who in my life can I invite to walk with me in accountability and encouragement toward purity?
5. How might pursuing purity this week help me see and experience God more clearly?

✦ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”