Blessed [fortunate] are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

~Jesus (Matthew 5:8)

Jesus only gives us part of the answer here. It is a true part, but only part. He says that the pure at work will see God. That is, purity is a prerequisite for seeing God. The impure are neither granted admittance to his presence, nor are they awed by the glory of his holiness, nor are they comforted by his grace.

Jesus’s point is the same as Hebrews 12:14: “Strive for . . . the holiness without which no one will see the Master.” In other words, blessed are the holy for they shall see God. There is a real purity and a real holiness which fits us to see the king of glory.

And of course, that leads every sensitive soul at work to cry out with the words of Proverbs 20:9, “Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin?’” And with the disciples: “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus’s answer comes back just like it did to the disciples in Matthew 19:26 — and this is the rest of the answer — “With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” In other words, God creates a purity for us and in us so that we can pursue purity. And by his grace we must seek that gift by praying with David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10). And we must look to the Messiah “who gave himself for us . . . to purify for himself a people” (Titus 2:14).

And the response of our hearts to God’s act of creation and the Messiah’s act of sacrifice is single-minded faith in Jesus the Messiah as Master of our life at work and Savior. As the Scripture says in Acts 15:9, “God made no distinction between us and them, but purified their hearts by faith.”

God is the one who purifies the heart, and the instrument with which he cleans it is faith. “Therefore, trust in the Master with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5). Will this one thing. And you will see God.

Jesus Himself testifies that His word purifies us. It has already happened. It is a fact.

• John 15:3 —“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”
• John 13:10 —Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”

It is our job to focus on seeing God and resisting temptation.

• James 4:7–8 —Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
• 1 Peter 5:9 —But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

It is up to us to deny worldly desires. It is up to us to purify ourselves.

• Titus 2:12–13 —instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, the Messiah Jesus,
• 1 John 3:3 —And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

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