Pure of heart

 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

(Matthew 5:8)

"Blessed are the pure in heart" is a beatitude expressing a standard that is extremely difficult to achieve. Relating strongly to much of what is written in the Old Testament, this standard is something the Pharisees vainly pursued through an obsessive observance of thousands of cultic rules they and others added to God's inspired Word. Their desire to achieve purity before God is commendable, but Jesus clearly demonstrates that they chose to do it the wrong way, leaving their hearts unchanged. In this vein Paul remarks:

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel
is that they may be saved.

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God,

but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant
of God's righteousness,

have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

(Romans 10:1-3)

submitted by: Annie