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

— Matthew 5:8

Purity is not innocence, it is much more. Purity is the outcome of
sustained spiritual sympathy with God. We have to grow in purity. The
life with God may be right and the inner purity remain unsullied, and
yet every now and again the bloom on the outside may be sullied. God
does not shield us from this possibility, because in this way we
realize the necessity of maintaining the vision by personal purity.
If the spiritual bloom of our life with God is getting impaired in
the tiniest degree, we must leave off everything and get it put
right. Remember that vision depends on character – the pure in heart
see God.

God makes us pure by His sovereign grace, but we have something to
look after, this bodily life by which we come in contact with other
people and with other points of view, it is these that are apt to
sully. Not only must the inner sanctuary be kept right with God, but
the outer courts as well are to be brought into perfect accord with
the purity God gives us by His grace. The spiritual understanding is
blurred immediately the outer court is sullied. If we are going to
retain personal contact with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean
there are some things we must scorn to do or to think, some
legitimate things we must scorn to touch.

A practical way of keeping personal purity unsullied in relation to
other people is to say to yourself – That man, that woman, perfect in
Christ Jesus! That friend, that relative, perfect in Christ Jesus!

On this day...

• Devoting our time and strength - 2011
• If you want to test a man's character, give him power - 2011
• Prayer requires strength - 2011
• Silence before the Lord - 2011
• Take Your Pick - 2011
• VISION - 2007