Pure versus a double heart

(Psa 24:3-4)  Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? {4} He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

 

      The Psalmist tells us that only those who have clean hands and a pure heart will ascend into the hill of God – presumably heaven. James speaks similarly of cleansing our hands and purifying our hearts. – “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

      According to James cleansing our hands deals with sins for it is with our hands that we commit acts of violence, stealing, murder and etc. They begin in our hearts and minds, but we put them into actions by the members of our bodies. Therefore, he says to cleanse our hands – confess our sins and seek forgiveness through the blood of Christ. . The purifying our hearts involves another matter. He says it is for the “double-minded” to purify their hearts.

      After we have been forgiven our acts of transgressions (committed sins), we still retain our old nature called the old man and flesh or carnal nature. This is not something that we are responsible for having – we were born with it, therefore we do not confess it, but seek to be cleansed of it. The Psalmist says we must have our sins forgiven and our hearts purified if we are to ascend into the hill of God. Jesus spoke to this in His message on the mount. We called them the beatitudes. He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Seeing God is equated with ascending into the hill of God. The writer of Hebrews speaks of it in the terms of holiness – “ Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Here again the call is for holiness (purity of heart) or we will not see God.

      A pure heart is one that is free of impurities, free from foreign elements. To use James’ idea, it is one that is single, not double in affection and desires. Jesus said no man can serve two masters; we cannot serve God and mammon (worldly riches or ways). We must be single in our commitment and devotion. God calls all to this when He says, “Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all you heart and soul and mind and strength.” All means singleness not divided. A person who has not been purified in their heart will be up and down in their Christian experience. One day they may be on top of the mountain (spiritually speaking) and the next down in the valley. They will not be constant in their life as a Christian. They will vacillate in their walk with the Lord. They will be controlled by emotions and outside circumstances; they will be easily shaken in their faith; they will question God often about things in their life. The unsanctified (impure heart or double-minded) will be easily led into sin; easily manipulated by the enemy. They will be easily distracted from the goal of worshipping and serving God; they will be divided over the things of the world and the things of God. They will be easily led to yield their members into immorality or other types of sinfulness.

      Paul said, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; {23} And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; {24} And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Paul tells us that this sanctification is God’s will and it will enable us to live out holiness in our physical life in holiness and with the proper value God originally created us to be – “ For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;” God cares how we live our life and what we do in our bodies.

      David knew that he had to confess his sin and then seek God for cleansing his heart – “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” He knew that it was because of his heart that he committed the sins of adultery and murder and he also knew that he had to have them forgiven before receiving and clean heart. Likewise, we must be sure all known sin is confessed and repented of before we seek to have God purify our hearts and cleanse us of that duplicity or carnal nature. Paul said to reckon our self to be dead unto sin and surrender our self to God and our members (bodies) to God for living a righteous life. In Romans 12:1-2 Paul said we are to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God and then be renewed in our minds by studying and growing in grace and the knowledge of God, His will and word.

      The rewards of a pure heart are closeness to God, greater fellowship with God, a walk that is Spirit-guided and controlled less by our emotional responses to outward circumstances. It can only be completely understood by entering into – I cannot explain in words.