Blessed Are The Pure In Heart!
Matt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
From this statement made by Jesus it is clear that only the pure in heart will ever see God. If you look at this from the traditional view point of the organized church you are doomed to a life of confessing, repenting, trying harder, then confessing again, and repenting some more and the cycle will go on and on. In other words you are certain to NEVER see God.
Then there are those who would say, "The Blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin making our hearts pure and then we can see God." But if that’s true then why do people keep confessing, repenting, confessing, repenting, on and on and on? If they truly believe His blood cleansed us of all sin then why do so many christians have bad consciences?
Now I’m going to make a statement that can not be proven and yet I know it is true. Here it is:
When I do or think things that are wrong or even terribly wrong my conscience is still clear and I am still at peace with God every second of every day.
You say, how is that possible? It’s possible because when you truly believe the Gospel (good news) you know deep in your heart that your relationship with God is not based on anything you do or think period. It is based solely on GOD. Our relationship with Him has never been in jeopardy from our creation and never will be. We all made this journey to earth from God and we will all return to Him when we are finished with what we needed to learn.
The very purpose of Jesus Christ was not to make us into something different, but rather to reveal to us what we really are and that is PURE IN HEART. When we see what He came to reveal that’s when we see God. We see God in every molecule of the creation and we see Him even in that which is unseen.
Does this mean those who believe this think they can just go into some kind of wild, crazy lifestyle without any consequences? God forbid as Paul would say. In fact, the very opposite is what I have found to be true. I see myself with this pure heart that has always been mine and it feels so wonderful to know that the one who created it also lives in it. For God to destroy me he would have to destroy himself. Now that I see the real me I also see the real God.
If you tie your own performance to this pure heart you are destined for failure when it comes to seeing God. The organized church will never preach the true Gospel because they know the money would dry up and their jobs would no longer be needed.
Brennan Manning said the following of which I completely agree:
My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.
Why doesn’t the church preach the Gospel of Grace? They preach the gospel of grace plus HELL if you fail and that’s not the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is my hearts desire to see this Gospel of Grace preached and believed and I will spend the rest of my life preaching it even if the organized church won’t listen. Thank God Jesus is not bound by the walls of religion!
Excellent post, Cliff…
Thanks Don
Another excellent post from you! This reminds me of this article I was reading yesterday. http://www.gospelrevolution.com/staying_the_course.htm
The reason many of us have bad consciences is b/c most churches try to mix law and grace. In fact I remember a couple of years ago a well known evangelist said that the gospel should be taught as 90% law and 10% grace. The sad fact is the majority of Christianity teaches a water downed version of the law instead of grace.
Kiara,
What you say has been said a multitude of times by worn out Christians who are crying out to their leaders without any mercy. Thank you for being brave enough to admit the truth about organized religion. I hope that you are truly finding the freedom you were born to live.
Hi Cliff
Here is another way of looking at repenting. I think that there is a format to this world, in other words we do have consequences to our actions. Jump off a building and whoops, Gravity and you go splat. Now I think this is true with many of our thought patterns. You reap what you sow, or what goes around comes around. I believe the action of repenting is a way to help train your mind to that fact. I believe it is actually GODS way of helping us remember or retrieve the piece of ourselves that connects us to his creation. As in other posts, maybe this is all an illusion and repenting is a way to bring us back to the awareness of GODS LOVE.
John T.
Cliff thank God for you preaching the truth and I believe that there are more and more people see the true gospel of love and mercy and this is one place where people see the true.
Love Dan
I don’t know about others but when I read a post like this it brings joy and peace and I see others with love and peace.When I was under the teachings of good and evil it mostly brought judgement and confusion.
When you see the truth it only brings love and peace.When Jesus here 2000 years ago when people had there eyes open it brought nothing but love and peace and those who did not see they always tryed to cover up the true with judging Jesus and others but Jesus love always came shining threw even at the cross.
Love Dan
Inspiring! We all see God when we just look around. When we really live with a love consciousness we can’t help but see God.
Kevin
What happens to your mind and spirit when youve drifted from God and how do you get it back? Do you repent? Which I believe means to change your mind
Awsome post Cliff
I have just gotten in contact with a very dear and close friend of mine who I have not seen is over twenty years.
What was most amazing is how we have both been through religion and how now he see’s Gods Gospel of grace I was so surprised .
People are waking up to the truth.
Thanks Cliff
Jennifer
Great Post Dad!
Jennifer,
I agree with you. People seriously are waking up to the truth. I am so glad people are thinking for themselves. I use to think I was the only one in this world who felt the way I did. I am so happy to know that their are others out there who feel the same way. It is encouraging!!
Hi Mindy
It really is encouraging
I know what your saying sometimes it’s like we are the only ones
But then you hear from people and find out they see the truth also
Thanks
Jenn
I appreciate each and every one of you and what you bring to these discussions. It is exciting to see that more and more people are being awakened to the truth of what and who they really are—-children of God with pure hearts!!!!!!!
I am planning an upcoming post on the topic “What fellowship does a believer have with an unbeliever?”
Jennifer, Glad to hear you found a good friend.
Hey Dan…..I think you must have an extra dose of kindness in your DNA because you always have something kind to say.
John T…..I won’t speak for Kevin but let me say that in my opinion you CAN’T drift from God. You may think you have drifted but He never leaves your side. Yes, you can change your mind on a whole array of subjects including God, but it won’t change God’s constant love for you because it’s not based on you but rather on Him. When people in church repent they do it because they think they have to in order to please God and to remain part of the “faithful”. When I repent it’s simply because when I know better I do better, but either way God & I are OK.
Hi Cliff
Thanks for the response. My point wasnt whether God leaves us. My point is whether or not the idea of repenting was one God gave us to help us feel his presence again. When people struggle to find their bearings, maybe just maybe repenting helps center them. In the final outcome it may have no bearing but in this existence(illusion) it may be the difference between Joy and misery. Did you ever think that could be a possibility God gave us?
I notice one thing about BOLD GRACE the site. I think you guys are terrific and you try your best to share the love of God amongst us. But very definitely there is still huge resentment towards the Church as you see it. I think maybe rather than assisting many people away from the judgement of the Church you push them away because of your Judgement of the Church.
I heard a funny joke. “Resentment is just letting someone live rent free in your head.”
Hi Cliff…….again lol
I was rereading your post and something else came to mind. I believe one of the things Jesus wanted us to teach us was how to love each other better. I notice most of your post is about “you” being ok with God regardless of what you do or who you hurt. Have you ever thought maybe God makes us feel like crap so were aware of what we do to others? Do you think theres more to our emotions than just being saved? After all that does seem to me to be quite self centered, dont ya think?
Hi Cliff thank He is an old friend whom I haven’t seen or heard form in over twenty yrs we used to work together
It just amazed me how he has come out of religion also and has seen the truth
People are seeing the truth more than I relalized
When we are “centered” in God, everything else falls neatly into place… the ability to love self leads to the desire to love others. Love is not something we can muster through our own volition. It is something that comes from the “God seed” within us all. Sadly, we spend most of our lives not knowing that God has already aligned with us, and we waste our time trying to align with Him. We want to control our relationship with God, because we don’t trust that He is capable. Why is that? Because we don’t know who He is. We listen to the great teachers of institutional religion, and continue to see ourselves as “falling short”… never fully merging into oneness with God, and with humanity. We are taught to feel separate from God, and we are taught to fear God.
Yes, you will find many here speaking a warning about the “church” and its misrepresentation of God. It’s not about the people who follow into the bondage to religion. They are just victims of the system… doing what they’ve been taught (told) to do. The problem is with the institution itself and the leadership that perpetuates it. I’m not sure “resentment” is the correct term. I tend to think of it as more of an outrage… a “crying out”, a wake-up call, about those who work to keep humanity in a bondage of doubt, guilt, and shame… a warning to those who create, and then feed from, the fear of God. Instead of inspiring others to understand God, and enjoy life with Him, they preach guilt and condemnation — heaping unimaginable weight on the backs of their followers. Fortunately (for them), they also offer the remedy — for a price. They create a need in people for their services, and then suck the life out of them in exchange for fulfilling that need.
John, a question for you… what is it exactly we need to “repent” from?
Religion? Misunderstanding God? Erroneous thoughts about our position in the Kingdom of Heaven? Incorrect ideas about what God thinks of us? Stinking thinking about our place in the Life of God?
Sin???
Maybe that’s what sin is… all the previously listed points…
Bruce
My wife made a good point this morning about this site, and by the way she agrees with your points about the church. She did make an observation though. She said if the people on this site were truly immersed in their understanding of the love of God, they wouldnt waste their time judging the Church and how it creates Fear in everyone. My wife is curious why you are centered so much on Fear itself as a topic. She was wondering why you dont just express the Love of God and believe that would be enough for people to understand what you believe about God.
And Bruce I am curious if you read my other posts. In one of them I stated that I believed that repenting is just “changing ones mind”. I know you guys have had totally different experiences with the Church than I have, so maybe the word repent has a different meaning for you. Anyways I like reading what you guys have to say and just enjoy bantering, it helps me grow in my faith.
Bruce, Well said my friend.
John T…….Remember in Galations when Paul said: “If I or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you then what we have preached, let him be accursed.”
If you study that book in depth you will realize the other gospel he was talking about was the Gospel that Peter, James, & John were preaching. They were mixing grace with law and Paul clearly refutes and rejects their message.
I would also add once again that any church member is welcome here at boldgrace and also welcome in my home. You can’t say the same thing about the institutional church. You say your pastor is open and liberal, but once again I challenge you to ask him if I could hold a meeting teaching the true gospel of grace????? He is welcome here, but am I welcome there? Who has the resentment?????
Thanks for the reply…..Not sure it answered any of our questions but your efforts are appreciated.
Bruce
Ok all I can say is LMFAO………….My “Church” friends would be crying laughing in their beer now. I am exactly as you describe yourself. I question constantly the status quo of the Church. To put it another way. I am a thorn in their side. One drawback of blogging is you dont really know a person, you base your views on letters on a screen, and many times it does an injustice to the individual. Just so you know, I am the outsider at my Church, if I could even call it my Church. I do like the music though
I like to be a catalyst for thought and discussion and what you read in my words here, about you guys is exactly what I do at the Church. I just use a different approach. But thanks for the concern …………….I’ll be ok
John, I removed my comment because I reread it and thought I should have sent it to you directly instead of posting it here. But, right after I deleted it, I saw that you responded. Oops!
Glad I could brighten your day!
It will be interesting to see how long it takes before they no longer accept you and your questions.
John, you still didn’t answer my question about how repenting brings us closer to God… “repent” from what? “Change my mind” about what?
John T. says,
“I notice one thing about BOLD GRACE the site. I think you guys are terrific and you try your best to share the love of God amongst us. But very definitely there is still huge resentment towards the Church as you see it. I think maybe rather than assisting many people away from the judgement of the Church you push them away because of your Judgement of the Church.”
John,
So what if people have resentment towards church? I do not believe in “church”. I do believe in people. I don’t have resent for church anymore, but at one time in my life I did. Why am I here at Bold Grace? I am here because I can be free. I can say what I want to say and if people feel that it is resentment then they are totally missing the point behind Bold Grace and quite honestly that will be their problem, but most everyone who is free from religion comes here to share and be free from judgements.
Can I ask you a question and I am not asking to be sarcastic. I am asking because I am sincerely confused as to why you are here and what it is you are searching for?
I found a good quote by Meredith Jordan
“Whatever you have forgotten, you can remember. Whatever you have buried you can unearth. If you are willing to look deep into your own nature, if you are willing to peel away the layers of not-self you have adopted in making your way through the tribulations of life, you will find that your true self is not as far removed as you think.”
Hi John,
Just now saw your post and the subsequent conversation. So I won’t add much except to say that we can always grow, become more aware, learn more, unfold, emerge, and develop. If that’s the repenting you’re interested in I’m all for it. For me and all of us!
Warmly,
Kevin
Kevin, what will “growing more” do for you? I propose that upon coming to an understanding of Father’s unconditional love, and becoming immersed in the resulting peace, what else is there?
I have no desire to grow into anything more than God made me to be. I am content, and I am settled. My only desire at this point is to share that peace with others. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes an extreme challenge to outrage others into opening their eyes to their condition.
Maybe to some people MY condition needs a good rocking. All I can say is give it your best shot… and good luck!
Thank God He has rooted us all in His love and grace a love that has no end. Just thinking about this brings such joy to the heart and mind. Paul was always thanking the Lord for opening peoples hearts and minds to this truth.
I thank God for all here at Bold Grace and a place to have fellowship. Bruce, like you said, it such a blessing to share with some one about the true love of our Father.
Cliff, God has truly planned and rooted His love in your because the love keeps shining through in your writings.
Love Dan
Bruce,
I think we agree, at least to some degree. We don’t go on any forced growth marches to reach any predetermined goal of being more spiritual, a better person, and all that blah blah blah that I used to preach so many years ago. That’s not growth and I’m certainly not in favor of that. It’s so contrived.
Sometimes just getting “unconfused” can be a type of “growth.” Seeing things clearly — like grace and love — is certainly liberating.
As I see it, we’re always emerging into a fuller expression of our divine Self. I believe it was Thomas Merton who noted that we’re always becoming more of ourselves. God unfolds right along with us because God is with us.
Ultimately, God is all-in-all and we’re all contained in God. Overwhelmed by grace and love and spirit. Abundant life — life to the max. God’s love *is* regardless of our perception of it becuase it is not dependent upon us. It’s all about God. So I fully agree with you. What else is there? Thank God.
Warmly,
Kevin