What Does It Mean to Have a Pure Heart?
What are you meditating on?
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” - Psalm 51:10
What’s your favorite movie? Favorite TV show? Favorite book?
The other day, I was sitting with a group of people who were recommending books. I was surprised by what some of these books contained.
I’m not judging anyone who chooses to read a romance novel or watch a TV show that contains certain content. But this did challenge me to take a look at my own life and wonder, as Christians, where should we draw the line with content?
In Ephesians 5:3, Paul says, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.”
Paul says, if we are to be holy or set apart by God, we cannot have any hint of sexual immorality, impurity, or greed. Not a hint.
Some people might say, “But that kind of stuff doesn’t affect me.” I used to be one of those people too! But even if it doesn’t cause you to sin, over time, you might find yourself starting to blur the lines between what’s okay in our culture today and what the Bible says.
It may not affect you right now. You may not even see a difference. But that’s because the enemy is sneaky, and one day you will look up and wonder how you got there.
In Craig and Amy Groeschel’s book about marriage, From This Day Forward, there’s a chapter in the book called “Stay Pure.” In it, Craig talks about how, when things get tough in your marriage, “you default to that training you’ve been giving yourself over the years.”
What are you training for? Whatever you are putting in your mind, body, and soul, will affect you, whether you realize it or not.
God doesn’t just call us to be holy or set apart in one area. He calls us to be holy and set apart in every area of our lives. So, why then, do we sometimes compromise the kind of TV shows we watch or the books that we read? If every area of our life is to be holy and set apart, what makes this any different?
In Craig and Amy’s book, Craig goes on to define inward purity and outward purity. Inward purity is what happens in our hearts. It’s the things we think about or feel. Outward purity is our behavior, which is what we choose to do or not to do (Groeschel 119).
I would say that the content that we consume has to do with our inward purity. When we consume these things, it can fester and harm our outward purity. Both matter to God.
In the book, Craig talks about how poison, even a little bit, is harmful and can kill you (Groeschel, 120). While a book or TV show may seem popular now, is it really worth it - it can cause you to drift away from the purity God invites us into. Be careful.
If we are called to live holy and set apart lives, what is one way you can do that this week? Maybe it is watching different TV content or reading different books. Whatever that looks like for you, I want to encourage you, that no matter what you choose, when we choose to pursue God above all things, it will draw you closer to him and will transform your life.
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:9-11
Kali Gibson is the editor-in-chief for So We Speak and a copywriter for the Youversion Bible App.
