You purify the outside of the cup, but inside you’re full of impurity. You’re blind! You’re lying to yourselves! First purify the inside of the cup, and then you’ll be the right kind of pure on the outside. Outside purity without inside purity is no purity at all. So, what does it mean to be pure in heart?

My session is “Enjoying Jesus in Purity.” I wonder how a title like that lands on you.

I love that title and assignment, and I love it for two main reasons. First, because personal, blood-bought, grace-filled purity is a proven path to enjoying Jesus more. The pursuit of purity really does increase our spiritual, intellectual, emotional capacity to know and enjoy Jesus.

But, second, I also think that enjoying Jesus is the single greatest weapon in our fight for purity. There are other weapons — lots of other weapons, precious and indispensable weapons (we might get to those in the Q&A) — but I think our greatest weapon in the war against sexual temptation really is our genuine and increasing joy in Jesus Christ. When I hear “Enjoying Jesus in Purity,” I immediately think of purity as a means of joy — and of joy as a means of purity.

God’s Precious Promises

This talk’s not simply about the joy of denying illicit impulses — the joy of victory over temptation. There’s some modest joy in defeating temptation, for sure, but that won’t get you far in the battle (and you won’t experience much joy, either). No, the joy of purity is the joy of seeing and enjoying more of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

I want to show you that in one verse from the mouth of Jesus. It’s a promise (one you’ve likely heard), and it’s my whole talk — purity as a means of joy, and joy as a means of purity — but in just eleven words. The verse is Matthew 5:8:

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

Why would I do a talk on sexual purity that focuses on a single promise like Matthew 5:8? Again, I think our greatest weapon in the war against sexual temptation is a stronger, fuller joy in Jesus Christ. John Piper has taught me a lot over decades now, but one of the most important lessons he ever taught me was that we sever the root of sin’s promise by the power of a superior promise. We don’t just say that sin is lying to us. (It is, and we should tell each other that.) That’s a pistol when it comes to sexual temptation, and if we’re going to win this war, we need missiles. We need F-15 fighter jets. Here’s how Pastor John says it:

When the body is about to be led into a sinful action by some fear or craving, we are to take the sword of the Spirit and kill that fear and that craving. In my experience, that means mainly severing the root of sin’s promise by the power of a superior promise.

For example, when I begin to crave some illicit sexual pleasure, the sword-swing that has often severed the root of this promised pleasure is, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). I recall the pleasures I have tasted of seeing God more clearly from an undefiled conscience; and I recall the brevity and superficiality and oppressive aftertaste of sin’s pleasures, and with that, God has killed the conquering power of sin.

Having promises at hand that suit the temptation of the hour is one key to successful warfare against sin.

So, I want you to have weaponized promises at hand — or at least one promise. I could have spent these thirty minutes multiplying promises (and I will mention a few others), but I decided instead to go deeper with just one. I’ve prayed that you might have it memorized, whether you want to or not, by the end of these few minutes together.

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

Why I Am Passionate About Purity

Before we dig into Matthew 5:8, why fly to Dallas to talk about “Enjoying Jesus in Purity”?

I’m passionate about purity in Christ for several big reasons. First, I have my own history of sexual failure, and by God’s grace I have now tasted real, enduring victory in this battle.

I had my first “girlfriend” in the sixth grade, my first kiss that summer (different girl), and then several more relationships through high school and college. From far too young, I was looking for affection, safety, and intimacy from girls instead of from God. And because of that idolatry, I committed sexual immorality in relationships. I also viewed pornography at a young age (a classmate thought it was funny to send me a link as part of a school project). I then battled that sin for years, often losing and failing. I hate my sexual past. I hate that I treated women that way.

I hate that I didn’t do more sooner to cut off my hand and gouge out my eye. I hate that I hurt my future wife — that she had to bear the consequences of my sinful choices. More than anything, I hate what my persistent sin said about the Jesus I claimed to know and love and follow.

And I’m so thankful that God sent his Son to die for sexual sins like mine. Micah 7:8–9 has been a refuge when I have felt the waves of guilt and regret over this sin or other sins:

Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;

     when I fall, I shall rise;

when I sit in darkness,

     the Lord will be a light to me.

I will bear the indignation of the Lord

     because I have sinned against him,

until he pleads my cause

     and executes judgment for me.

He will bring me out to the light;

     I shall look upon his vindication.

I’m passionate about purity because I was a sexual failure, bearing the indignation of the Lord — until he pled my cause and executed judgment for me, not against me, on the cross. He has brought me into the light — and I want to bring as many of you with me as possible.

I’m also passionate about purity because I’ve known and discipled dozens of men, over decades now, who have struggled with sexual sin. Some of these men my wife and I count as sons. And that’s a third reason: We have actual sons (and a daughter) of our own whom we want to prepare for sexual temptation.

I’m here because sexual sin ruins lives and souls (left unchecked, it could have ruined mine) — and I’m here because God rescues sexual sinners, arms us with his word, and empowers us by his Spirit so that we really can pursue, experience, and enjoy greater purity in Christ.

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

If I could give you just eleven words on the pursuit of joy in the pursuit of Christian purity, I would give you Matthew 5:8:

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

This is one of eight beatitudes — statements of supreme blessedness — in Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. Most of these promises are stated in the future tense:

• “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (verse 4).
• “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (verse 5).
• “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (verse 6).

These promises are in the future to emphasize that they’ll be fully fulfilled one day, but they’re not meant to exclude real fulfillment today. Those who mourn don’t have to wait until glory to experience real comfort. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness don’t have to starve until they get to heaven. They’re waiting for the fullness of the promise to come, yes — but God is already fulfilling his promises to his children even now. I’m going to focus on one of those promises, verse 8:

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

You shall and you do, I’m going to argue. You shall see him one day, face to face, but you’re already seeing him. Through the eyes of faith, you have the treasure in the field, the pearl of great price — you have him, you know him, you see him, even today.

No promise in the Bible has been more compelling and propelling in my pursuit of sexual purity. I could probably do a breakout on every one of the eleven words — this verse is that full of power — but I’m going to focus on four in particular: pure, see, God, and blessed. I really want you to see what Jesus is saying here.

1. Pure

First, pure. What does it mean to be pure in heart? The heart in Scripture is the center of who you are. This isn’t about external performance or looking a certain way in front of others; Jesus wants an inner, fuller purity.

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