Topical Bible: The Heart: Pray That It May Be: Cleansed

◄ The Heart: Pray That It May Be: Cleansed ►

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The heart, in biblical terms, is often seen as the center of human emotion, will, and intellect. It is the seat of moral and spiritual life, reflecting the true nature of a person. Scripture frequently emphasizes the importance of a pure heart, underscoring the need for divine cleansing to align one's inner being with God's holiness.

Biblical Foundation for a Cleansed Heart

The necessity of a cleansed heart is a recurring theme throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, King David's plea in Psalm 51:10 is a profound example: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" . This prayer follows his recognition of sin and his desire for restoration and purity before God. David's request highlights the understanding that only God can truly cleanse the heart.

The prophet Ezekiel also speaks to this transformation, promising a new heart and spirit from God: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). This passage underscores the divine initiative in heart transformation, indicating that human effort alone is insufficient for true cleansing.

New Testament Insights

In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes the importance of inner purity. In the Beatitudes, He declares, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8). This statement links the condition of the heart with the ability to perceive and experience God, suggesting that purity is essential for spiritual vision and relationship with the Divine.

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on the theme of heart cleansing in his letters. In 2 Corinthians 7:1, he urges believers to "purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" . This call to action reflects the cooperative process of sanctification, where believers actively seek God's cleansing power while striving to live in holiness.

The Role of Prayer in Heart Cleansing

Prayer is a vital component in the pursuit of a cleansed heart. It is through prayer that believers express their dependence on God for purification and transformation. The act of praying for a clean heart is an acknowledgment of human frailty and the need for divine intervention.

James 4:8 offers a practical exhortation: "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded" . This verse connects the act of drawing near to God with the process of cleansing, suggesting that intimacy with God is both the means and the result of a purified heart.

The Promise of a Cleansed Heart

The promise of a cleansed heart is ultimately fulfilled through the work of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:22 encourages believers to "draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water" . This passage points to the sacrificial work of Christ as the basis for heart cleansing, offering assurance and confidence to those who seek purity.

In summary, the biblical call to pray for a cleansed heart is rooted in the recognition of human sinfulness and the transformative power of God's grace. Through prayer, believers invite God to purify their hearts, aligning their inner lives with His holiness and enabling them to live in accordance with His will.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of Prayer
... Our heart being kindled with hot fire our prayer is also ... sight of God, so that it
is great joy to pray. ... gather our hearts together as we would yet may we not ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter vii of prayer.htm

Faith and Acceptance
... Thank God for the gift of His dear Son and pray that He may not have died for you
in ... Come with your whole heart to Jesus, and you may claim His blessing. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 6 faith and acceptance.htm

The Life that Can Pray
... we become of our unfitness to pray in power ... to the dividing of soul and spirit."
What heart-searching words ... God is the Vinedresser: we may confidently intrust ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/chapter v the life that.htm

The Lord and the Leper
... those who are not yet cleansed from the foul disease of sin. Pray that they may
have grace to believe in the Lord Jesus for purification of heart, pardon of sin ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 34 1888/the lord and the leper.htm

Prayerfulness.
... forgive your trespasses." If I am bitter in my heart toward any ... O that God may send
us all the prayerful blessing ... It is better that we pray than that we discuss ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter ix prayerfulness.htm

Pardon and Peace
... this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee ... people pardon and peace; that they
may be cleansed ... to be utterly changed, and have a new heart created within ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xxix pardon and peace.htm

Wandering Thoughts
... and in all be "more than conquerors." Let us pray, that we ... evil temper, and word,
and work; that we may "love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 41 wandering thoughts.htm

A Cleansed Way
... But when you begin to ask conscience, 'And, pray, what is ... defect of all attempts
at keeping my heart by my ... the Cross, that all the past for you may be cleansed ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/a cleansed way.htm

What God Hath Cleansed
... went up upon the housetop to pray about the ... in His hand, assured that no heart ever
hungered ... expansion of spirit towards regions beyond may have accompanied ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/what god hath cleansed.htm

'Lead us not into Temptation'
... when he would fling them from their dens in his heart. ... Perhaps there may be hovering
in the words of the petition a ... To pray simply for exemption from trial is ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/lead us not into temptation.htm