Is it important to have a pure heart?

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”

Proverbs 4:23 

“The upright (honourable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honourable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Luke 6:45

“Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart.”

Psalm 51:6 

When the Bible speaks about a person’s heart, it refers to the deepest consciousness of a person – who and what a person really is. This consciousness influences our actions, thoughts, and emotions.

When we try to improve ourselves, we often focus on symptoms such as unclean thoughts, negative emotions, and desires. However, actual change only comes from the renewing, changing, and recreating of our hearts. Then our thoughts, emotions and desires will line up with the conviction of the new heart.

“²⁶A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall heed My ordinances and do them.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27

The power of the Holy Spirit is demonstrated in this. He creates a new, pure heart. Only He can do it. Only when we ask Him and allow Him to do it can we truly change. 

“Now these [Jews] were better disposed and more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they were entirely ready and accepted and welcomed the message [concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] with inclination of mind and eagerness, searching and examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

Acts 17:11

“But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.”

Luke 8:15

Here, in the Parable of the Sower, the heart is compared with soil. The soil’s condition and quality will determine the crop’s size and quality, even when the seed is the same.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10

All scripture references are from the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, unless otherwise stated.