The Christian experience brings many confusions and complexities. In particular, knowing one’s heart can be quite a challenge. How do I know I’m a believer? How do I know I’m saved? Am I who I think I am? Tough questions, for sure.
I think some questions about our hearts can be answered with Titus 1:15:
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure…
To those with a good heart, all things are pure. Is injustice pure? Is hatred pure? No. But injustice can be made justice, and hatred can be turned to love. The unjust or hateful person can change. The ugliness can be made pretty. More than that, the pure person sees light in the darkest hearts. He or she knows that God can shine light into that heart, should that person give God that opportunity.
Not so for the defiled heart. To the impure, nothing is pure. Injustice is all the unjust can do. The hateful heart will never love. Even if the unjust person could change, justice is built on selfishness. Love is a product of fear and a way for the loving person to get his or her way (because, let’s be honest, the loving person really just loves himself or herself). It gets even worse: a beautiful woman is a perversion; music is best used as a celebration of a wasted life; a fine wine can not be simply enjoyed without being abused. As Paul says, all things (whether truly impure or not) are impure to the impure.
Getting back to our question: What kind of heart do I have? Well, what is pure to me? Anything?