How does one get a clean heart?

zoidar said:

What do you think? Is it by serving God, living a faithful life through helping our neighbour? Is it through reading the Bible? Through prayer, fasting? Maybe abstaining from sin? Attending church? Trusting in Christ alone? Asking for forgiveness? All of it maybe? Jesus says this to the Pharisees:

Matthew 23
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

Luke 11
39 Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.

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Humility is the key. First, we have to want it, by recognizing and acknowledging that we don't already have it. Then we ask for it, with sincerity and persistence, believing God can and will grant it. And we cooperate in His accomplishing this in us, which is a never-ending process, by acting on the grace given, living the purer and more innocent life. He gives; we accept- or not.

zoidar said:

What do you think? Is it by serving God, living a faithful life through helping our neighbour? Is it through reading the Bible? Through prayer, fasting? Maybe abstaining from sin? Attending church? Trusting in Christ alone? Asking for forgiveness? All of it maybe? Jesus says this to the Pharisees:

Matthew 23
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

Luke 11
39 Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.

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zoidar said:

To get his feet washed by Jesus... He didn't want his Lord to do something like that. He didn't feel worthy.

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Here's how, my approach to walking in the Spirit.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:5) (KJV 1900)

We censor every impure thought or imagination. And change the channel in our thinking on any thought that does not conform to obedience to Christ.

And we replace it with:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Knowing Jesus is God and God is love. So Jesus is lord of our lives when love rules our thoughts and actions.

zoidar said:

What do you think? Is it by serving God, living a faithful life through helping our neighbour? Is it through reading the Bible? Through prayer, fasting? Maybe abstaining from sin? Attending church? Trusting in Christ alone? Asking for forgiveness? All of it maybe? Jesus says this to the Pharisees:

Matthew 23
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

Luke 11
39 Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.

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I often wonder when Jesus said " He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean; but not all of you . For He knew who would betray Him , therefore he said that , You are not all clean " .

Why only the feet ? It seems to me that as we "walk in the world " which is the Lord's vineyard , we get our feet dirty ...we pick up ideas ..are tempted through the eyes , the senses , etc. We are told to wash one another's feet ...Since Jesus did not literally wash us but rather spiritually , I wonder if our praying for one another is the washing of each other's feet ? It sure seems that some of Paul's fellow workers prayed a lot for believers ...Colossians 4:12 Epaphras , who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus sends you greetings , always laboring for you fervently in prayer , that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God . I think this was one key to the early christians was their demonstrated faith through their prayers . Also , being much given to the seriousness of their calling ...even if they had been invented at the time , they would not have been "redeeming their time " by going to movies , sporting events and watching television .
So in answering your question ....In proverbs it says ...A man who walks with wise men will be wise but the companion of fools will be destroyed " ...I would spend more time with Jesus.... avoid the contaminants of the world ...walk with wise men who have no agenda ..no books to sell ..no ministry to pay for , etc. Men like Jeremiah , Isiah , Micah , Malachi , Mark , Luke , Matthew , John ...they are very , very old wise men with no agenda apart from God's will . And of course , make sure you have someone(s) to whom you can confess your faults and pray for one another .

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands, and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Surrender everything that you think would oppose the Lord and His will.

Song the song, "search me O God, and know my heart today. Try me O Savior, know my thoughts I pray."

One obtains a pure heart, I think, from surrendering everything impure to Him, the good and the bad. Your heart should be as transparent glass through which Jesus can see. Then you will have a heart that is pleasing to Him.

zoidar said:

What do you think? Is it by serving God, living a faithful life through helping our neighbour? Is it through reading the Bible? Through prayer, fasting? Maybe abstaining from sin? Attending church? Trusting in Christ alone? Asking for forgiveness? All of it maybe? Jesus says this to the Pharisees:

Matthew 23
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

Luke 11
39 Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.

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You have to die on the cross with Christ and experience the new birth of his resurrection. Nothing we can do will clean our hearts. Before the new birth the heart is desperately wicked, but God promised a new heart. After the new birth we keep our heart clean by walking in humility, repentance and forgiveness.

zoidar said:

What do you think? Is it by serving God, living a faithful life through helping our neighbour? Is it through reading the Bible? Through prayer, fasting? Maybe abstaining from sin? Attending church? Trusting in Christ alone? Asking for forgiveness? All of it maybe? Jesus says this to the Pharisees:

Matthew 23
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

Luke 11
39 Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.

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The only thing that can cleanse the heart is the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. To be cleansed all we have to do is confess the sin. Anything else is "works" that diminishes the sacrifice that Lord Jesus made for us. If our own efforts, good intentions, noble ideals and such could cleanse us, Lord Jesus died in vain.

AlexDTX said:

You have to die on the cross with Christ and experience the new birth of his resurrection. Nothing we can do will clean our hearts. Before the new birth the heart is desperately wicked, but God promised a new heart. After the new birth we keep our heart clean by walking in humility, repentance and forgiveness.

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What happens when you don't walk in those ways? All very commendable, but no one is that good.

Aussie Pete said:

What happens when you don't walk in those ways? All very commendable, but no one is that good.

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It is the new heart that enables us to walk in those ways. Your question suggests doing something in our own strength and that is not the good news.

Php_1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

zoidar said:

But when we have strayed off the path and got our heart mudded up, then what? When we fail to keep it clean so to speak.

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This is the significance of the story of the foot washing.


It is a picture of getting dirty from living in this world. It is Christ who washes the dirt off our heart from the world, but the heart is already clean on the inside with the new birth.

The Pharisees who looked clean on the outside, Jesus excoriated to show the filth on the inside that had never been clean.


It is God who promises to keep us clean and to clean us as needed.

zoidar said:

Ok, my experience as a born again believer is that the heart can get mudded up. Do you disagree?

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No. I had already stated this. I had said that Jesus washes our hearts anew when we confess our sins and repent. My point is that we can not clean our hearts. Only Jesus can.

the heart of our fleshly nature will never be clean this side of heaven, but is hostile to God and doesn't know how to obey God. It is only by receiving a new heart when your saved that you have a clean heart and not by works.
It is clear from passages in Romans 7 that we will have a struggle within us for the rest of our time on earth then between the flesh and the Spirit. Both are opposed to each other.

zoidar said:

Sorry I was too quick reading your post. Thanks for being clear!

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Thank you for reconsidering what I had already said.

Blade said:

Heart.. what 1st comes to mind "If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything"... PRAISE GOD! YES!

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Jeremiah 17:9 King James Version (KJV) 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

zoidar said:

What do you think? Is it by serving God, living a faithful life through helping our neighbour? Is it through reading the Bible? Through prayer, fasting? Maybe abstaining from sin? Attending church? Trusting in Christ alone? Asking for forgiveness? All of it maybe? Jesus says this to the Pharisees:

Matthew 23
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

Luke 11
39 Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. 40 You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.

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You get a clean heart by becoming born again of the spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. "...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water Hebrews 10:22)." You cannot clean yourself up no matter how hard you try. Only by recognizing that your sins are forgiven and that you have the life of God, His indwelling Holy Spirit, living inside you will you experience what it means to have a clean heart.

i heard a pastor say , the best way to get a pure heart to to be 100% honest with eveyrthing you say...

and to do the things you say to yourself that you will do