all2elohim said:
You have some good points Kasey. If sin is strictly action, when does one that hates actually commit the sin during the process of murder. The sin of hate drove him to committ the act. Is it when he purposed in his heart to kill, or just when he plunged the knife into the victim's chest. Wouldn't a "renewed mind" (Rom. 12:2) prevented such an act? If not what's the point in renewing our minds in the first place? Sin is certainly transgression of the law but it also seems in Romans it is something we have inherited through Adam and that is where much of our wrong thinking (or wrong nature) comes from in the first place.
"Repent therefore of thine wickedness and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee" Acts 8:22
Elsewhere we are taught to "bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor 10:5
The greatest commandment is loving God with all our "heart, soul, mind and strength." We love Him not just with our body, but with our total being.
Love doesn't start with our actions, but rather our actions of love is an outpouring of what has started in our heart. Otherwise it seems more like Pharistical adherence to a law to me. Any religion can give me law. Only Christianity gives me a new heart.
Granted that human beings are naturally selfish and are only for self-preservation, yet regardless, even though humanity has a mentality of selfishness, to sin, you still have to go through with it by action.
Having a renewed "mind"? The Greek word for "mind" in Romans 12:2 is "noue" and it means your understanding. Be renewed in your understanding that ye may prove what is that good and accetpable and perfect WILL of God. The will of God is expressed in 1 John 5:3 and thats keeping his commandments. This in turn, redirects the CHristian God's Law in the Law and Prophets. All can see that to transgress those laws is make a ACTION, not a thought.
Therefore, it goes right back to the same issue. You cannot sin without committing that sin with ACTION, not thoughts. You can think about it as long as you want but you can still choose to do or NOT to do it. You committ the sin of murder, which is killing someone else, when you start the process of killing them. Thinking about it doesnt do anything. Until you go to murder them, you havent done anything wrong because you can still choose not to do it.
The Greek word for "thought" in Acts 8:22 is "epinoia" and it means a "purpose". The Greek word for "heart" is "kardia" and it means your mind. The purpose of your mind. If you purpose to do something, your going to do it. Its just like Christ stated in Matthew 5:28, those who are going to committ adultery have already PURPOSED it within their mind. They are going to do it anyways.
Even more so, what is the context of Acts 8:22? Its verse 18 where a person named Simon sought to buy the "Holy Spirit" and what came with it with money. Simon PURPOSED in his mind to BUY what could not be bought. Therefore, by action, Simon had sinned. Simon could have thought about offering money to Peter all he wanted, but until he did, he wasnt guilty of sin. Peter only told Simon repent after Simon had already offered the money.
What about 2 Corinthians 10:5? The Greek word for "imaginations" is "logiamos" and it means someones reasoning or computation. The Greek word for "thought" is "noema" and it means percection, as in purpose, a device.
In addition, what is Obediance to Christ? The Greek word for "obediance" is "hupakoe" and it means submission. The submission of Christ? What did Christ submit to? Well, He submitted to the will of God did he not? He did what the Father wanted him to do, did he not? Its stated numerous times throughout the Gospels that CHrist came to do the will of God. In addition to being a sacrifice what else was the Will of God?
Since the Bible is the Word of God, turn to Ecclesiastes 12:13: The whole duty of man is to fear God and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.
Therefore, in context, 2 Corinthians is talking about let us keep God's commandments, casting down the reasoning and high things and purposes of those things that are against the knowledge of God. Hence, DECEPTION and lies. Lies about what? Lies about scripture. We are in warfare, a war of words and reasoning. A Christian is to be casting down deception and of the such against the Bible and those things which pertain to God.
Yet, this passage still has no evidence for saying that there is a "thought" crime or "thought" sin. All sin is done by action, not "thoughts."
Also, to say that there are "thought" crimes or sins is also to make the Law of God grevious and a burden to bare. The scriptures, in 1 John 5:3, state that those commandments are not greivous. Therefore, no thought sins or crimes. To make it that way is to make it grievous indeed.
"Love"? ROmans 13:10 states that "love" is the fullfilling of the Law. What Law? God's Law. Therefore, to show love to your fellow CHristian, you treat them according to God's Law. Even more so, the love of God is to keep his commandments - 1 John 5:3.
Hmm, a single scripture, 1 John 5:3 has so much to say
