Did Jesus tell us sinful thoughts are equal to sinful deeds ?

[bottomofsandal]

If a (wo)man looks with lust, it is adultery.

Is a thought a sin without an action ?



Repentance from evil deeds is to cease from sinning,

but if the thoughts continue was there real repenting ?

What is behavior changes, but the mind still struggles ?




There is no judgement here, no soft stance on sin.

 

[spr]

First comes desire, then when sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. If you don't follow though you don't sin.

Jesus said whoever looks on a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart, but whoever actually, physically, commits adultery with her sins against his own entire body (not just with the heart 1Cor6:18).

 

[JGiddings]

It's hard for us to keep up with our minds.
Not sure why I said that but felt that I should.
Lustful thoughts are controllable. It is to what extent the definition of lustful thoughts should be applied. Is it lustful to look at a woman and think "dang she's hot!" ??

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

yes

 

[JGiddings]

Sorry I didn't answer the OP's direct question.

If you sin with your mind and heart it is the same as sinning in action.

 

[sculleywr]

If a (wo)man looks with lust, it is adultery. Is a thought a sin without an action ? Repentance from evil deeds is to cease from sinning, but if the thoughts continue was there real repenting ? What is behavior changes, but the mind still struggles ? There is no judgement here, no soft stance on sin.

To lust after something isn't just to have a passing thought. Lusting is when we take that passing thought and fantasize about it. To meditate upon an evil is wrong, but we all have those thoughts show up from time to time.

 

[Sketcher]

My belief is that it is worse to actually kill somebody you hate than it is to be angry with him in your heart without cause. Although both are sins, and therefore God demands that we take them seriously.

 

[spr]

Here are the verses:

Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

So having a thought/temptation to do something isn't sin until you let lust have it's way. And God always makes a way of escape, so long as you don't get angry with God because of the temptation. God can not be tempted and he does not tempt anyone.

If you give in to temptation there is grace, and you can get right back on track again, but just know that when you yield yourself to the devil you become his slave to do his work, but when you deny yourself you hold to the truth that God is the only one to whom we should submit.

 

[JGiddings]

My belief is that it is worse to actually kill somebody you hate than it is to be angry with him in your heart without cause. Although both are sins, and therefore God demands that we take them seriously.

I believe that the lust for murder is on equal ground with the murder itself that is in turn perpetuated by said lust.

 

[Sketcher]

I believe that the lust for murder is on equal ground with the murder itself that is in turn perpetuated by said lust.

So should the government arrest someone if he happens to be angry in his heart for someone without cause? Throw him in prison for life or execute him? If not, why not?

 

[Omena]

So should the government arrest someone if he happens to be angry in his heart for someone without cause? Throw him in prison for life or execute him? If not, why not?

I feel this example is a little out of context. The government is not God, and neither do they have the authority to judge on behalf of God.

I share a similar feeling as sculleywr, which is that we can't deny ourselves that thoughts of lust (or even violence) pop up from time to time, as our human nature sort of takes over when we get angry, or when a really hot woman (or man) walks by. But to dwell on these thoughts and relish in them is like sinning, even though we haven't actually carried out the action and we perhaps don't intend to. I'm not sure how to find the balance though, like at which point do we decide to dismiss the thought which could lead to sin? I think God just wants us to be honest with ourselves about when these thoughts become damaging to us spiritually, and it's then that we need to avoid dwelling on those thoughts.

 

[bottomofsandal]

It's hard for us to keep up with our minds.
Not sure why I said that but felt that I should.
Lustful thoughts are controllable. It is to what extent the definition of lustful thoughts should be applied. Is it lustful to look at a woman and think "dang she's hot!" ??

Agree with the comment about keeping up with our minds.



At some point a line is crossed from temptation to sin.

A liar either lies or doesn't lie. Is a pre-lie a sin or not ?

What about dwelling on telling a lie, then not executing ?



Not directing this at you, just throwing it out there...

 

[bottomofsandal]

To lust after something isn't just to have a passing thought. Lusting is when we take that passing thought and fantasize about it. To meditate upon an evil is wrong, but we all have those thoughts show up from time to time.

Yeah, that sure makes sense !



Sometimes people post that the re-occurrence of evil thoughts are evidence that there is not newness of life because the new nature is really not manifested, and grace has not been appropriated. IOW, some seem to say there is no more sin becasue there is no more opportunity to sin.


This goes beyond the folks who say they never sin, claiming that there is no longer even any temptation because the flesh is completely dead. There is no stuggle against evil whatsoever, and if a man does wrestle with evil, he is spiritually deficient. Some seem to say not only will a man not sin his old sins, but the desire to perform the sin is totally gone.



What do you make of this line of thinking ?

 

[bottomofsandal]

My belief is that it is worse to actually kill somebody you hate than it is to be angry with him in your heart without cause. Although both are sins, and therefore God demands that we take them seriously.

Things would have turned out differently had David not pursued his thoughts about Bathsheba. He put his thoughts into action and committed adultery and murder.

 

[bottomofsandal]

I feel this example is a little out of context. The government is not God, and neither do they have the authority to judge on behalf of God.

Wasn't there a movie where the government knew of your crime before you committed the crime and prevented it from happening ?

 

[Knockout]

Paul burned even to the end and he compared it to lust

 

[peterandrewj]

If a (wo)man looks with lust, it is adultery.

Is a thought a sin without an action ?



Repentance from evil deeds is to cease from sinning,

but if the thoughts continue was there real repenting ?

What is behavior changes, but the mind still struggles ?




There is no judgement here, no soft stance on sin.

In that part of the sermon on the mount, Jesus was telling them about his ability to fulfill the law (ceasing from sin by crucifying the flesh and its lusts).

Looking on a woman to lust after her implies lust being served before sight of the woman, that they have eyes full of adultery. Because the sin was already conceived adultery was already committed in the heart.

He was judging the righteousness of the pharisees, insufficient to enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

[Adrianmaddox]

The Bible teaches us that sin is sin.

 

[Willie T]

We often seem to miss God's very definite point.

It is not sinS, per se, that God hates, it is sin......... the attitude that gives birth to sinS.

 

[peterandrewj]

Thoughts are not sin.

Adultery in the heart is not because of a thought but the intent of the heart.

Pharisees boasting in the law were confident in the flesh, looking clean on the surface but within was rottenness.

The Pharisee's heart was no different from a sinner. They were servants of sin - hypocrites.

The works of the flesh are adultery, fornication, etc.

Don't try controlling your thoughts; its your heart that will determine what you accept as true, and to what you yield yourself.

Walk after the Spirit and by the Spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh.