Sin in thought

ByGracethroughFaith · Aug 28, 2007

Sin in thought being the root of all other sins, it is something that everyone needs to be acutely aware of. Here is some good instruction on the topic.

(iii) Thought-sins are root-sins and the roots of all other sins.

They are the mother-sins, actions being their issue (Proverbs 4.23). Evil deeds are the offspring and children of evil thoughts, the branches and fruit which grow out of this root. Thoughts are the first-born of the soul; words and actions are only younger brothers. They are the oil that feeds and maintains the wick, which would otherwise go out; life-sins receive their juice and nourishment from thought-sins. St. James speaks as if our thoughts were the belly and womb where sin is conceived (James 1.15). Now when men would curse grievously, as Job did, they curse the day and place of their birth, the womb that bore them; so should you curse sin even in the very womb that bore it, laying the axe to the root of the tree.

The wickedness of men's lives is charged upon their thoughts, that it has its root and rise there: murders, adulteries, etc., all come out of the heart, as out of the belly of a Trojan horse (Genesis 6.5; Matthew 12.35; 15.19). One would wonder (as we do at some birds, where they nest all winter) to see so many flocks and herds of wickedness. One would wonder from what corner of the world they come. Why, they all come out of the heart, the rendezvous of wickedness, the inn where lodge all the thieves and travelling lusts that are in the world and that do so much mischief in it. All the unclean streams flow from this unclean fountain, this ocean and sea of sin. Holy David says, I hate vain thoughts (Psalm 119.113); that is, any thoughts that are against thy law which I love. We all hate that which is against what we love. But why does David hate the thought of sin? Because evil thoughts beget evil words, and evil words corrupt good, and beget bad behaviour. Vain imaginations beget vain conversations. It is hard for those who think well to do ill, and harder still for those who think ill to do well, for as the root is, so is the fruit, and by that the tree is known (Matthew 7.17).

(iv) If we had no other sins to be pardoned, yet we must beg pardon for sinful thoughts.

A man may think himself to Hell, if the sinfulness of his thoughts is not forgiven him. St. Peter said to Simon Magus, Repent of thy thought-wickedness, and pray if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee (Acts 8.22). If God were to pardon all our word-sins and evil deeds, and leave only our thought-sins unpardoned, we would be undone for ever. Indeed, blessed David was so afraid of sin that he begs God to cleanse him from his secret sins which lay lurking in his heart and were undiscernible there (Psalm 19.12). Even if such thoughts do not increase to more ungodliness, which they will attempt and too easily effect, yet there is impiety and ungodliness enough in them to ruin us everlastingly! I wish that those who make light of vain thoughts, and even of evil thoughts, as if they had no evil in them, would think of this.

(v) It is the great design of the Gospel to bring thoughts to the obedience of Christ Jesus.

It is far easier to reform men's manners than to renew their minds; the laws of men may do the former but it is the law of God which does the latter. Many men, even though they had no other company, could live along with the sins of their hearts and thoughts, pleasing themselves and blessing themselves, too, in their own vain imaginations, and acting sins in their fancy. Indeed, they will more easily surrender the sins of their tongues and hands than their heart-sins. Now the Gospel comes to throw down these strong towers, to cast down imaginations, to conquer whole armies of thoughts, to reduce these straggling and thievish highwaymen into good order and obedience. This is the glory of the Gospel, beyond all the philosophy in the world, that it has such a great influence on the hearts and thoughts of men (2 Corinthians 10.4,5).
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From this book
http://www.gospeltruth.net/sos/sos_titlepage.htm

BGTF

LeBuick · Aug 29, 2007

Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Sin is not the physical act, by the time you get to the physical act you have already sinned in your heart.

standingfirminChrist · Aug 29, 2007

I find it interesting that many, when quoting Matthew 5:21 always leave the 'without a cause' out. They say to be angry is sin. Yet we know this to be a false statement for Paul wrote:

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (Ephesians 4:26)

Alcott · Aug 29, 2007

I find that interesting, too. The reason behind it is that the phrase "without a cause" is not in the manuscripts. Your Anglican translation add to the Word.

Heavenly Pilgrim · Aug 29, 2007

BGTF: Sin in thought being the root of all other sins, it is something that everyone needs to be acutely aware of. Here is some good instruction on the topic.
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HP: Do you live on an island? "There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" seems to be the watch words of so many on this list. If one cannot help but sin, and anyone that claims they have through the power of the gospel been made free from sin is automatically called a liar, what does this post add to the discussion? If sin is unavoidable, what matters if it happens I the heart or actions, the results are the same for the believer, or so we are told. It is all under the blood before we ever think the though or commit the action, and sin has nothing to do with our standing before the Lord, neither in gaining or keeping our salvation.

Tell me BGTF, what is the import of your post? Are you just trying to add condemnation where it is said that there is none possible?

ByGracethroughFaith · Aug 29, 2007

Heavenly Pilgrim said:

HP: Do you live on an island? "There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" seems to be the watch words of so many on this list. If one cannot help but sin, and anyone that claims they have through the power of the gospel been made free from sin is automatically called a liar, what does this post add to the discussion? If sin is unavoidable, what matters if it happens I the heart or actions, the results are the same for the believer, or so we are told. It is all under the blood before we ever think the though or commit the action, and sin has nothing to do with our standing before the Lord, neither in gaining or keeping our salvation.

Tell me BGTF, what is the import of your post? Are you just trying to add condemnation where it is said that there is none possible?
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Did you ever see one of those gopher pop-up machines? People actually pay money to keep a sharp eye for a gopher to pop up early so they can give it a good whack on the head. They know they are going to keep popping but their objective is to give every one of them a whack on the head.

Since repentance means a change of mind from loving sin to hating it, I figured all those who make a claim of repentance, would like to detect sin’s early risings in themselves and want to give each of them a good whack on the head. Sure others may pop up shortly thereafter, but since the repentant heart hates them so, I want to make sure everyone knows how to spot sins at their very root, and give each of them a good whack before they get too big.

Now because sin keeps arising it does not mean that a man gives up the battle against it (Romans 6), that is to fall into the antinomian error. The real battle with sin is only fought by the Christian. The heathen never battle with sin because they don’t see it as a problem, in fact they enjoy sin, or love it, being yet in an unrepentant state.

Sanctification is to be desired by a repentant heart, so I want to give you a picture for it.

On a scale of 0-100, God’s perfect holiness being 100, and an unconverted man’s holiness is 0. On conversion God does not show the man all of the difference otherwise it could drive the man to despair. He will show the man the first 5%, at which point the man will get working on, and cleaning house (the beginning of sanctification). Some only make it this far and believe they have reached a state of sinless perfection, these are merely self-deceived hypocrites. The real Christian man makes good on the 5% and at that point God shows him 5% more. The man says “This was here all this time? I thought I was done, how come I never noticed it before?” and promptly gets to work at cleaning up the newly found sin. He proceeds further until he gets to 25% at which point God says “The man thinks he is getting a little stronger now, I will now show the man more of the difference that he remain humble”, so God now shows the man 10% more. The man looks at the 10% difference between where he now sits and what God’s perfect holiness is and says “I am going to a wedding (assurance), Lord help me keep me keep shining (sanctification) this rotten old soul (humility) up so I can be the best bride I can be.” And so on…..never reaching perfect holiness, but always striving towards it.

Sometimes a good, honest look at our own hearts can be a scary thing.

BGTF

LeBuick · Aug 29, 2007

standingfirminChrist said:

I find it interesting that many, when quoting Matthew 5:21 always leave the 'without a cause' out. They say to be angry is sin. Yet we know this to be a false statement for Paul wrote:
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Tough hair to split, being angry and turning the other cheek/loving them the despitefull use you.

I find the entire contrast interesting, Jesus compares being mad without a cuase to murder???

Imagine two guys in the prison. What yoiu hear for? Murder Man. Why you here, I got mad without a cuase...

Sin in thought

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