In our recent study, Is It A Sin To Be Tempted?, we found that temptation itself is not sin. Sin is committed when a choice is made to accept the temptation presented to us; our will, which is the power of choice is the deciding factor in whether we sin or not when tempted – because sin is a choice (as we have seen in our earlier studies).
But where does our will exist? Where are choices made? Well, they are made in our mind – this is where our will is located. A thought comes before an act, which must mean that sin starts in the mind even before an act is committed or a word is spoken. Acts and words are the outward, public revealing of a decision or choice already made within.
Nevertheless, before we accept this as a reality, we must first see if the Bible supports this claim because it is the standard of truth which we can safely live by.
Let’s begin with the words of Jesus:
Mark 7:21-23
21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Jesus is teaching us a simple, yet profound truth: things from within have a direct correlation with things that take place on the outside. Thoughts come before acts. The “heart” here refers to the mind. This we know because He goes on to say “thoughts” proceed or come from the “heart”. Evil or sinful thoughts come before evil or sinful actions – the origin of an evil action is found in the mind. Or in other words, actions are just the product of thoughts.
So, before an act of murder takes place, a thought of murder has already happened. The same with adultery, fornication, theft and so on. This is exactly what had happened with King David when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, like we saw in our last study. He was tempted in his mind with the thought of adultery first - which he chose to accept - and then he committed the act of that adultery.
Matthew 5:27, 28
27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Jesus is pointing our attention to the source of the problem. The act of sin is definitely bad, but the thought of sin is where the action originates; we are “defiled” by our evil thoughts. If you look at someone to “lust” and to gratify your desire with the thought of engaging in immoral sexual activities with them, you have already committed that sin in your “heart” or mind. Adultery is a sin. This tells us that responsibility and guilt apply even to the thought of sin (see Proverbs 24:9).
But does this mean that if a bad thought pops into our head, which we had no control over, we have sinned immediately? Well, what do we already know about sin, as in, at what point do we sin and are held accountable and guilty? At the point in which we choose to sin, because sin is a choice. If we have sinned in thought, this means that a choice has taken place in regards to that specific thought.
A bad thought that pops into our head can be understood as a temptation. When we choose not to reject it, but instead yield to it, and accept that thought, and entertain it, this is the point in which we choose to sin in thought, which often times leads us to sin in act. An adulterer in action is first an adulterer in thought. This is the same with a murderer (see also: Matthew 5:21-22; 1st John 3:15).
When we look at someone with the purpose “to lust after” them, it implies an active role or choice/decision has been made to engage in such a thought.
Achan’s Experience
Achan was guilty of disobeying a clear instruction given by God. He took a Babylonian garment, silver, and gold for himself when he fully knew that it was not permitted. When Joshua, Moses’ successor, asked Achan to explain what he had done, this is what he said:
Joshua 7:20-21
20And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against theLordGod of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Achan said that he had sinned. When he “took ” the forbidden things, he committed an act of sin. But what did he say happened before he physically took the things? He said that he “coveted” them. What does it mean to covet? Covet means to ‘yearn to possess (something, especially something belonging to another)’ (Oxford Dictionary). Is it a sin to covet? Yes, it is the 10th commandment:
Exodus 20:17
Thou shalt not covet…
The apostle Paul had this to say about coveting:
Romans 7:7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not knownlust, except the law had said, Thou shalt notcovet.
Paul understood the sin of lusting by what the ten commandments had to say about coveting. Lust and coveting happen within an individual – it takes place in the mind.
By Achan coveting the forbidden things, he sinned before he even took them. Achan did not reject this bad thought, but instead he chose to entertain and engage in the thought which then led him to commit the act.
God is not only concerned with our actions, but He also cares about our thoughts. True religion changes us from the inside-out, not from the outside-in. God is invested in our complete development as human beings who are made in His image; mind, body, and spirit, will be positively impacted by the gospel. Jesus came to save us from our sin, whether that be in action, word, and even in thought. Salvation is a thorough work and God is not slack concerning His promises - everything has been supplied for our individual victory over sin.
2nd Corinthians 10:4-5
4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5Casting 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;
God has provided us with weapons to fight in this spiritual war between good and evil! They are not “carnal” like a knife or gun, but they are definitely strong enough to pull down “strong holds” – they are just what we need. These weapons, or spiritual tools and support that God offers us, make it possible for us - weak and sinful human beings - to get the victory over sin, even in our minds. Verse 5 lets us know that this passage is specifically speaking of the spiritual battle in the mind. We know this because it says that “imaginations” will be thrown down, and that it is possible, with the help of God for “every thought” to be brought to the “obedience of Christ”. Evil thoughts are enemies to the knowledge of God; we decide which one we want for ourselves every day.
In conclusion, we have found that: 1. Sin begins in the mind; 2. A wrong thought comes before a wrong act; 3. Therefore, sin begins within the mind when we choose to accept a wrong thought and engage ourselves with it, instead of rejecting it; 4. With the help of God we can overcome even the thought of sin.
The true gospel is one of salvation from sin. Thank God that He has preserved His word, which reveals this good news.
These are some texts of encouragement that we should keep in mind as we engage in this spiritual warfare, and may fall for temptation at times:
1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Jude 1:24
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
by LetterBox Bible
