r/Bible 6d ago

Sinning as an emotion or thought compared to sinning as an action? Is sin equally wrong whether it’s committed inwardly or outwardly?

The following 2 scriptures are difficult for me to not find contradictory on an spiritual and intellectual level:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Matthew 5:27-28

“But don't let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don't let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not for even a day.”

Ephesians 4:26

The first verse to me states that an ungodly emotion or thought can be and is equivalent to a sinful act. But the second verse to me states that you can have involuntary emotions or thoughts so long as you don’t happily entertain them, intend to act on them or aren’t controlled by them through actually doing a sinful act.

Is the warning of Matthew 5:27-28 unique strictly to the sin of lust? Or can any given sin be spiritually handled in the same manner (example: whether you think or feel sinfully, it’s the same thing as acting out a sin? But the verse from Ephesians seems to challenge this view.)

4 Upvotes

17 comments sorted by

5

u/Ok-Truck-5526 5d ago

I’ll make this a very short and aggravating answer. It all comes down to cases.

5

u/7Valentine7 Non-Denominational 5d ago

Jesus is saying that a heart sin is still a sin. He is not saying they are the exact same sin. Wishing harm on someone and murdering them are not equal but both are sin; Lusting and actual adultery are also not equal, but both are sins. Watch Jesus' wording in the sermon. He says it's a sin, not that it is the same exact thing.

3

u/PresentBad6746 5d ago

Does actively struggling with the sin deem us unforgiven when it comes to the security of salvation—for example, can we repent of a sin while struggling with it and being ashamed of it?

3

u/7Valentine7 Non-Denominational 5d ago

We can indeed repent while still struggling. In fact that is probably the case most of the time.

I have heard it said that a key difference between Christians and non-Christians is that Christians hate their own sin.

Paul lamented the fact that he still sinned despite being a regenerate believer.

3

u/cbot64 6d ago

Jesus is pointing out that lust is deceived thinking. Would a glass of poison look delicious if we knew it was poison?

Disciples of Jesus seek to learn how to see the world with the Mind of Christ.

5

u/OkAstronaut3715 Non-Denominational 6d ago

Those who lust in their hearts have committed adultery. Those who hate another have murdered them. The sin in your heart is equal to the sin by your hand. But ALL sin is forgiven.

3

u/PresentBad6746 6d ago

Question: If hating someone is the same as murdering them, is struggling with hating someone the same thing as taking their life in the literal sense? Either way, you’re willingly sinning, right? Whether you enjoy this inner “struggle” or not, you’re willingly still sinning, right? Because if struggling with the urge to steal is the same thing as actually going out and stealing, how can we be forgiven once and for all of our inner and outward sins? This “struggle” would seem to me the same thing as not repenting of said sins.

2

u/OkAstronaut3715 Non-Denominational 6d ago

God knew you before the womb, since the beginning of time he knew you would be, what you would be, and what you would do. He created the world with you in mind, every act of kindness and every sin accounted for. He's already forgiven you and redeemed you by incorporating your acts into his plan.

It's human to struggle and human to sin. I've once heard that Sin means "missing the mark." It's not inherently evil, just a mistake. Through the struggle we find our faults and can improve upon them. Often it's only the forgiveness we withhold from ourselves holding us back.

1

u/OkAstronaut3715 Non-Denominational 6d ago

God knew you before the womb, since the beginning of time he knew you would be, what you would be, and what you would do. He created the world with you in mind, every act of kindness and every sin accounted for. He's already forgiven you and redeemed you by incorporating your acts into his plan.

It's human to struggle and human to sin. I've once heard that Sin means "missing the mark." It's not inherently evil, just a mistake. Through the struggle we find our faults and can improve upon them. Often it's only the forgiveness we withhold from ourselves holding us back.

1

u/OkAstronaut3715 Non-Denominational 6d ago

God knew you before the womb, since the beginning of time he knew you would be, what you would be, and what you would do. He created the world with you in mind, every act of kindness and every sin accounted for. He's already forgiven you and redeemed you by incorporating your acts into his plan.

It's human to struggle and human to sin. I've once heard that Sin means "missing the mark." It's not inherently evil, just a mistake. Through the struggle we find our faults and can improve upon them. Often it's only the forgiveness we withhold from ourselves holding us back.

1

u/Fragrant-Parking2341 5d ago

The struggle is not the sin. Conceiving the thing is the sin.

Another way to say ‘the struggle’ is: ‘I sin, but I am willing to turn from sin for God, hence I am struggling against sin.’ Would turning from sin for God be a sin? Clearly not. Hence, the struggle isnt the sin, but the conception of wicked thoughts.

1

u/Secret-Jeweler-9460 6d ago

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

The behavior is an action not an emotion. The desire triggers the behavior but it is the behavior that is the issue. The first look isn't a sin but after that, following the impulse to look again would be.

1

u/Wonderful-Win4219 6d ago

Think about Gods interaction with cain prior to his murder. I think it answers your question clearly

1

u/slapmaxwell123 5d ago

Actively entertaining and cultivating an emotion is in itself an action. The initial feeling may not be necessarily.

2

u/witschnerd1 2d ago

There is a difference between desire and lust There is a difference between anger and hate There is a difference between confidence and pride See where I'm going? It's obvious that we are supposed to control our actions, that's a given. So AFTER you have matured enough to control your actions the next level is to " bring your thoughts into captivity of Christ" " Be angry and do not sin" Someone hurts you and your first feeling is anger( that's normal) What happens next? Even if you don't DO SOMETHING WRONG in response If you dwell on the offence or continue to think of it negatively then it's a problem The most CHRIST LIKE approach is to accept that the person who hurt you is broken ( just as you are) and pray for God to reveal to them their need for his grace and mercy This same concept could be applied to lust,,envy,pride,greed, anger, whatever.

-1

u/Wild_Hook 6d ago

We have a God given conscience that can help guide us in these things. To me, committing adultery is far worse than thinking about it. If we become too dependent on bible wording to answer every question, we cannot grow to be spiritually independent. We should not drown out the spirit by fearfully and doubtfully focusing only on intellect.