sin by thought

[neptune 2]

???i have heard that thinking about a doing a sin is the same as really doing it so if ones think about suicde is this a sin plus video games would make sin would they not ?

[anochria]

Thinking about sinning is different than sinning in your thoughts.

The problem is with the word "thinking", which can mean in English either "having a thought" or "focusing on something", which are very different things.

Having a thought occur to you is beyond our control, and therefore can't be held against us. But when a thought occurs to us, it can become a temptation. We then can choose to dwell on that thought, like blowing on a tiny spark, or dismiss it. If we dwell/ linger/ indulge the thought (whether it is hate or lust or whatever) the thought becomes sin.

I think this is what James is describing in James 1:13-15

13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

In other words, a desire can occur to our mind, but we must be dragged away/ enticed by it for it to be birthed as sin in our minds.

Does that help?

[anochria]

Also, some advice when a temptation occurs to you:

Paul says in 2 Cor. 10:5 that we are to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

I think we do this by comparing our thoughts to what we know is true from God's word.

As to video games, can you give me a more specific example of what you're talking about?

[neptune]

yes it does help and what i was talking about with games is when u play a fighting game u kill other plares are humnoid figures you do things that shouldnt be done

[John]

on the sermon on the mount, Yeshua said "anyone who looks a a women lustfully has already commited adultry with her."

i think Yeshua is more or less saying that if you continue to lust after her that you will eventually end up commiting adultry anyway.

but you see, Yeshua often did not distinguish between someones motivations to do something, and the actual act of doing it. This is because he was what ethicists call motivationalists. If someone gave 50 dollars to a poor person, to Yeshua that wouldnt matter if you did it with a begrudging heart. the motivation of the act is what makes the act holy or unholy.

so what Yeshua is doing is not actually saying that you commit sin in thinking about it- you cannot sin with your thoughts- but he is presenting his thesis on moticationalism. Namely, his thesis was that you motivations to an act made the act a sin or a righteous deed.

so, if you are planning to seriously have adultry with another women, your intentions have already condemned you.

other examples of this can be found in Yeshua's statements "anyone who says to his brother "raca [fool in aramaci]" is in danger of hell fire." among others.

shalom- john