The Un-Tamed Sin of Our Thoughts

Sometimes, I believe, we are tempted to understand sin as a proactive entity only; in a “thou shalt not” sort of way. 

So we might succeed in intentionally refraining from doing something specific, such as smoking, drinking, cussing, cheating, etc. 

But when it comes to observations, responses and reactions, especially to someone else’s proactive sin, we may not have developed the spiritual muscle for keeping unplanned, spontaneous thought-sin in check. 

This sort of sin can be difficult to feel conviction about, because, if we notice it at all, we tend to label (and thus excuse) it as a “habit,” a “warped sense of humor,”  “witty sarcasm” or a “sense of justice and principle.” 

We may overrule and continue in this thinking through a justification of “they had it coming” or “they sinned first.” 

This thought-sin is still a sin even if it goes unspoken. If it exists in the mind, then it exists.

Why is it that, as maturing Christians, we can gain such a great sensitivity to sin and the ability to gain victory over and keep an ongoing distance from unprovoked personal acts of sin, while at the same time, apparently, fail to build the discipline and spiritual fitness that can ward off sudden and non pre-meditated sin of the mind? (this kind of sin may or may not lead to sinful physical acting out). 

This spiritual lack is why arguments escalate, silent treatments stubbornly settle in, and animosity simmers. This is why what began as a “harmless” inner personal judgment of someone leaches into critical commentary on just about everyone. 

When sin gets an inch, it’ll take a mile. And in the laziness of our thought life, pretty soon all of life is open to our rancorous estimation and opinion. 

It’s like when Jesus told the Pharisees that the outside of their cup was clean, but the inside still dirty (Matthew 23 and Luke 11). . 

What good is it if we don’t smoke, drink, cuss or cheat if, at the same time, we harbor hate, jealousy, resentment, anger and superiority? 

Don’t get me wrong. Shedding proactive physical sin is difficult. It is a victory worth praising and celebrating. We are unequivocally called to tackle these sins through the empowering Holy Spirit and our salvation in Christ. 

But for myself, I can see how I allow more private, unexposed sin to loiter, barricading further maturity in Christ, which leads to bearing less fruit. 

Much of this silent sin lives on in the thought life. 

And though I’ve repeatedly made the attempt, the cleaning of my thinking cap, if you will, is a stickler. 

To be honest, I have made much progress, through Christ, in this area. And yet, I am needled, in a good way, by the fact that I am still falling short and increasingly bothered by it. 

That, I would venture, is the beginning of building the endurance of a thicker skin: Christ’s skin: receiving people and their comments the way He would, observing the world in all its successes and flaws the way He would, thinking things of people as we pass them on the street that Christ would think. 

The Bible says, 

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8

I am struck by the first word, “Finally.” Yes, finally indeed! 

After close to eighteen years of being a Christian, am I finally at the place of taking this verse from memory to action? 

Am I ready to dwell here, permanently, as this verse commands? Or, like the seed fallen on shallow ground, will this verse bloom for a day and then wither (Matthew 13:20-22)?

Finally….

What does this word follow in Paul’s discourse? Perhaps that will instruct us as to how we can accomplish, finally, the cleaning of the inside of the cup, which is the only way we will be able to end reactive, spontaneous thinking and its sinful outcomes.

Here’s what Paul says, just before Philippians 4:8

“Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of his power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. 

Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord…  ” Philippians 3:17-4:2

Let’s stop there a minute as we get closer to “finally.”

Notice two things:

1. Paul has told his listeners about those who walk according to the pattern of the world, as enemies of the cross, before. He tells them now again, “even weeping!” Is this something Paul is desperate to get across? Yes! Does it seem he may be having some difficulty since now he is not only reminding them but this time in tears?
   
   Paul is looking directly at me! He’s saying, “Barb, I’ve told you a million times that there will be people who push sin’s buttons, your sin buttons! Beware! Don’t fall for it (hence Peter’s warning in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober of spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”).
   
2. Paul immediately cites two people by name, Euodia and Syntyche. These two women were Christians, serving with Paul and in the church, but who were not getting along with each other to the point that it was becoming common knowledge to many in the community. Paul is saying here that just because we are Christians we are not off the hook for taking the high road, for having the mind of Christ and keeping the inside of our cup clean even amidst disagreement, personality clashes and any other issue that comes between people. We are to get it through our heads: to keep the mind (thought life) of Christ at all times and with all people.
   
   We, as confessed followers of Christ, are not to set our minds on earthly things (sinful thinking).
   
   Why?
   
   Because our citizenship is in heaven. When we entered God’s kingdom through Christ, our citizenship transferred to Heaven. That is where we reside now, even while still on earth, and it is where we will be, after our time here is complete. Our thinking, if it allies with that, will thus be that of Christ, not ourself or any man.
   
   That is what we stand firm in, and that is how we get to “finally…

But there’s one more thing:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7

Which brings us to Philippians four, verse eight:

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Copyright Barb Harwood

“Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written,

‘THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,

 AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,

ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.’

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:6-14