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Show WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH? SINS OF THOUGHT by Bob Reynolds Sometimes we think that only the sinful deed is condemned con-demned by God. Jesus shows that the thought which produces pro-duces the deed is also sin. For example, He said, "Whosoever "Whoso-ever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed, adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:23). I Th deed is adultery, the thought that produces it is lust. I Again we are told, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer" (1 John 3:15). Murder is often produced by ! hatred. If the thought had not first existed, the deed would not have followed. Likewise, the deed of theft is often produced by cov-eteousness. cov-eteousness. The sin of slander is often the result of jealousy. jeal-ousy. Both the thought and the action which they produce-are produce-are sins. But there is this difference. The consequences of a sin of thought are different from the deed which may be produced pro-duced by that thought. We would all rather be hated than murdered; vrc-would vrc-would rather that another would be jealous of us thai that he would slander us. The sin that is in thought oftcw hitnq no ono c.xccvt the person who does the thinking, while the sin in action or word may seriously harm another anoth-er individual. Tbe consequences are different, but the sini is the same. We must learn to control our thoughts. . |