thoughts – La Vista Church of Christ

Without God, Can You Trust Your Mind?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:15:44 +0000

Can we really trust our own thinking? Every argument — every conversation — assumes we can think, reason, and understand. But have you ever stopped to ask where that ability comes from? In this video, Doy Moyer explores a profound challenge facing the naturalistic worldview: if human thought is nothing more than the product of mindless, unguided material forces, can we actually trust our own reasoning? Even atheist philosopher Thomas Nagel wrestled with this very problem in The Last Word. We contrast this with the biblical view — that an Intelligent Designer made us in His image (Genesis 1:26-27) and gave us the capacity to think, reason, and know.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7).

Overcoming Emotional Problems

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 23:30:26 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Overcoming-Emotional-Problems.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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Text: Philippians 4:4-9

I. It is a simple idea; so simple, you probably think it is obvious. Yet, the ramifications are far reaching.

A. How we think influences our emotions

1. It is profound because the world sees it the other way around.

2. In the world emotions dictates behavior and thought.

B. Anxiety causes depression. Encouragement causes happiness - Proverbs 12:25

C. Joy inside shines without. Heartache causes discouragement - Proverbs 15:13

D. The disciples fears arose from the doubts within them - Luke 24:36-38

E. When Peter remembered Jesus’ words, it caused him grief - Mark 14:72

F. The Bible teaches that what we think about, what we focus our minds upon, influences the emotions with which we react.

1. This is not to discount that some have medical problems which causes their minds to overreact to situations.

2. However, for the majority it is the way we think that influences our emotions.

II. It is an important point because God teaches us that we have control over our thoughts.

A. Ephesians 4:17-24 - The Gentiles walk about with useless thoughts and so pursue an ungodly course of living. We must put that way aside. We have a choice as to where our minds dwells.

B. We do not need to keep wicked thoughts - Jeremiah 4:14

C. We need to leave unrighteous thoughts behind and seek God - Isaiah 55:7

D. I Peter 1:13 - Prepare your minds

E. Love the Lord with all your mind - Matthew 22:37-38

III. This means that many of the emotional problems for which people seek help can be dealt with by changing their thought patterns

A. Take depression. Solomon told us it comes from anxiety (Proverbs 12:25)

B. Jesus encourages us not to be anxious - Matthew 6:25-34

1. Anxiety is a useless way of thinking.

a. God will take care of us.

b. Worry will not change outcomes

2. The solution is within the church – proper priorities.

IV. Paul tells us how to overcome anxiety - Philippians 4:4-8

A. Recall that Paul wrote these words while in prison. If one had a cause for concern, it would be Paul, but he encourages Christians to let go of anxiety.

B. By choosing to rejoice - Philippians 4:4

1. One study by Loma Linda University found that even anticipating laughing reduces stress hormones.

2. Notice how the apostles dealt with their beating - Acts 5:40-41

a. They were handed a lemon, but they choose to make lemonade.

b. They choose to think about the benefits.

3. It is how all Christians are encouraged to deal with suffering - I Peter 4:12-14

4. Matthew 5:10-12 - Realize you are in good company

C. Demonstrate gentleness - Philippians 4:5

1. The Greek word epiekes means restraint on passions, moderation, without excess

2. Extremes in moods leads to a loss of self-control. There is a tendency to over-correct

3. Godly wisdom is shown in gentleness - James 3:17

D. Pray - Philippians 4:6

1. Tell God about your needs.

2. God will support you - Psalm 55:22

3. I Peter 5:6-7 - Man cannot change matters by worrying, so take your concerns to the one who can alter the future.

4. This is not to say that our problems will go away.

a. As we have learned in other lessons, difficulties and trials are there to strengthen us.

b. But it does not mean we need to be overwhelmed by our trials.

E. Thanksgiving - Philippians 4:6

1. Be appreciative what you have - Philippians 4:11-12

2. God will take care of us - Hebrews 13:5

F. Change our thoughts

1. Truth - make your thoughts conform to reality

a. There are more things that might happen than what really happens.

b. I dealt with one man who had a number of problems in his life.

(1) As each came to a resolution, he was surprised that it was never as bad as he feared it might be.

(2) All that time wasted worrying about something that never came to past.

c. This is not to say that preparation should not be made, but rather keep yourself rooted in reality and not imagination

2. Honest - don’t pretend

a. Some people ignore problems. They can’t deal with them so they pretend they are not there.

b. But they don’t go away. Since they are never faced, they continually eat away. When they can no longer be ignored, they lose themselves in depression never realizing that a little honesty with themselves in advance would have allowed them to deal with matters and minimize problems.

c. It is actually the idea of being dignified. A person who does not fall apart at the seams when trouble appears, but takes reality in stride - Titus 2:2, 7

3. Just - weighing matters without prejudice

a. Some people decide the outcome in advance. “Oh, it will never work. I can’t do it. I’ll fail anyway.”

b. You fail at your first attempt at golf, so you decide you will never be a golfer

c. A person who applies for a job, but doesn’t land it and decides no one wants him and he’ll never work again is not being just.

d. Some people are unjust with others when they take an all-or-nothing view of people.

(1) That person drinks, they wouldn’t be interested in the gospel.

(2) That person didn’t say “Hi” when I went by, so he must be mad at me.

e. We are to operate impartially - I Timothy 5:21

4. Pure - don’t allow your thoughts to be corrupted by sin

a. I John 3:3 - we purify ourselves

b. Wisdom is first pure - James 3:17

c. Titus 1:15 - The purity of our thoughts affect our outlook.

5. Lovely - thoughts that are acceptable, agreeable, and pleasing

a. These are thoughts which promote brotherly love - II Peter 1:2-8

6. Good report - thoughts that are well spoken of, that have a good reputation

7. Excellence - virtuous, morally superior

8. Praiseworthy - commendable thoughts

a. Our praise should come from God - Romans 2:29

b. God will judge our thoughts - I Corinthians 4:5

G. Practice these things - Philippians 4:9

1. Must do to become a part of you - James 1:21-25

2. A study by the University of British Columbia, published in Motivation and Emotion, showed that people who did random acts of kindness, such as washing a roommate’s dishes, mowing a neighbor’s lawn, etc. reduced people’s anxiety because it caused people to look outwardly toward others needs. People with anxiety focus inwardly.

3. Careful to continue good works - Titus 3:8

V. Too often we get stuck in a self-defeating cycle of thoughts which we label “depression.”

A. The way out of depression is to change our views and thoughts

B. Psalms 94:19 - When anxieties multiply, God brings comfort

C. Isaiah 26:3-4 - A mind set steadfast on God gains peace

Bombard Your Heart with Good Things

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 20:59:14 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

If you let social media bombard your mind with all this social, political, and racial tension, soon you feel like everything good about our country and our neighbors has gone. But when you notice the birds, nature, and your surrounding neighbors, and you hear children laughing in the area, you then realize that good is still here to be enjoyed.

The media hits us with more and more crime cases, more burning and rioting, and pretty soon, we lose hope for our country. What we need is to offset the negative with a lot of good news, stories of good deeds, people who act nobly and heroically. Someone did the right thing; someone made someone else’s life happier and easier. Someone lifted someone’s spirit, someone restored hope in humanity. Someone cheered a heart. Someone stopped feeling sorry for themselves and got busy bearing the burdens of others, which brought a better focus and outlook. Someone stopped feeling worthless because they redirected their minds. They began shining as a beacon of light in a dark world, and soon the area was no longer dark.

Think on these things (Philippians 4:4-8). Not just with a passing thought, but actually bombard your mind with these things until they transform your outlook and emotions, until you see things in a better light. Bombard your mind with good things. That is how the real heroes of faith handled their great challenges. Your mind adjusts to what you feed it. What are you constantly feeding your heart?

Be Merciful

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:00:28 +0000

by Doy Moyer

We cannot see what is going on inside someone. That’s obvious, but sometimes our judgments about people assume that everything should be normal for them because we can’t see anything outwardly wrong. If we see them acting in ways we would otherwise expect, we might judge them to be rude, or worse. When someone is dealing with internal issues that affect their interactions with others, it’s easy to lose patience or think that the person just doesn’t care or is being selfish. We judge the feelings of others based on how we think they should feel, and this can lead to serious misjudgments and assumptions that change how we treat them. Our judgment is based on outward appearance when, internally, there may be another story to tell.

This drives home to me why we need to be merciful. I’m not talking about going easy on sin. We need to be aware that problems suffered aren’t always visible, and these are not issues that can be fixed by just telling people to get over it or have more faith. There are complex issues that may involve physical problems in the brain (e.g., a lack of dopamine in patients with Parkinson’s disease), which can impact movement, emotions, and cognitive functions. One’s whole system is affected. However frustrating it may seem, know that the person dealing with it is even more frustrated.

What do we do about it? Be patient, merciful, and kind. Be a help. Be aware. Pray for one another. Let people know you care.

"Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
'Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you'” (Isaiah 35:3-4).

Don’t Believe Everything You Think

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 08 May 2025 15:11:30 +0000

by Chadwick Brewer

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

Humility can be partially defined as not trusting everything you think so that you can be taught, corrected, or guided into better understanding.

We get into all kinds of trouble when we trust in our own thoughts. And what foolishness it is when we do! We know that our knowledge and experience are limited. We know we’ve often been wrong before. We know we’ve misunderstood and misheard things in the past. So why do we keep putting so much confidence in what we think?

May we have humble hearts that do not trust in our own understanding. May we lean fully on our Creator, who knows us better than we know ourselves and knows what is right and best for us, even when we do not. May we always be zealous for instruction, guidance, and correction.

He Tests the Mind

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 19:39:21 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

"I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:10).

The sum of all our good and bad experiences in this testing ground called life is, in fact, a test of mindset or character. What will be the nature and quality of your inward self? Developing qualities like thankfulness, contentment, dedication, durability, purity of principle, and values are all worked into us by means of tests, hurdles, obstacles, challenges, and forces to work against because exercise calls for working against resistance. Resistance tests the muscles of the mind and will. If everything were easy, flowing along with no difficulty or resistance, we would be weaker, not stronger. Character is not built.

When the will is tested and the choice holds firm, the testing is what makes the character shine brighter. Learning to “give thanks in everything” (pleasant and unpleasant) shows a gold quality of spirit and heart. I learned from my stroke paralyzed grandmother that being thankful for even the small things like shelling peas and butterbeans with one useful hand and laughing at small moments of humor was far better than moping around feeling sorry for yourself. It was her test and she chose to use it for the glory of God in her character. She could not form words anymore, but her attitude spoke volumes. Stepping up or whimpering before a challenge is a choice, plain and simple.

Let the trying of your faith work for faith-building or let it be our excuse to quit! Either way, good or bad, we pass the test or fail it according to what we choose to put into the test. Am I a soldier of the cross who has no cross I am willing to bear? This is a basic training ground! How are we doing in this boot-camp world?

How do we take every thought captive?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 21:28:46 +0000

Question:

Hello Mr. Hamilton,

It’s me again. I hope you have been doing well, and thank you by the way for your previous response.

There’s a question that’s been on my mind for a while now that I’d like to ask. Does the idea of “taking every thought captive to God”, or “thinking upon things that are pure, lovely, and of good report” mean that we have to morally dissect every thought, feeling, or idea that we have or have ever had before?

For example, say that I have been a passionate fan of a certain art form for a long time, but then I begin examining the thoughts or feelings that led me to initially react to it in a positive way and I have been questioning if they were morally right or sinful. If I had found or felt that they were the latter, would that mean that my interest in said art form would not be justified and that I should no longer admire it?

I apologize if you find this confusing in any way, but it’s an honest concern that I have. Am I just overanalyzing the way that my mind works, or is this something that I really do need to be conscious of?

Thank you for your time

Answer:

"Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete" (II Corinthians 10:1-6).

Paul was not talking about personal thoughts but dealing with the ideas of false teachers.

In person, Paul's meekness and gentleness are very apparent. When writing his strength of character comes through. Apparently, his detractors are charging that Paul is afraid to rebuke people to their faces and must resort to indirect means to attack those who oppose him. Paul states at the beginning that his preference is to come again in meekness. He doesn’t want to have to come in strength, though he will be reproving those who deserve rebuking. These detractors might think otherwise, but that is because they are thinking of Paul acting like other men. Paul isn’t motivated as worldly people are motivated.

Paul lives in the world, but he doesn’t use worldly tactics. He is engaged in a war for the hearts and minds of people (I Timothy 1:18; II Timothy 2:3-4; Ephesians 6:10-17). This war is not fought with physical weapons, but they are still mighty weapons (Jeremiah 1:10; Proverbs 21:22). They are the weapons of wisdom and reason (II Corinthians 6:7; Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is able to pull down the strong walls people set around their hearts, to cast down their arguments and their pride, and bring them into captivity to Christ (Psalms 18:27; Romans 6:17-18; I Corinthians 1:19; 3:19). Paul is ready to wield his weaponry for the punishment of the disobedient while it at the same time brings the Corinthians into obedience (II Corinthians 2:9; 13:2,10).

"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. 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. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:6-10).

Here Paul is talking about how to deal with anxiety. FIrst, he recommends that you pray about the things that are troubling you and give your anxiety over to God. Second, trust that God will take care of you, so you can be at peace. And finally, instead of focusing on problems, focus on good things.

Notice that this is the opposite of dissecting every thought to see if there are hidden flaws somewhere.

Whether a piece of art is moral or not depends on whether what is being depicted is moral or not. Since I don't know what is being depicted, I can't answer your question. Morality is not about whether you feel something is right or wrong. It is comparing a concept to God's teaching determining whether it is right or wrong based on God's standard.

Question:

Ok sir, and thank you very much for clearing that up. I guess I was just wondering if examining our own thoughts in that manner is something that we are actually required to do as Christians.

Answer:

The closest you'll find is: "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?" (II Corinthians 13:5). Here the point is not examining every thought, but looking at your life and behaviors to see if you are living up to what God requires of Christians.

What you are trying to do is impose perfection upon yourself, but no one is perfect (I John 1:8-10). All of us are tempted by sin, which means thoughts of sinning will occasionally cross our minds. Christians are to reject what is being off by temptations.

Feelings do not indicate whether something is moral or not. Feelings often change and are often misleading (Proverbs 28:26). Instead you compare your choices to what God teaches and try to align your choices to match what God wants of you.

Response:

Gotcha. Again, thank you very much for your assistance, sir. I appreciate it.

It seems impossible to perfectly control your thoughts!

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 15:45:00 +0000

Question:

I suffer from OCD, anxiety, and Asperger’s (on the autism spectrum), basically it’s a high-functioning autism. I have been struggling with this issue for years.

As soon as I read the verse about the unpardonable sin, I became obsessed with it. There have been times when this obsession is not as strong as it once was, but others when it’s all I can think about. I have struggled with trigger words for years. Simply put, any time I read “Satan," "devil," "demon," the number 6, "blasphemy," etc., I get intrusive, blasphemous thoughts. These send me on high alert because I think “Ok, I must not think about the statement that the Pharisees said. I must not think that statement at any cost”. This, as you can imagine, puts this statement at the front of my mind. My subconscious scans for it, and as you can imagine, sometimes it results in the thought happening against my true will. This even happens when I read holy things like “miracles," "Holy Spirit," etc.

Recently, I was reading something and the word “devil” was in it. Instantly, intrusive thoughts began flooding my mind. I was able to resist, but it did put me in panic mode. I went back to reading, but it kept getting worse. I sat the book down, and I remember closing my eyes and putting my head in my hands. I was trying to resist, and I thought if I didn’t give resisting my full attention, I would end up thinking it. This was a mistake. I remember having the thoughts “I know exactly what I’m doing” and then thinking almost exactly what the Pharisees said. It sent me into an instant panic.

It has been three months and I still can’t figure out how that happened. I have no idea. I’ve spent literal hours trying to figure out how that happens and nothing satisfies me. How could that happen when it is literally my biggest fear and the furthest thing from what I would ever want to do? This has just made the obsession 10 times worse, and I’m at the point where I feel awful going to church, reading scripture, and praying. It felt like that thought came from me and that I approved it for a split second, without being fully aware of what was happening.

I’ve read your article about this, but I’m still struggling. Jesus says whoever speaks (and as we know from the Sermon on the Mount, thinking is the same as speaking) a word against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Simply put, I just don’t understand how I could not be guilty. Everyone says I’m overreacting about a wayward thought that was likely more intrusive than self-generated, but it felt so real. It felt self-generated. I feel so awful and like God is mad at me and won’t forgive me for that thought. I feel defeated because it's seemingly impossible to perfectly control your thoughts without ever having one that is against what you really want to think. It’s like when you tell yourself “don’t think this, no matter the cost”, you will inevitably end up thinking it yourself (as in not an intrusive thought, but because of them).

I feel so awful and have been on high alert for three months trying not to think about it. That’s made it way worse, and I’ve gone in and out of a numb depressive state. I struggle with seeing God as loving because, to me, it seems like He’s set a trap for people to easily condemn themselves with a wayward thought. It feels like His standard is perfection and the stress of trying to be perfect has the opposite effect. It’s like God has placed a trap for people to easily condemn themselves and that everyone with OCD has no chance of getting into heaven. We try not to think it, it's always on our mind, and then because of that, we end up thinking about it.

I had the thought the other day that God gave us OCD so that we would be hopelessly condemned and so that He could make an example out of us. Kind of like what Romans 9 says. It’s like there is a trap because it’s those who are most afraid and would never want to commit that sin that can’t stop thinking about it, and then eventually end up thinking about it. Is that why Revelations talks about the fearful being condemned first? To my knowledge, even scripture states that the law and trying to keep it brings death, yet Jesus lays down a law that is effectively impossible to keep. It seems so contradictory and confusing.

I don’t want to be feeling this way, but it seems like it lines up with Scripture. Have you ever known anyone who has been through what I am describing and made it out of the fear?

I’ve read your articles and I still feel this way. Please help me and give me everything you’ve got.

Answer:

“Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them” (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18).

Your difficulty is coming about because you are setting stricter standards for yourself than what God expects of you. It appears that you are striving not only to avoid temptation but even the thought of being tempted. You have to remember that Jesus was tempted and was able to not sin. The simple fact is that all of us get tempted, which means that the thoughts of sinning cross everyone’s minds. The question before each of us is: what do we do with those thoughts? From what I can tell, you haven’t done anything wrong. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10).

Then there is the problem that you have redefined blasphemy from its true definition of lying about someone superior to you to other people in hopes of stopping others from following that person. That is what the Pharisees were doing to Jesus. They heard the crowd beginning to realize Jesus was the Messiah (Matthew 12:23), so they told a lie about Jesus to get people to turn against Jesus. They told the crowd that Jesus’ miracle was done by the power of Satan (Matthew 12:24). Jesus knew their motivations. He knew that they knew they were lying simply because they didn’t like Jesus, and so he warned them that they were reaching a point where their hearts would be so hardened that they would completely turn against God and not come back. It wasn’t what Jesus or the Father wanted for them, but it was what these Pharisees were choosing to do. Notice that you aren’t doing anything similar to what the Pharisees were doing.

Finally, you have a great ability to focus, but you focus on condemning yourself. What you need to focus on is where you are going. You need to focus on improving yourself. “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). Your eye represents what you focus your attention on. What you focus on tends to lead to what you choose to do. If you focus on righteousness, then you tend to live a righteous life. “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. 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. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:6-9).

Question:

Jeffrey,

I appreciate your swift reply.

For me, the hardest thing to understand is this: It feels like I did sin. The intrusive thoughts bombarded me and got so bad that I stopped everything I was doing to try and fight them. I can’t explain how (because it makes no sense to me whatsoever), but it was like I was so tense, trying to stop myself from thinking any blasphemous thought or repeating the ones that were being intrusively generated, then all of a sudden … bam. It just happened. It was like I yielded to the intrusive thoughts (temptation?) and ended up self-generating a blasphemous thought. It is as if I chose to think about it. I don’t understand how it happened at all. As I said, it’s like it just happened. Isn’t that yielding to temptation?

It felt so sudden and it’s like it happened before I could even fully comprehend what was going on. It was like I just automatically thought it, without any forethought or anything. The thought surprised me because I didn’t understand what happened. Still don’t. It’s like someone said. He had thoughts like “Sell him (Christ)” over and over. He would answer them by saying “no no no” over and over. Then one day he ended up thinking “let him go if he will”. He said it terrified him because it felt like his heart consented to the thought and it was self-generated. That’s almost exactly what happened to me; however, the thought that happened was almost exactly what the Pharisees were saying in Mark 3 and Matthew 12. Obviously, this other person didn’t commit the unpardonable sin because his thoughts weren’t anything like the Pharisees said in that passage, but that process is exactly how I felt. I’ve been under duress because of these thoughts for six years. I just don’t understand.

I know Jesus says that if you lust after a woman in your heart it’s the same as committing adultery. Wouldn’t the same apply to thoughts? If you think something blasphemous, isn’t it the same as committing blasphemy? I have such a hard time controlling my thoughts because of my disorder already. I just feel so confused. I understand your scriptural reference, but to me, that doesn’t seem overly religious. I’m trying to perfectly control my thoughts so that no bad thought about God ever happens.

I’m truly struggling to understand God at all. I don’t understand how a loving God could create someone, knowing they have a mental disorder like this and tell them to never think that certain statement. It’s like making someone walk a tightrope over hell with ankle weights. I guess technically it’s possible to make it to the other side, but it’s almost impossible. I just fear that God created people with this disorder to demonstrate his authority and power. It feels like he takes pleasure in setting a trap for them and then casting them into hell. I don’t understand it at all. I want to follow Christ, but I struggle to believe he loves me at all. I struggle to believe I didn’t commit that sin. Please tell me there is hope.

Answer:

"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 lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).

From Jesus' comments, it appears that the Jews were taking the Ten Commandments and narrowing their application. A man would claim that he committed no sin if he did not commit the actual act of adultery. However, Jesus pointed out that sin started long before when the man started lusting for sex with someone who was not his wife.

Lust is a strong desire to sin. It is a mental acceptance of sinful behavior where the person justifies sin in his thoughts. Jesus' point is that there little moral difference between doing a sinful act and wanting to sin. Paul gives a long list of sins prevalent in Greek society and points out at the end, "and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them" (Romans 1:32). The problem is the same. Doing sin is wrong but it is equally wrong to approve of others sinning -- and that would include you approving if you sinned.

You are dealing with intrusive thoughts. Such thoughts become stronger and more frequent the longer you dwell on them. Notice that throughout your note, you never state that you approve of blasphemy. You never make excuses for saying false things about God. Thus, there is no lust for this sin in you. The thoughts feel real to you because they are your thoughts. But that doesn't make you guilty of those thoughts.

Like many people who deal with intrusive pop-up thoughts, you find something that you are convinced is unforgivable and then condemn yourself as a hopeless victim. But the problem is that it is all born from your imagination; yet, you blame God for making things too hard when God never said you must never think of a sinful situation.

Jesus told the Pharisees that if they blasphemed the Holy Spirit they would be unable to repent and thus, God would not be able to forgive them of their sin. It is not that God is unwilling to forgive (II Peter 3:9), but people are required to repent before forgiveness can be granted. Blasphemy isn't a thought. Blasphemy is purposely telling other people lies about someone superior in order to convince people not to follow the superior person. The blasphemer knows he is lying but he doesn't care because he hates the superior person so much that he is willing to do anything to keep people from following him. When a person gets to that point and lies to others about the Holy Spirit, there isn't anything left to convince him to change. He will remain unrepentant of his sin, and thus, unforgiven.

You have been having bad thoughts about Jesus. You know they are bad thoughts and you don't accept them. You have no hatred for Jesus or God. You don't think you should make other people not follow Jesus. Thus, you are not committing blasphemy against Jesus and you are not even being tempted to blaspheme him. What you are condemning yourself for doing didn't happen.

Obviously, bad thoughts about God (or anyone else) aren't appropriate. You don't lust for them, though you are being tempted by the thoughts. Most people will take a random bad thought and tell themselves, "That wasn't appropriate." They might even utter a quick prayer for God's forgiveness, but immediately afterward, they drop the whole matter. This is where you are struggling. You refuse to let it go because you set an impossible task for yourself. "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:8-9). I try hard not to sin, but I realize that I will stumble at times. God told me that it will happen to me and everyone I know. What separates the righteous from the wicked is that the righteous don't accept remaining in sin. They make corrections, apologize for their weakness to God, and go on with life. They trust that God keeps His word and that they are forgiven. That is called "faith."

Therefore, stop blaming God that you are not as perfect as you think you should be. Focus on where you are going and not where you've been.

Question:

Jeffrey,

So what you’re saying is thinking a thought like that is a far cry from blasphemy? To me, it’s always seemed like Jesus basically said “What those Pharisees just said, that’s unforgivable. If you ever say or think those words, you’ve just committed an unforgivable blasphemy.” I’ve felt despaired because it felt like such an impossible task, especially because any time I saw anything like “demon, satan, 6” it would cause my brain to spiral out. There are even times when Holy things trigger these thoughts when I’m in Church, reading scripture, or praying. Sometimes, I’d end up thinking it in some way due to the act of trying not to think it. It felt impossible. What you’re saying is that what I think the standard is isn’t the standard that Jesus set. Correct? That God doesn’t expect me to keep that standard that I was just talking about? That’s why I struggle, I feel like God set a standard that is impossible to keep, and one crazy or random thought sends someone to Hell.

As I said, I can’t explain what happened, because I don’t know. It felt like I chose to think it and then was instantly like “Wait what?? How did that just happen!?” I’ve had intrusive thoughts and quickly discarded them because I knew they were automatic. This thought felt like I chose it briefly. Is what happened classified as an intrusive thought still? These thoughts have been here for years and I’ve always been afraid that inevitably they would cause me to think against what I really want. I’ve been so paranoid to the point that if I ever hear the name “Satan” or “Demon” I have to make some kind of sound or movement or have a counterthought to try and fight intrusive thoughts from coming in. I also always avoid the number 6 at all costs -- to the point of not counting that number when working out and such. I always reacted this way because I was afraid I’d end up thinking one because it was always in my mind. Basically, I’m so afraid of that sin that it’s always at least in the back of my mind.

I confess I struggle with my image of God because of this issue. I have a very difficult time seeing God in a loving way. Even when I read scripture, I always think “that no longer applies to me”. I feel hopeless and cut off from God.

I want to follow God more than anything, and I don’t genuinely want any of these thoughts. Never have. I just feel hopeless and rejected by God. I feel like Jesus is saying “Too late, you’ve crossed the line. It’s over for you” It scares me so much. If I don’t have God, I don’t have anything. I just feel so broken. I know we all sin and I don’t expect myself to ever be sinless. It just always seemed like that sin demanded perfection.

Thoughts or advice?

Thank you, I really appreciate your time.

Answer:

All the way through your note, you imposed rules on yourself without any scriptural justification. You then turn around a blame God for imposing rules on you that are impossible to keep. But these aren't God's rules. They are your own imaginary rules.

"To me, it’s always seemed like Jesus basically said 'What those Pharisees just said, that’s unforgivable. If you ever say or think those words, you’ve just committed an unforgivable blasphemy.'”
- You give no scriptural proof. What you imagine ("seemed") has nothing to do with reality.
- The Pharisees told people a lie (Mathew 12:24). Jesus knew their motivation or reason for telling these lies (Matthew 12:25). In other words, Jesus knew that the Pharisees didn't believe the lies they were telling others. That is why he warned them about blasphemy.
- You ignored that Jesus said, "any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people" (Matthew 12:31). There is only one that won't be forgiven and the implication is that it is because people committing that particular sin would refuse to repent of their sin.
You set up a task for yourself not to think certain words.
- You give no scriptural proof that God ever set that task on anyone.
- The words you listed are in the Bible. How can anyone read words and not think about them? Therefore, there is nothing wrong with those words. You made your life miserable. That is your fault and no one else, but you choose to blame God.
You claim to counter bad words or thoughts with sound or movement.
- Where do you find that in the Bible?
- Why would you believe that a sound or movement would do anything about a thought?
- Thus, you use useless things to fight against your made-up rules and then complain about being miserable.
You claim to know that God has cut you off.
- The Bible says, "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" (I Corinthians 2:11). The only way we know what God is thinking is because God told us in the Bible what His thoughts are on various matters. Since you have no scriptural proof for your position, you are again making up things to blame God.
- The Bible says, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (II Peter 3:9). Your position contradicts what God actually said.

The choice is yours. Either you use your reasoning and sort out the real from the imaginary or you continue to make yourself miserable. No one can force you to make that choice.

Question:

Jeffrey,

Ok, so basically what you’re saying is that I’m putting a burden on myself that is impossible to keep and is not scripturally based. Correct? I don’t mean to be a burden, this is a very scary topic for me and it’s been something I’ve been obsessed with forever.

The basis for that sin involves the intent of the heart and not simply the words then, correct? As you said, that’s the impossible burden that I’ve shackled myself with -- never thinking of that specific phrase. I suppose it’s almost inevitable that if you try not to think something, you’ll always end up thinking it at some point.

In basic terms, simply thinking that statement doesn’t constitute blasphemy and certainly not an unforgivable blasphemy. Correct?

Again, sorry to be a bother. I struggle with OCD and intrusive thoughts, which makes this something difficult for me to work through. I don’t dare want to offend God. In fact, that’s the last thing I want to do.

Thanks for your time,

Answer:

“Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God” (I Corinthians 4:5).

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10).

We are judged based on what we have done and why we did those things.

Response:

Jeffrey,

I confess that I needed to step back and reason with myself. I understand what’s going on. I’ve placed an impossible standard on myself that Jesus never placed on us. I mean we don’t even know if the Pharisees really committed that sin or were close. They made the same accusation in Matthew 9, yet there is no mention of the unpardonable sin there.

“Never think this thought” means that there is always a part of my brain looking out for that thought. In time, the thought will reoccur and inevitably it would cross my mind. That’s almost unstoppable. That can’t be what Jesus meant because if it was there would be no hope for anyone. It wouldn’t make sense for Jesus to basically say “Here is a statement that will not be forgiven. Go forward and never think this statement ever”. If that’s how it works then the most devout saints would obsess over not thinking it only to all end up thinking it. That’s how our brains work. It’s like the white bear study. Basically, if you tell yourself “don’t think of a white bear or else” you’ll think of a white bear 9/10 times. Throw eternal fate into that and it’s too much pressure for anyone to handle.

Logically, I understand that. When I start to fall victim to fear and my disorders fire up is when I struggle.

I appreciate your time.

Am I sinning if I’m cursing in my thoughts?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 17:04:00 +0000

Question:

My boyfriend was just baptized and he's been struggling. He has a little bit of anxiety. He's been trying to work on his cursing. he's doing great. But he asked me a difficult question. He asked, "Am I still sinning if I keep the cuss words in my brain?" I said that I wasn't sure and told him about your site, but he's been so anxious. I asked him if he wanted me to send you an email.

So here I am. I'm sorry for bothering you. I hope I can get a reply back!

Answer:

Before I get into answering your question, I want to make sure we are both using the same terminology, so see What is the difference between temptation and lust?

A person cannot prevent himself from being tempted and the nature of any temptation requires that thoughts go through your head that you could do something sinful. The thoughts become lust when you accept the temptation and are attempting to justify it. Trying to justify sin is itself sinful.

Jesus gave this example, "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). The Jews had the idea that sin only happened when you committed a sinful act. Thus, adultery only occurred when intercourse took place with someone who was not your wife. But Jesus said that sin occurred long before the act. When a man looks at a woman with lust; that is, when he is looking at a woman, imagining having sex with her, and trying to figure out how he could get away with it, then he has already committed adultery in his heart. He might not have done the act, but his intentions are to commit it if he thought he could get away with it. That lust is just as sinful as the actual sin.

If a guy allows himself to get angry and he is cursing another person in his mind, then even though he hasn't said anything, he has still accepted profanity, he is only restraining himself because of who may hear what he says. But if he gets mad and some curse words pop up in his mind, but he tells himself that it is wrong to say such things, then he is rejecting the temptation, which is what he is supposed to be doing. The division is close, but the difference is the attitude toward sins.

When you first become a Christian, sinful habits are hard to break. You are likely to slip up for a while, but hopefully, it becomes less frequent. To change the habitual use of profanity, you start with keeping yourself from saying the words, but that, by itself, will not be enough. "Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation" (Matthew 12:43-45). The point is that you have to fill your life with righteousness so that there is no room for wickedness to return.

Thus, there is a two-prong attack to the problem: Learning to control your anger so that you are less likely to lose control over yourself and forcing yourself to reword sentences in your head that don't include profanity and then saying those things. Then the next step is when you have the impulse to say something bad, consider the situation and say something beneficial and encouraging instead. These things take time. You can't become instantly righteous, but you can reach a goal when you work on it a step at a time.

Changing My Mind

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 17:47:42 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Changing-My-Mind.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Matthew 7:15-20

I. Solomon observed about the miser that it wasn’t the man’s words or his actions that made him a miser, but his thoughts - Proverbs 23:6-7

A. People too often say things that they don’t mean

B. Given motivation, they may do things that they would rather not do

C. But it is their thoughts that determine who they actually are

D. Emerson once said, “A man is what he thinks about all day long.”

II. Our thoughts determine our character

A. What is the cause of sin?

1. At times people toy with the idea that it is the environment.

a. A mass riot breaks out in a town and people half-way-jokingly say, “It must have been something in the water.”

2. The Jews saw being unclean as a source of sinful behavior

3. Jesus said, sin originates in the thoughts of a person - Matthew 15:16-20

a. In other words, uncleanness is a cause, but it is not physical uncleanness as defined by the Old Law but the spiritual uncleanness of corrupt thoughts

B. Righteous people tend to think righteous thoughts. Wicked people tend to think corrupt thoughts - Proverbs 12:5

1. It isn’t because a person is righteous that they have righteous thoughts

2. It is the righteous thoughts that tend to produce righteous behavior in people.

C. The wicked is constantly thinking of evil - Psalms 36:1-4

III. Our thoughts precede our actions

A. We tend to do the things we think about.

B. Have you noticed Paul’s statement about his past? - Acts 26:9

1. He decided he had to act against Jesus, and so he did.

C. Simon sinned because of the intentions of his heart - Acts 8:22

D. In other words, good deeds come from good thoughts and evil deeds come from evil thoughts

1. This chain is so strong that you can often determine a person’s thoughts from his actions

a. John Locke said, “I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.”

b. This is way Jesus told us to watch the results of a person actions - Matthew 7:15-20

E. The Gentiles walked in the vanity of their minds - Ephesians 4:17

1. Their proud thoughts led them down the path of sin

2. At one time we all were like that - Colossians 1:21

F. Thus, while it is important to correct bad behavior, it is more important to correct the bad thoughts that lead to bad behavior

1. Hatred blinds people to the direction they are going - I John 2:11

2. This is why John connects hatred to murder - I John 3:15

IV. Our thoughts foretell our future circumstances

A. Most events are beyond our control, but the way we think nudges us in certain directions - Proverbs 21:5

1. A diligent man thinks in advance about what he needs to do next and the result is toward prosperity

2. A rash man who gives no thought about what is needed will end up in poverty. He makes too many mistakes.

B. Even when bad things happen to good people, they are prepared to deal with them and get beyond them - Philippians 4:11-13

C. Samuel Smiles wrote:

Sow a thought, and you reap an act;

Sow an act, and you reap a habit;

Sow a habit, and you reap a character;

Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

V. How do we correct our thoughts?

A. If the wicked don’t change, they will become like the people of Jerusalem - Jeremiah 4:14

B. Determine to live God’s way and your thoughts (plans) will be established - Proverbs 16:3

1. While thoughts tend to lead to action, it is also true that when you want to change your thoughts, actions can help give a pull in the right direction.

2. For example, if you are depressed, purposely doing something cheerful can counter the depressive thoughts.

3. David thought about the direction of his life and turned it - Psalms 119:59

C. Put your confidence in God and it will guard your heart and mind - Philippians 4:6-7

D. Learn and follow God’s teachings - Proverbs 6:20-23

E. Fill your mind with good things - Philippians 4:8

Ideas for the lesson came from “The Power of Our Thoughts” by Ken Weliever