Where Does Sin Begin?

Introduction

“[God] wants our hearts, not just our obedience.”

This is a quote from a video done by our brother Thaxter Dickey. In the video, he wrestles with the question: Why is the Bible written in this way?

We might prefer it if God gave us a law code - just a list of everything we need to do to please him. We might be like the pharisees and count every single law.

However, this is not primarily how God expresses his will or himself. Why? It’s because God wants our hearts and not just our obedience.

The reality is that sin begins in the heart.

At times, we have a very legalistic mindset. “Just tell me where the line is, so that I don’t cross the line.” But if we don’t pay attention to the heart, we can lose the battle before we every cross the line.

This is what we will focus on in this lesson. James 1:13-15.

James 1:13–15 CSB

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

Jesus’ Sermon

Jesus teaches us that sin begins in the heart.  

As I mentioned earlier, the pharisees had a very legalistic mindset. They wanted to know what to check off the list. They were focused on changing actions, but not changing hearts.

Jesus looks at the disciples, and tells them that they need to do better than the pharisees. Matthew 5:20.

Matthew 5:20 CSB

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus gives two examples of where our righteousness must surpass the religious leaders.

Murder

Matthew 5:21-26.

Matthew 5:21–26 CSB

21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire. 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.

Jesus makes the argument that murder does not begin when you actually commit murder. Murder begins when you hate your brother. When you allow that bitterness to fester in your heart.

When you murder, you are devaluing another human. Genesis 9:5-6.

Genesis 9:5–6 CSB

5 And I will require a penalty for your lifeblood; I will require it from any animal and from any human; if someone murders a fellow human, I will require that person’s life. 6 Whoever sheds human blood, by humans his blood will be shed, for God made humans in his image.

Why is murder wrong? Because you are undermining the inherent value of another.

Jesus’ point is that when you hate your brother, you are already starting to devalue another. Matthew 5:22.

Matthew 5:22 CSB

22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.

This is like calling someone a nobody. They have no value.

Murder begins before the act is committed.

Adultery

Matthew 5:27-28.

Matthew 5:27–28 CSB

27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If your righteousness is going to surpass the scribes and pharisees, then you can’t have the checklist mentality when it comes to sexual sin.

Jesus says you can set yourself up for failure before you ever commit the act of sexual immorality. You can lust after your neighbor, and if you do, you’ve already lost the battle in your heart.

David and Bathsheba

When looking at what leads up to David’s sin with Bathsheba, it becomes evident that he lost the battle well before he actually sinned with Bathsheba.

The story begins well before we get to 2 Samuel 11.

2 Samuel 3:2-5.

2 Samuel 3:2–5 CSB

2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; 3 his second was Chileab, by Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom, son of Maacah the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; 4 the fourth was Adonijah, son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, son of Abital; 5 the sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

In this context we see David’s many sons, but we also see that these sons have different mothers.

2 Samuel 5:13-16.

2 Samuel 5:13–16 CSB

13 After he arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

The book of Samuel is building a profile for us. The author is painting a picture for us. David has a problem with women.

So, by the time get to 2 Samuel 11, we have already been given hints of David’s weakness, and now David sets himself up for failure.

2 Samuel 11:2-4.

2 Samuel 11:2–4 CSB

2 One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. 3 So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hethite?” 4 David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Afterward, she returned home.

If we are thinking from a legalistic mentality, we would say that David’s problem wasn’t until he actually slept with Bathsheba, but David’s problem began well before.

David sees her, asks about her, and invites her into his home. None of these things are explicitly sinful, but David is setting himself up for failure.

It seems that David knows what he’s doing. He’s likely already committed immorality with her in his heart. The battle was already lost well before he crossed the line of explicit sin.

It’s exactly like Jesus says in his sermon. Adultery begins before the physical act. It begins with a dark desire in the heart.

Each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own desire.

Cain and Abel

When we look at Cain and Abel we see something similar.

God warns Cain that his anger would get him into trouble. Genesis 4:1-7.

Genesis 4:1–7 CSB

1 The man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.” 2 She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

Cain is angry with his brother, and God tells him that sin is crouching at the door. Is he going to rule over his desires, or is it going to rule over him?

Ultimately, we see that Cain gives in and kills his brother. But it’s important for us to see that Cain’s sin doesn’t begin when he attacks his brother. It begins with his anger.

Again, this is what Jesus says in his sermon. Murder doesn’t begin with a strike. It begins well before that. For Cain, the battle was already lost before he attacked his brother.

Conclusion: What About Us?

What’s the lesson for us here? Let’s not be legalists. Sometimes we want the check boxes when trying to figure out how to live our lives. Just tell me exactly what I need to do and what I need to avoid.  

Sometimes people do this because they want to see how close to line they can get. “show me where scripture says this is wrong?” they want the exact clause in the contract.

Show me where scripture says that I can’t live with my girlfriend.

Show me where scripture says that I can’t go to this bar.

Sometimes we treat our interaction with God like a contract and not a relationship.

We’ve got to understand that sin begins before the actual act.

Think about an unmarried couple living together.

What is the actual sin that we are worried about? Fornication. Sexual immorality. Is living together technically a sin in and of itself? No, but aren’t they setting themselves up for failure?

Think about David with Bathsheba. Was it technically sinful for him to invite her over? No, but at that point the battle was already over.

Sometimes we try to justify ourselves with technicalities, but we forget that the sin begins in the heart. If I’m just trying to justify myself, then it’s possible that the battle is already lost. In my heart, I’ve already given in.

Matthew 5:27–30 CSB

27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

It’s not about checking items off of a list, it’s about being like Christ and having a heart like Christ. That type of person will cut anything out of their lives that will pull them away from God.

We can apply this in a number of ways, but the point remains the same.

Sin doesn’t begin with the act. It begins with my desire.

Am I asking for the line because I’m trying to justify my desire? We need to be very careful. We might find that the battle is already lost. James 1:13-15.

James 1:13–15 CSB

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.