Our eyes allow us to perceive the physical world around us.
It helps us interpret time, people, and places. From it we enjoy the beauty of
the world we live in. Just as our eyes help us to perceive things, so our hands
help us to take action. Through the hand's functions we can write, build,
defend, hold, carry, worship, and earn a living. In like manner, our minds are
like the eyes. The mind receives information from the surrounding world and
then interprets it. The mind causes our body, like our hands, to act.
Therefore, what we focus on has a direct effect on what we do.
Christ was very aware of how our mental focus can affect our
behavior. He warned those that returned to God to guard against evil thoughts
because they can lead to sinful actions, which leads to spiritual and physical
death. For example, he stated that the sin of adultery can occur just by
looking and lusting after a woman (Matt. 5:28). Why is this so? It is because
sin starts in the mind. One perceives with the eye, interprets with the mind,
and if he is not strong enough to resist, the desire grows stronger and
eventually dominates. Evil desires that are allowed to grow result in unlawful
acts or sin. And this is how sin that leads to death is born, which is the
judgement of sin by God.
We are not without a defense against sin in our thoughts,
however. Our mental will alone is not strong enough to withstand temptation.
The desire for obtaining what we long for, with the pleasure we anticipate from
it will eventually override our mental will. Think about what happens when
foods laden with fat, salt, and sugar are presented at a party or at the fast
food checkout; there is little resistance here as evidenced by the worldwide
epidemic of obesity. We need something more than mere human will. We need a
supernatural force to overcome temptations.
This supernatural defense is the law of God. It teaches us
what is right from wrong, what is holy and what is impure. It guides us in our
thoughts, enabling us to meditate on what is right. In it we learn that we
should not worship false gods, neglect or dishonor our parents, commit robbery,
lie and cheat, we should not commit murder, be greedy for what others have, nor
commit adultery. The above instructions are part of God’s Ten Commandments that
helps us govern our thoughts and actions (Ex. 20:1-17). Throughout the Bible
there are many more instructions and interpretations of God’s Laws to guide us
in our daily life, unto righteousness, and ultimately to obtain salvation. To illustrate, Christ teaches us that we
should not only turn our eyes or mind away from sin, but strive to remove the
very thought itself that leads to sin. In the gospel of Matthew, He states, “if
your right eye offends you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is
profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your
whole body should be cast into hell (Matt. 5:29).” Christ is not recommending
that we harm ourselves. What He is suggesting is that we must completely remove
the evil thought by plucking it from our minds; changing our focus and avoiding
the situation at all times. In addition, we should recall the Law and teachings
of God to mind as a counter and defense against evil thoughts and in this way
remove sin from the mind. It is the evil thoughts that are allowed to grow in
the minds of men that defile them or cause them to sin (Mark 7:21-23).
If we truly are disciples and children of God, our desires
and thoughts should be on the things of God; His commandments, statues, laws,
and judgments. Our minds should be
saturated with His teachings by constant reading of the Bible, by meditating on
scripture verses, by talking with others who also follow God and keep His
commandments, and by hearing the word of God by those who love God and strive
to live a holy life. We should constantly engage God’s word to the point that
we see ourselves as separated from the world of sin by our obedience to God’s
Law (Ps. 119:113-115). Not only this, but we should constantly examine
ourselves to detect and remove those sins that may still be present in us;
removing them so that they do not grow (2 Cor. 13:5). Some common sins that
afflict most people are fornication (unlawful sexual behavior), uncleanness
(things that defile the body and the soul), inordinate affections (sinful
desires such as adultery, homosexuality, incest, etc.), evil concupiscence
(improper thoughts), and covetousness (lustful greed)...(Col. 3:5).” It is
important that we constantly strive to remove sinful thoughts from our minds
with the word of God to avoid these common sins. It is by the word of God that
we are made holy and separated from sin (John 17:17) because His word is the
true way to a holy life and sin is the path that leads to death, both spiritual
and physical. It produces spiritual death because of the distance it creates
between man and his creator, God, the Father, and also between man and his
neighbor. These sins affect not only the individual but whole communities,
states, and nations by creating instability and injustices. Sin results in a
physical death because God ordained physical death as the consequence of sin
(Gen 3:17-19, Rom. 5:12). Because of sin in the mind and actions of men the
world today is in a chaotic and depraved state (Is. 24:5-6, Gen. 6:5). We see
senseless murders, violence, rape, wars, generational lies promoted as
education and religious doctrine, divided homes, divided countries, sexual
confusion, hopelessness and despair (2 Tim. 3:13). All these things start from
within men when they refuse to follow God and his instructions. Furthermore,
the scriptures state, that it is because of sin that the wrath of God will
descend on those that disobey His word (Col. 3:6, Rom. 2:8-9,10).
We who obey God and seek His ways
must always remember that we are made new by living according to His teachings,
which provide us with the knowledge to turn from sin and follow him. We must
never forget that, “...to be carnally (sinful) minded is death; but to
be spiritually (obedient to God) minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6).” The
apostle Paul expounds that the carnal mind is an enemy to God and is at war
with God. It cannot be subject to God's law. Therefore, they who continue in
sin or are carnally minded cannot please God. However, those who are
spiritually minded focus on and do the things that please God by following His
word. They avoid sin, because they live according to the Holy words of God,
found in the Holy Bible (Ps. 119:104) . The scriptures tell us that those that
live according to the flesh shall die, “the soul that sins, it shall die...
(Ezekiel 18:4).” But we who follow after God “through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body...(Col. 3:5)” For God’s words are spirit and life and are
able to overcome sin in us (John 6:63).
Our reward will be salvation from the coming wrath of God and
immortality because of obedience and righteous actions towards God and our
fellow man. This is a promise of God to those that are faithful to him (Rom.
8:14, 1Thes. 5:5, 9).
In these last days, brothers and sisters, the words of Christ
are as relevant today as they always have been when He says, “for where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:21).” What we have our
minds set on, whether good or evil will determine our desires and actions. If
the mind’s eye is focused on the light, then all your body or actions will be
of the light (2 Pet. 1:19). If your mind’s eye is centered on darkness, then
all your actions will be of the darkness. And that darkness will grow and
develop into wars, murders, rape, hate, robbery, hypocrisy, malice, conceit,
greed, disregard for parents, unthankfulness, unholiness, lack of empathy,
cheating, lies, lack of self-control, fierceness, hatred of good, treason, arrogance, high-mindedness,
loving pleasure more than loving God... (2Tim. 3:1-5). It is because of these evil acts that God
will bring this present world we live in into judgment by the hand of His son
Jesus of Nazareth (Romans 2:5-6, Acts 3:20-21).
We cannot follow evil thoughts that lead to sin and follow
the things of God unto righteousness at same time. We will side with one or the
other. Whatever your mind is focused on that is what you will prefer. And if we
give our minds over to evil desires, we are choosing the side of sin and death.
But, if we choose to resist the evil thoughts that lead to sin and remove them
from the mind and avoid any participation in sinful acts by obedience to God’s
laws and commandments, we choose righteousness and life and we seek the reward
of immortality.
Shalam
Zarach
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