From: Ben Kelley
Subject: Don't you even think about it!

I don't know how many of you heard that command, or something close to it, when you were growing up.  It was usually voiced by your Mother (at least in my case) when she was really upset about something you had done, or, she thought you were about to do.  It went like this: "Don't you even think about going out before you finish your homework!", or, "don't you even think about doing what you did again, ever!"   Although we won't find it stated in the same words in the Scriptures, it echoes what God's Word teaches, that entertaining thoughts about something wrong are as bad as, or leads you to, actually doing that thing.  I will give you a few verses to show that our "thinking" is something we really need to keep watch over.  
 
You have heard that it was said, ‘Never commit adultery.'  But I can guarantee that whoever looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery in his heart.  (Matthew 5:27-28 God's Word)
 
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.  (Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him  (John 13:2 (KJV)

We read the word "heart" in these verses and must realize that, although the Greek word translated heart is "kardia", like our word cardiac, it meant to the people of that day the mind, thoughts, and emotions.   In the verses above, we realize that  our minds, thoughts, and emotions are what tells our eyes to "look with lust", "think", or, do as Judas did.  We also realize that Satan's "fiery darts" are aimed at our minds, thoughts, and emotions.  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  (Ephesians 6:16-17 (KJV)  We must employ these defensive and offensive weapons to protect our minds.  It is not a harmless thing to just think about sin.  Many a person has started out looking at pornographic material, whether in magazines, movies, television shows, or some other form.  They have said, "I'm not hurting anyone, disregarding what Jesus taught about "looking with lust."  No one continues viewing pornographic material, "just thinking about it", without "progressing" to lusting after people they see, fantasizing about others while being sexually intimate with their spouse, flirting with others, having illicit affairs, etc,. etc., because their thinking such thoughts no longer titillates like it once did.  They become jaded and require more to acquire that same level of excitement and pleasure.  Many a child molester, rapist, and adulterer has started out "just thinking" about it via pornographic materials.  After a period of time, "just looking" at pictures in a magazine, or on a video, no longer gave them the same thrill, so they moved on to fantasies about people in their lives.  Soon, that no longer met their desires, so they went on to carrying out their fantasies on real people.  If they had only turned away from those thoughts early on, they would never have ended up acting out those fantasies. 

For a Christian, proper armor has been provided by God to shield the mind from these thoughts.  God's Word tells us: If then you have a new life with Christ, give your attention to the things of heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Keep your mind on the higher things, not on the things of earth. For your life on earth is done, and you have a secret life with Christ in God.  (Colossians 3:1-3 (Bible in Basic English)  The basis for this Scripture is put to music in the song, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus."Turn your eyes (the focus of your thoughts) upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace. 

As we put our attention (thoughts) upon Jesus, His glory and beauty begin more and more to hold our minds, replacing those evil, fleshly thoughts.  We begin to desire Him, not fleshly things.  When we "put on the helmet of salvation", as we read in Ephesians 6, we remember that sin brings death, and that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins.  Our thoughts begin to focus on the terrible costs of sin and the wonderful love of God.

We do need to remember that thoughts are harmful, if they are of fleshly, worldly stuff.  We need to tune our hearing to God, Who is telling us, "don't you even think about it!"

Ben


 
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