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Thoughts: The Root of Behavior
Read Mark 7:21–23 and Luke 6:45. What do these texts tell us about the importance of controlling, not just our actions, not just our deeds, not just our words but our thoughts, as well?
People who suffer from impulse-control disorders fail to resist the impulse to steal, to attack someone, or to gamble. Mental health clinicians know that these impulses often are preceded by a certain thought (or chain of thoughts), which leads to the undesirable behavior. Consequently, patients are trained to identify those thought triggers, dispel them immediately, and occupy their minds with something else. In this way, they gain control of their thoughts and avoid the actions that these wrong thoughts so often lead to.
Indeed, sinful acts are often preceded by definite thoughts. (Isn’t this what temptation is all about?) It is the duty of every Christian to learn to identify, with God’s help, the first steps in this process, because dwelling on wrong thoughts lead almost inevitably to sin.
What alternative is proposed by Paul to deal with immoral behavior? Rom. 8:5–8.
Mind and behavior are shown by Paul as intimately linked. The Spirit-filled mind will seek good deeds, and the sin-dominated mind will bring about sinful deeds. It is not enough to change the behavior for the sake of convenience or to present a righteous face to the world. The heart (mind) needs to be transformed, or else the eventual fruits will show the true nature of that heart.
“We need a constant sense of the ennobling power of pure thoughts and the damaging influence of evil thoughts. Let us place our thoughts upon holy things. Let them be pure and true; for the only security for any soul is right-thinking.”—Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times, August 23, 1905.
Suppose you had to express, verbally, to others the thoughts you have had during the past 24 hours. What would you say? How embarrassed would you be? What does your answer say to you about the changes you need to make?
| SUNDAY | January 30 |
Read Mark 7:21–23 and Luke 6:45. What do these texts tell us about the importance of controlling, not just our actions, not just our deeds, not just our words but our thoughts, as well?
People who suffer from impulse-control disorders fail to resist the impulse to steal, to attack someone, or to gamble. Mental health clinicians know that these impulses often are preceded by a certain thought (or chain of thoughts), which leads to the undesirable behavior. Consequently, patients are trained to identify those thought triggers, dispel them immediately, and occupy their minds with something else. In this way, they gain control of their thoughts and avoid the actions that these wrong thoughts so often lead to.
Indeed, sinful acts are often preceded by definite thoughts. (Isn’t this what temptation is all about?) It is the duty of every Christian to learn to identify, with God’s help, the first steps in this process, because dwelling on wrong thoughts lead almost inevitably to sin.
What alternative is proposed by Paul to deal with immoral behavior? Rom. 8:5–8.
Mind and behavior are shown by Paul as intimately linked. The Spirit-filled mind will seek good deeds, and the sin-dominated mind will bring about sinful deeds. It is not enough to change the behavior for the sake of convenience or to present a righteous face to the world. The heart (mind) needs to be transformed, or else the eventual fruits will show the true nature of that heart.
“We need a constant sense of the ennobling power of pure thoughts and the damaging influence of evil thoughts. Let us place our thoughts upon holy things. Let them be pure and true; for the only security for any soul is right-thinking.”—Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times, August 23, 1905.
Suppose you had to express, verbally, to others the thoughts you have had during the past 24 hours. What would you say? How embarrassed would you be? What does your answer say to you about the changes you need to make?
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