AI OVERVIEW: Sin is not simply a bad thought; it is an offense against shalom, the biblical vision of life flourishing as God intended, and it breaks the peace and order of how things should be. Thoughts by themselves are not sin; sin requires a thought plus an inclination toward wrongdoing and the will to act, as illustrated by pride in Churchill and the temptation to choose wrong over right. The practice centers on choosing what to think about—a word, Scripture, or image of Jesus' love—and returning to it when attention wanders, guided by Colossians 3:1–2 and Philippians 4:8 to fix the mind on whatever is true, whatever is noble, and whatever is just, with Hebrews 12:4 underscoring seriousness of resisting sin.
YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION: Is having a bad thought a sin? John Ortberg explores the difference between an unwanted thought, temptation, and the intention to do wrong. Drawing on Cornelius Plantinga’s Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be and insights from Dallas Willard, John begins with shalom: the biblical vis...
