What does the Bible say about misguided thoughts?
See especially Genesis 6:5 to start... "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
Genesis 6:1 - 22
ESV - 1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them. 2 The sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
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Asked March 20 2021
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Jack Gutknecht
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Tim Maas
The Bible consistently portrays the "natural" man (that is, man in an unsaved state) as sinful from birth (as indicated, for example, by David in Psalm 51:5, or by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 17:9). As such, humans are incapable in themselves of doing, saying, or thinking anything that is pleasing to God. It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that humans can realize their sinfulness; acknowledge it; understand their inability to spiritually heal or save themselves; and consequently be moved to seek the only means that God has provided for their forgiveness and salvation -- faith in Christ's atoning death and subsequent resurrection. Even after coming to saving faith in Christ, humans will still have to contend all during their earthly lives with the impulses and temptations connected to their former (but still existing) fleshly natures, which the Holy Spirit can also assist them in combatting and overcoming. (Paul described this internal struggle in his own life in passages such as Romans 7:14-25.) Through the Spirit's help, Christians can strive to become continually more Christlike, and to increasingly purify their thought lives, as well as their words and actions.
Jack Gutknecht
An interesting sidelight is that there are 2 parallel chapters here: Genesis chapters 6,7,8 and Romans chapters 1 to 8 Romans 1 Genesis 6:1-7,11-13 Man’s Depravity GE 6:5 "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." In Genesis 6:5 "the evil of humankind" The reason for the flood is the great evil of humanity. The only (possible) exception is Noah, who is described as “righteous” and “blameless” (Gen. 6:9). Genesis 6:5 - LEB - "And Yahweh saw that the evil of..." https://www.biblestudytools.com/leb/genesis/6-5.html Genesis 6:5 "And Yahweh saw that the evil of humankind [was] great upon the earth, and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart [was] always only evil." -- Lexham English Bible. -- Faithlife Study Bible Psalm 10:4 "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts." Bible Max - BibleMaximum.com and kingjamesibleonline/evil thoughts. "The face (countenance) expresses the self-conceit, whose fruit is practical atheism (Ps 14:1).: --JFB Psalm 10:4-6 says "money isn't everything;" God is. God is all. God is all-important. Proverbs 15:26 "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words." 26. are pleasant words—that is, pleasing to God (Pr 8:8, 9). --JFB Isaiah 59:7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 7. feet—All their members are active in evil; in Is 59:3, the “hands, fingers, lips, and tongue,” are specified. run … haste—(Ro 3:15). Contrast David’s “running and hasting” in the ways of God (Ps 119:32, 60). thoughts—not merely their acts, but their whole thoughts. --JFB Matthew 9:4 "And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?" (BibleMax) (I searched for "EVIL THOUGHTS" in the KJV Bible and found this one). 9:4 knowing their thoughts The Greek idiom used here seems to emphasize Jesus’ perceptive abilities—that He perceives the scribes’ (teachers of the law) negative reaction—not necessarily that He is reading their minds. evil Refers to the scribes’ accusations of blasphemy. --Faithlife Study Bible
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