Murder In The Heart?

[April_Rose]

Although still sinful either way, how does hating somebody compare on an evil scale with shooting them or stabbing them?

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Although still sinful either way, how does hating somebody compare on an evil scale with shooting them or stabbing them?

The same as lusting for someone compares to actually committing adultery with them. That's not a snarky response. I think we can probably understand the relationship between lust and committing adultery better than we can understand the relationship between hatred and committing murder, so it's useful in understanding how serious, and dangerous, the matter of hating someone really is.

 

[quietthinker]

Although still sinful either way, how does hating somebody compare on an evil scale with shooting them or stabbing them?

Action is the fruit of thinking and feeling.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

Most Christians will not murder outwardly. So the problem isn’t the outside of our cup. It is the inside of our cup that’s the problem. Resentments, bitterness, counting offenses, holding grudges, judging someone worthy of being snubbed because they hurt our feelings. We shriek as if they pounded nails into our hands for talking tersely to us or rolling their eyes. We refuse to give up our life of pride to love and forgive them at the same time we claim to pick up our cross daily.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Although still sinful either way, how does hating somebody compare on an evil scale with shooting them or stabbing them?

It is a principle maam, the beginning of what might become a reality if not put out of the mind.

 

[GracePeace]

Although still sinful either way, how does hating somebody compare on an evil scale with shooting them or stabbing them?

I wonder about it too.

Clearly, Jesus is teaching we're worthy of God's wrath for such despicable things, but... are they really equal, or isn't Jesus just saying "Don't think so highly of yourselves just because other humans haven't seen you do the deed--don't measure yourselves by yourselves, like the hypocritical blind damnable Pharisees--God sees the heart and HE has seen you do it."?

Certainly, doing it must be worse--it brings reproach to God, but, as bad as thinking of it might be (and it shouldn't be done--love God instead), you're not giving men the opportunity to blaspheme God's Name IN ADDITION to the actual offense.