Real Transformation

True morality is not a question of outward behavior alone. Genuine holiness is a state of the heart, and therefore the law of God was given to govern the heart first and foremost—the internal person; the mind, emotions, and will.

And the Bible teaches this from cover to cover. Sin is not merely a question of external actions. But the real wickedness of sin stems from what takes place in the heart. The things that defile you the most are not sinful things that you do, but sinful thoughts you entertain. In other words, it's not what you do that colors your character, but what you think about. In Mark 7:20-23, Jesus said,

"What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
23 "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

Now, notice that in this context, even when he lists sins like "adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit," and so on, He is not focusing primarily on the act of adultery or acts of thefts and murder. He's talking about the thoughts that give birth to such acts. Those evil thoughts come from within, and they are what defile a man the most...

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