Jesus clearly taught that the commandments can be broken by thought and speech, as well as by actions. A common belief is that you can think anything you want, as long as you do not act on it. However, the Christian religion teaches the exact opposite. It will be safe to allow into the kingdom of heaven only those who respect and keep God’s commandments.
In several ancient manuscripts you will find that Jesus said, “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (verse 22). There is no such thing as having cause to be angry with your brother. There is cause to be angry that God has been dishonored, but never with your brother. The Christian religion is the strictest religion in the world because it requires control of both thoughts and emotions. Because anger is an emotion, it must be under godly control.
It was while Jesus’ hearers were sitting on the mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee and the Land of Bashan that this instruction was given. Bashan was a land of thick forests, mountains and gorges. It was a rugged country where many criminals hung out and there had been reports of robberies and murders. In the audience were those who had denounced these evil-doers.
However, “At the same time they were themselves passionate and contentious; they cherished the most bitter hatred of their Roman oppressors and felt themselves at liberty to hate and despise all other peoples, and even their own countrymen who did not in all things conform to their ideas. In all this they were violating the law which declares, ‘Thou shalt not kill’ (Exodus 20:13).
“The spirit of hatred and revenge originated with Satan, and it led him to put to death the Son of God. Whoever cherishes malice or unkindness is cherishing the same spirit, and its fruit will be unto death. In the revengeful thought the evil deed lies enfolded, as the plant in the seed. ‘Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him’ (1 John 3:15.)” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 56.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment’ ” (Matthew 5:21). This verse is not talking about insects like mosquitoes or even animals that may be pests, but human beings.
All who are not in control of their thoughts and emotions will find that there will be a time when they cannot control their speech or their actions. Jesus pointed out that sin starts in the mind with that first thought. The Christian warfare is spiritual;. it is a battle that takes place in the mind. The work of the gospel is to solve the sin problem right at its roots.
The sixth commandment is broken when a person is not in control of their feelings and develops animosity, unkindness, anger, and malice in the mind. Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart [mind] the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Negative feelings harbored toward another will eventually be uttered, probably not to the person, but to somebody else. The Bible calls that “backbiting” and that behavior is classed with haters of God (see Romans 1:30). Haters of God break the first commandment.
Psalm 15 lists eleven characteristics necessary to abide in the kingdom of heaven. Out of the eleven, four have to do with speech. To be saved, a person:
- speaks the truth in his heart (verse 2)
- does not backbite with his tongue (verse 3)
- does not take up a reproach against his neighbor (verse 3)
- swears to his own hurt and does not change (verse 4)
God is all knowing. Records are being kept and nothing is missed or forgotten. On each one’s page is listed every thought that they have ever thought since they were born, every feeling, emotion, and imagination of each mind. Every word ever spoken with the tone uttered can be reproduced and brought to your memory at any time, in addition to all of your actions. That is why Jesus said, “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).
“The chief requisite of language is that it be pure and kind and true.” Education, 235.
“God’s word condemns also the use of those meaningless phrases and expletives that border on profanity. It condemns the deceptive compliments, the evasions of truth, the exaggerations, the misrepresentations in trade, that are current in society in the business world.” Ibid., 236.
Everyone wants a deal! The buyer often devalues the object of purchase to lower the price, then brags about what a good deal he got while the seller over values the object to the buyer and then brags of what they got for a useless object. But God sees all and reads each heart of its motives.
Norman Rockwell, an American author, painter and illustrator of American culture, painted a scene of trading. The painting portrays a man as selling to a woman a chicken which is being weighed on a hanging spring scale. Looking at the painting you can see what they cannot see. The lady has her hand under the spring, pushing it up. The man on the other side has his finger on the spring, pushing it down. Both are trying to cheat the other. Each is breaking the eighth commandment.
These same misrepresentations in trade are current in society and in the business world. Jesus said, “Let your speech be, ‘Yea, yea; Nay, nay:’ and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one” (Matthew 5:37 ASV). This command extends well beyond what we say. Nothing goes unnoticed.
“To love God with all the heart is the first great law of the universe. When the love of God fills the heart, love to our fellow men will flow forth in words and deeds as the fruit of that love.” The Review and Herald, May 3, 1898.
“… these passionate words are a savor of death unto death. He who utters them is not co-operating with God, but with Satan. In heaven his wicked railing is placed in the same list as swearing.” Ibid., April 1, 1902.
When passionate words are spoken, reason is disengaged and the one speaking them is no longer in control of their intellect or reason but controlled by emotions.
Often young people decide that rules are too strict and become rebellious against them. Ellen White wrote to a student at Battle Creek who had this problem. Writing to him she said, “Study critically the character of the government of our school. The rules which were enforced were none too strict. But anger was cherished; for the time being, reason was dethroned and the heart was made a prey to ungovernable passion.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 431. Passion is an emotion and emotions are feelings and are not rational or reasonable.
Before the digital age, black and white movies were made using hired organists to play music that would help set the mood for what the people were doing on the screen. It is astonishing what can be done. The organist can change your feelings in seconds, just by changing the tenor of what is played. Emotions are not rational. They can be affected by music, drugs, and numerous other things. It would be very dangerous to take to heaven those who are controlled by their emotions.
Ellen White went on to write this young man: “Impulse had overcome reason, and you could not recall the injury done to yourself nor to an institution of God. Our only safety under all circumstances is in being always master of ourselves in the strength of Jesus our Redeemer.” Ibid.
There are people who may cross our path that are very difficult and even evil who provoke you to think if not act with strong emotion. Are you planning on having perfect control of your thoughts and emotions after that person overcomes whatever weaknesses of character they have that provoke you? What if you die before that happens?
Some people say they are going to develop perfect control of their emotions and feelings after this other person gets over their weakness and their trouble. What if that person never overcomes their weakness? What if they are lost? Do you want to be lost, too?
“ ‘Whoever shall say to his brother, Raca’ [vain fellow], shall be in danger of the council” (Matthew 5:22). We are told: “In the gift of His Son for our redemption, God has shown how high a value He places upon every human soul, and He gives to no man liberty to speak contemptuously of another. We shall see faults and weaknesses in those about us, but God claims every soul as His property—His by creation, and doubly His as purchased.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 56.
Do you realize how valuable you are in God’s sight? Your neighbor is just as valuable as you are, even if he has character weaknesses right now that he has not overcome. “God claims every soul as His property—His by creation, and doubly His as purchased by the precious blood of Christ. All were created in His image, and even the most degraded are to be treated with respect and tenderness. God will hold us accountable for even a word spoken in contempt of one soul for whom Christ laid down His life.” Ibid., 56, 57.
Live in the knowledge that one day you will give account of your words. It does not matter how bad or degraded a person may be. No one has a right to speak contemptibly of that person. All are to be treated with courtesy, tenderness, and respect. That is what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
Ellen White wrote to her children: “Do not think that your state is good enough, and make no effort to get nearer to God. Unless you overcome pride of dress, pride of heart, love of self, all anger and every evil passion, God will not own you as His, and will not receive you to Himself at His appearing. You can be overcomers. Go to God daily for strength, and every day overcome.” The Youth’s Instructor, December 1, 1852.
We have been commanded to have no other gods before Him. God will not acknowledge as His those who do not overcome all anger and evil passion. This is very unpopular theology today. We are living in a time when Paul said people would have a form of godliness but deny the power (2 Timothy 3:5). People today want an easy religion. They do not want a religion where you have to fight to be in control of your thoughts and emotions.
Ellen White wrote these encouraging words: “By some a constant battle is maintained for self-control. Daily they strive silently and prayerfully against harshness of speech and temper. These strivings may never be appreciated by human beings. They may get no praise from human lips for keeping back the hasty words which sought for utterance. The world will never see these conquests, and if it could, it would only despise the conquerors. But in heaven’s record they are registered as overcomers. There is One who witnesses every secret combat and every silent victory.” The Signs of the Times, August 23, 1899.
Challenge God to show you how real He is. Tell Him you want to be real; you want control of your thoughts and emotions. Then you will find that a miracle will start happening in your life. Nobody will be able to tell you that He does not exist, because you will have experienced His power revealed in your life. Until then, you will not have victory.
We need divine help. Memorizing scripture is a good way to overcome the temptation of allowing emotions to rise. Quoting scripture will shift the gears in your mind. The more scripture memorized, the more ammunition you will have when the devil comes to you with temptations. God’s grace is enough for every situation and it is His will that we will be fit for heaven when Jesus returns.
“The teacher can do much to discourage that evil habit, the curse of the community, the neighborhood, and the home—the habit of backbiting, gossip, ungenerous criticism. In this no pains should be spared. Impress upon the students the fact that this habit reveals a lack of culture and refinement and of true goodness of heart; it unfits one both for the society of the truly cultured and refined in this world and for association with the holy ones of heaven.” Education, 235.
“On the Saviour’s coronation day He will not acknowledge as His any who bear spot or wrinkle.” The Review and Herald, May 5, 1903.
“He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend” (Proverbs 22:11).
Today, there is an awful lot of pretending going on. Too many people are pretending to be Christians, but they are not in control of their thoughts, their feelings, or their words. They could be called “pretend Christians.”
If I fit into this category I need to be converted; otherwise my religion is for nothing. “Christ will have nothing to do with pretense. He will welcome to the heavenly courts only those whose Christianity is genuine. The lives of those professing Christians who do not live the life of Christ are a mockery to religion.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 18, 206, 207.
What must I do to be saved? Christ answered that question on the Sermon on the Mount. Only commandment-keepers will be in heaven. But that involves being in control of thoughts and feelings, and as a result of that self control, the saved will also be in control of their speech and actions.
There are some who while they pretend to be commandment-keepers, are breaking them all because they do not love God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and they do not love their neighbor as themselves.
“Christ has promised to make them harmonious on every point, not pleasant and agreeable and kind today, and tomorrow harsh and disagreeable and unkind, falsifying their profession of faith. But they refuse to place themselves where He can help them. They are breaking the commandments of God; for they have left their first love.” The Review and Herald, January 14, 1904.
What is the remedy? If somebody has done something evil against me, instead of going and talking to the other people in the church about it, go right to them about it. That is what Jesus said in Matthew 18. Peter asked Jesus if someone does sin against me, does something really bad against me, how many times should I forgive him? Up to seven times (verse 21).
The rule among the Sadducees and Pharisees was that they should forgive somebody three times. So Peter thought if he said he would forgive his brother seven times that would be very generous. However Jesus said, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (verse 22).
Matthew 18 is not talking about when somebody does something that I do not like. It is talking about when my brother sins against me. Sin is when they break the law—sin against me: tell me a lie, steal from me, or commit some other violation of God’s law with regard to me. Jesus said, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more” (verses 15, 16).
When you go to talk to your brother who has sinned against you, Ellen White says, “Talk quietly together. Let no angry words escape your lips. Present the subject in a way that will appeal to his best judgment. And if he will hear you, you have gained him as a friend.
“Whatever the character of the offense may be, this does not change the plan God has made for the settlement of misunderstandings and personal injuries. Act out the spirit of Christ. Take the recipe God has provided, and carry it to the spiritually diseased [one]. Give him the remedy that will cure the disease of disaffection. Do your part to help him. Feel that it is a duty and privilege to do this, for the sake of the unity and peace of the church, which is very dear to the heart of Christ. He does not want any wound to remain unhealed in any member of His church. All heaven is interested in the interview between the injured member and the one who has been guilty of error. After settling the difficulty, pray together, and angels of God will come to you and bless you. There is music in heaven over this union.
“As the erring one accepts the testimony borne, and gives evidence of true repentance, the sunshine of heaven fills his heart. Hearts are drawn together. The healing oil of love removes the disease and soreness of the wrong. The Holy Spirit binds heart to heart.
“Those who have been united in Christian fellowship offer prayer to God, and pledge themselves to deal justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). If they have wronged others, they continue the work of repentance, confession, and restitution; and the disease is healed. They are fully set to do good to one another. This is the fulfilling of the law of Christ.
“Repentance, confession, and restitution are all required. But these cannot atone for the sin, for God has been wronged in the person of His saints. The Lord Jesus alone is able to atone for sin, by the application of His blood, shed for the guilt of the sinner. His blood cleanses from all sin.” The Upward Look, 106.
(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)
Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.