Daily Reading

When do we sin?
This is one of the most difficult questions to understand about sin. When does one actually sin? To find the answer to this question, we must go to James 1:15. In this passage James said, "when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin." So we sin when we give in to desire. This means we are guilty of sin the moment we begin to engage in the sin. We are not sinning by just considering sin. For example, let us say that you are considering robbing a bank. Is it sinful to consider such? It obviously is not good, but it is just a thought in your mind. When you begin to prepare, or actually rob the bank, you have now sinned. So desire does not always mean you are sinning, but it is when that desire is acted upon. However, it is good to keep in mind that some thoughts in themselves are sinful. A person can actually sin by having certain types of thoughts. For example, lusting is a sin which is in the mind. Jesus said, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). Therefore, sin is a result of wrong desire which has been acted upon, or in some cases, desires which are wrong in themselves.