It will probably be found at last that there is no sin except sin of the mind.
   It is the carnal mind that is enmity against GOD, that is not subject to the law of GOD, neither can be. It should, however, be remembered that when the Bible speaks of the mind it does not refer to the intellect alone. The whole personality is included in the concept. The bent of the will, the moral responses, the sympathies and antipathies are there also, as well as the intellect.
   When GOD saw the wickedness of man, that it was great in the earth, He saw what could not be seen from the outside, that, as it is rendered in one translation, "the whole imagination, with the purposes and desires of the heart" was only evil continually (Gen. 6:5.) From this passage alone we may properly gather that sin has its seat deep within the mind where it pollutes the emotions (desires,) the intellect (imaginations) and the will (purposes.) These taken together constitute what the Bible and popular theology call the heart.
   It is significant that when our LORD describes the stream of iniquity as it flows out of the heart, He begins with the thoughts. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,
 
Mat12...33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by fruit.
34 "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" (Matt. 15:19). It is doubtful whether any sin is ever committed until it first incubates in the thoughts long enough to stir the feelings and predispose the will toward it favorably.
   Even the sudden flash of anger, which of all sins would appear on the surface to have the lowest mental content, is anything but a sudden eruption of the emotions. The "quick-tempered" man is one who habitually broods over wrongs and insults and thus conditions himself for the sudden fit of temper that seems to have no mental origin.
   The heart that has had the benefit of broad, sane thinking on moral questions, especially long meditation upon man's sin, GOD's mercy and the goodness of Christ in dying for His enemies, is not conditioned to blow up when occasion arises. The worst reaction to an affront or an injustice will be annoyance or mild irritation, never a burst of sinful anger.

   The psalmist exhorts us, "sin not, commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still" (Psa. 4:4.) What can this mean but that moral conduct, good or bad, originates deep within the mind? The thoughts dwell upon an act or course of action with interest and consent; this stirs the affections which in turn trigger off the will to the act under contemplation.
   The sin that follows may be so base, so physical, so obviously "of the flesh" that no one would dream it began as an undisciplined thought in the heart. The rich fool "thought within himself" and as a result took a course that cost him his soul (Luke 12:16-21.)
   All our acts are born out of our minds and will be what the mind is at last. This is clearly taught in the word. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23,) refer Pr23:7.

   Even repentance must begin with deep, reverent thought. David said, "I thought on my ways, and turned my steps unto Thy paths" (Psa. 119:59,) and it is plain that the prodigal son thought things over very seriously before he could get the consent of his will to humble himself and say, "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned" (Luke 15:11-32.)
   It is something of a happy paradox that while the thoughts deeply affect the will and go far to determine its choices, the will on the other hand has the power to control the thoughts. A will firmly engaged with GOD can swing the intellectual powers around to think on holy things. Were it not so, Paul's words to the Philippians would be psychologically untenable: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phil.4:8.)
   Since we are here commanded to think on certain things it follows that we can command our thoughts; and if we can pick the objects upon which to meditate we can in the end sway our whole inner life in the direction of righteousness.
   It is much more important that we think godly thoughts and will to do GOD's will than that we feel "spiritual." Religious feelings vary so greatly from person to person, or even in the same person, they may vary so widely from one time to the next, that it is never safe to trust them.
   Let us, by a determined act of faith, set our affection on things above (Col3:1,2,) and GOD will see to the rest. The safest, and after a while the happiest man is the one who can say, "My heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD" (Psalm 112:7.)

Ex20... GOD spoke all these words, saying:
2 "I the LORD your GOD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 "You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness that in heaven above, or that in the earth beneath, or that in the water under the earth;
5 You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your GOD, a jealous GOD, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth of those who hate Me,
6 But showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your GOD in vain, for the LORD will not hold guiltless who takes His name in vain.
8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 But the seventh day the Sabbath of the LORD your GOD. You shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who within your gates.
11 For six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your GOD is giving you.
13 "You shall not kill.
14 "You shall not commit adultery.
15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that your neighbor's."

Deut11... you shall love the LORD your GOD, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgements, and His commandments always.
26 "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse:
27 "The blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your GOD which I command you today;
28 "And  the  curse,  if  you  do  not  obey the commandments of the LORD your GOD, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.

Acts5... 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and also the Holy Ghost, whom GOD hath given to them that obey Him.

Heb5... 9 ...the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him;

Rom 2... the righteous judgment of GOD:
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
(works)
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath.
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile;
11 For there is no respect of persons with GOD.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

Jam1... 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whose looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
 
1Jn3... 3 And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.

13 For not the hearers of the law just before GOD, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
 
Rom3... 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? GOD forbid: yea, we establish the law.
 
Phil2... 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
10 In this the children of GOD are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of GOD, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Jam1..4 But let patience have perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
12 Blessed the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life which the LORD has promised to those who love Him.

1Pet1..7 That the genuineness of your faith, much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
9 Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of souls.

Rev3..18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

Rev2..9 I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but a synagogue of satan.
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

Mk15..25 Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.
26 And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.
28 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."

33 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My GOD, My GOD, why have You forsaken Me?"

Jn4..23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 "GOD Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Mat22..36 "Teacher, which the great commandment in the law?"
37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
38 "This is first and great commandment.
39 "And second like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Jn8..51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.
 
Rom2..13 For not the hearers of the law just in the sight of GOD, but the doers of the law will be justified.
 
Gal3..24 Therefore the law was our tutor into Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Rom6..3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be of (His) resurrection,
6 Knowing this, that our old man was crucified, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
7 For he who has died has been justified from sin.
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin into death, or of obedience into righteousness?

17 But GOD be thanked that you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
 
Rom7..5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not the oldness of the letter.