Sinning in Thought; Adultery

5. “You have learned that it was said to the ancients, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that he who looks at a woman with a wicked desire for her has already committed  adultery with her in his heart.” (Mt.5:27,28)

6. The word adultery must in no way be understood here in the exclusive sense of its normal meaning,  but in a more generalized sense. Jesus often employed it by extension to designate evil, sin and every bad thought, as, for example, in this passage: “For if anyone amongst this adulterous and sinful generation is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him also when he comes accompanied by the holy angels in the glory of his Father.” (Mk. 8:38)

True purity is not only displayed in one’s actions; it is also displayed in one’s thoughts, for those who have a pure heart do not even think about evil. This is what Jesus meant. He condemns sin, even in thought, because it is a sign of impurity.

7. This principle naturally leads to the following question: Does one suffer the consequences of an evil thought if it is not followed by an effect?

Here, there is an important distinction to be made. As the soul caught up on the wrong path advances in its spiritual life, it enlightens itself and rids itself little by little of its imperfections, depending on the greater or lesser willingness it employs in virtue of its free will. Every evil thought thus results from the soul’s imperfection; however, depending on its desire to purify itself, even an evil thought can become an opportunity for advancement if it forcefully rejects it. This indicates an effort to wipe away a stain. Hence, it will not yield if presented with an opportunity to satisfy an evil desire, and after having resisted it, it will feel much stronger and happier with its victory.

On  the  other  hand,  the  soul that  has not  made good resolutions  seeks an opportunity for an evil act, and if it does not actually commit one, it is not because of its will but because it lacked the opportunity. Consequently, it is as guilty as if it had actually committed it. In sum, persons who do not even conceive the thought of evil have already made progress; those to whom the thought occurs but who reject it are on their way to making progress; finally, those who have such a thought and take pleasure in it are still indwelt by evil in all its strength. In one, the work is finished; in the others, it remains yet to be done. God is just and considers all such nuances in people’s responsibility for their actions and thoughts.