Is every wrong thought that passes through my mind considered a sin?
Is every wrong thought that passes through my mind considered a sin?
Question: Is every wrong thought that passes through my mind considered a sin? And will I be held accountable for it, such as blasphemous thoughts that frighten me and make me feel that there is no forgiveness for me?
Answer: Not every wrong thought that passes through your mind is considered a sin, because there is a great difference between wars of thought and sins of thought.
Wars of thought come to you from outside and press upon you, and you do not accept them. Your struggle with them may continue for a period of time during which your mind becomes weary, such as blasphemous thoughts, for example. These thoughts are not sins, and your struggle against them has its reward and its crown.
As for the falls of thought and its sins, they occur when you surrender to the evil thought, consent to it, and perhaps even reach the point of taking pleasure in it and keeping it in your mind for a longer time. All these are sins that are counted against you and indicate that your heart loves sin and loves its thoughts. It makes no difference whether the thought sprang from within you or came to you as an external war and then you were defeated in this war and surrendered to it.
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – Al-Keraza Magazine – Fifth Year – Issue No. 4 – October 26, 1974.
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