Our sins reveal an issue of the heart

Jesus always seems to cut to the heart.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus doesn’t just address “big sins” (murder, adultery, etc.), he drives to the heart of the issue (anger, lust, etc.). Jesus would say elsewhere that it is out of the abundance of the heart that evil comes.

It is important to recognize that every sin in your life (complaining, resentment, anger, lust, dishonesty, etc.) originates in your heart. These attitudes and actions are the fruit/byproduct that is produced … and all fruit has a root. If a person has a runny nose and a cough, we know that these are merely symptoms of an internal issue. Our sin works in the same way. We see it manifest, but often just seek to stop the symptoms, not the root issue.

An example might be lust. We see it manifest in various ways (eyes, thoughts, actions). And we may just want to “stop” it. But the heart issue that is bearing fruit may actually be insecurity and our need for affirmation and validation from another person, whether that affirmation is real or imagined. We long to be desirable.

Or let’s say you find yourself complaining and criticizing all the time. Though there may be some legitimacy to your grievance, you need to look deeper and see what your criticism reveals about you. It could stem from a control issue; it could be a sense of entitlement; or it could reveal a heart of discontentment.

Each sin will in some way reveal the heart issue. We may find that it is easy to dismiss our behaviors and neglect the underlying heart issue. But the wise disciple who aims to reflect Jesus to the world will take note of the sins and evaluate the heart issue that has led to them.

Pastor Jeff Kuhn can be reached at Mountain Springs Church in Sandpoint, mscsandpoint.org or 208-255-5903.