Sin is Rooted in the Heart

February 5

We begin three days of looking at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In today’s readings, we see key teachings on believers being salt and light, divorce, honesty, going the second mile, and loving our enemies. If we’re honest, a lot of what Jesus says is uncomfortable, especially when He drills down on the issues of sin, which originates in the heart.

Most people we know have never killed anyone, and most people we know have not cheated on their spouse. I have not committed either of those “horrendous” sins. You know, we tend to see sin relatively between “big” sins and “little” sins. But God sees sin absolutely: sin is sin is sin.

Jesus reminds us that the Law condemned murder and adultery. That’s the “letter of the law,” as Scripture calls it. (2 Corinthians 3:6) But Jesus reveals to us that there’s also the spirit of the Law. He drills down to the point that all of us are guilty of sin. Seriously, look at your heart.

• Have you ever harbored anything less than perfect, unconditional love toward every single individual you have ever encountered?

• Have you ever taken that second look at someone of the opposite sex? (Men, especially, you know the kind of look I’m talking about.)

• Women, have you had conversations with a man that were a little too personal? (This applies to the men, too, by the way.)

I’ve never heard one person who committed adultery say that his/her adultery began with a physical encounter. It began with a compromise in the heart. Last year’s “Coldplay Kiss Cam” video didn’t begin with two coworkers simply attending a concert, but their sin was broadcasted and streamed for the world to see. Not one of us needed to see more than we saw to know the outcome: A marriage ended. A CEO lost his job. It was humiliating, it was disgraceful, and not for just the man and woman snuggling together. Think about each family member who was hurt in that horrible wake, especially the children.

Application

The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9 (CSB)

Sin begins in the heart and quickly metastasizes to the brain, the mouth, and other parts of our body and being. Regularly ask God to search your heart and remove those things that don’t look like Jesus.

Proverbs 4:23
Psalm 139:23-24

© Copyright 2026 Craig Beaman