For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

These are the things which defile a man.

- Matthew 15:19-20a

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

- Matthew 5:28

What wrong "advice" and "comfort" is being given to Jack in this story? Why?

5. Sin arises from the heart. Sin involves the total person. It arises from the heart, the core of a person's being. Modern teachings that sin is just reflecting the thoughts or imitating the actions of others are not scriptural. God speaks of sin as arising from the deepest element of one's existence, from his heart, out of which are the issues of life.

6. Sin includes motives and thoughts. Modern explanations that only expressed words or performed actions can be sinful are not biblical. God judges the heart. Hidden from others, all our secret intentions and thoughts are perfectly known to the Lord these, too, can be sinful.

After Jack had angrily yelled at his employer in the presence of his fellow employees, and was suspended from work for three days, one of his friends and co-workers attempted to comfort him. "Jack, don't worry about it. You could not help it. After the way he mistreated you, how could you help it? Maybe you were a little too strong, but you weren't really wrong. A bit of unkindness has to be expected. No one can say that you're really guilty of doing something wrong. It was just a quick, mental reaction to that which he said. Besides, nobody can hold you responsible for the things you didn't say, but may have