This is lengthy. But, "according to the effort is the reward." :) :cheer: [b]Mal316 wrote:[/b] [quote]While exceptions can be found, the Torah is not a 'thought police' code. Meaning, what we think in our minds is not a sin. [/quote] Here's another exception. "Do not hate your brother in your heart." The heart is the seat of intellect, of emotion, of our desires. The command to "love the Lord your God [i]with all your heart[/i]"(Deut 6:5) has also been translated as "with all your [i]mind[/i]." Thinking is related to the heart. Genesis 6:5. Ecclesiastes 2:1, 15. Matthew 9:4; 15:19. Mark 7:21. Luke 2:35. Acts 8:22. Romans 2:15. Hebrews 4:12. Do not think evil thoughts of your brother. Do not harbor hatred in your heart. When Jesus said "you have heard do not murder, but I say, do not hate" [paraphrased] he was building a fence about the law. He did not institute some new command. He used an already existing command to bolster another command. [TANGENT ALERT!] If there was any 'new' command Jesus gave, it was that his disciples love each other even as he loved them. That they be willing to lay down their lives for their brothers, for there is no greater love than that. Even so, the command to love others is also stated in Leviticus, in the very next verse! [/TANGENT] *Ahem* Who's your "brother"? Is 'brother' to be taken in the narrow dictionary sense? What if a person has no brothers? Can "brother" be taken to mean "any family member"? But if so, why not say so? How far do we extend the definition of brother? Anybody who is a fellow believer? Can brother mean "neighbor"? See the next part of this verse: "Rebuke your [i]neighbor[/i] frankly so you will not share in his guilt." (emphasis added) In the course of a year, month, week, day, hour, minute somebody somewhere is bound to be upset with a brother (however we define that term). It can be for any number of reasons. At some point in our lives we will cause offense and be offended. We're human. We strive for perfection yet fall short. What do we do when offended? Suppose the offense is grievous? It is easy to harbor hatred. It is easy to seethe with anger and plot revenge in your heart. On the outside, you may act civil but inwardly you are heaping burning coals on your brother's head. And God says, "don't hate your brother in your heart." Forgivenenss is a hard thing to give, maybe even harder to ask for. Yet the Scriptures do not say 'forgive only if you feel like it.' We are not told 'forgive only if the offender repairs the hurt he or she has caused.' And this is contrary to what I have believed for a long time. For I was wont to believe that forgiveness was given only when asked for. Forgiveness was contingent upon the offender being truly repentant. If I forgave readily without any show of repentance on the other party's part, what's to stop them from offending again? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." If I'm hurt by somebody, I don't just go to them and say "I forgive you." The hurt lingers. It festers. It sits in my heart and from my heart comes all sorts of wickedness including evil thoughts and hate. No, there will not be forgiveness. Let them come to me and prostrate themselves and beg my forgiveness. I mean after all, aren't we supposed to be imitators of God? And does God forgive without repentance? Even a cursory look through Scripture will show that repentance is a key theme. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." "Repent and be baptized." Repent, repent, repent. *deep breath. exhale* "Don't hate your brother in your heart." Don't harden your heart against your brother. Don't demand repentance as if you were judge, jury and executioner. Are you so free of sin? [TANGENT!] Being covered by Christ's blood and having your sins covered over so that God sees you as righteous does not mean you no longer sin. Nor does it mean you have license to sin either. You have liberty, not license. You are free, but if you seek to gratify your sinful urges without fear of consequence because you're redeemed by Christ's blood, you revert to bondage. The freedom that you have-is it to do good works which God prepared in advance for you to do, or is it to sin so that grace may increase? The assurance of forgiveness should never be used as an excuse to sin. [/TANGENT] If you would be an imitator of God, if you would be obedient to Christ, forgive. Forgive without being asked. Mercy has been shown to you, do thou likewise. Do not hate your brother in your heart. What shall we do then when hurt by others? What shall we do when a brother/neighbor causes harm? What is to be done when a brother is in error and causes offense, maybe even serious offense? Stay tuned for the next part of this verse... :)