For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. Mark 7:21-22

It’s easy to slip by biblical lists of sins apparently unscathed. Am I a murderer? No. I’m I an adulterer? No. I’m I a thief? No.

Then you skip the sexual sins because you want to avoid splitting hairs with Jesus, for example concepts like “lust in the heart.”

Then come the misdemeanors. By this time your attention has waned and you’re looking ahead to something that’s useful.

It’s about time we rewind the tape and camp out at “envy, slander, pride and foolishness,” and notice too that all these sins usher forth from the list-leader “evil thoughts.”

Here are some synonyms that amplify their meanings: begrudging, defaming, scornful and insensitive, respectively.

According to Jesus, perhaps with a little commentary by Mark, such sins festering in one’s heart, with or without any outward manifestation, have the same defiling effect as the high crimes. Know this, that eventually, inevitably and invariably they’ll see the light of day!

It’s high time we expunge (remove) these insidious (gradual, subtle) and pernicious (gradually and subtly harmful) evils and let the Lord’s cleansing blood course through us freely.