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Dangers of Emotional Decision Making in Christian Life

Emotional decision-making in the Christian life carries significant risks, as highlighted throughout Scripture and theological commentary. The Bible frequently warns against allowing unchecked emotions to guide one's actions, portraying them as potential sources of sin and spiritual instability.

One primary danger is that emotions can stem from an "evil heart," leading to destructive behaviors. Jesus himself states that "out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies" [2]. This suggests that negative emotions like malice, which springs from an evil heart, are forbidden and hinder spiritual growth [6]. Similarly, self-will and stubbornness, often driven by emotional impulses, are said to proceed from an "evil heart" and pride, leading to a refusal to heed God's word or correction [7].

The Apostle Paul also identifies various negative emotions and their consequences within the Christian community. In 2 Corinthians, he expresses fear that he might find strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, and proud thoughts among believers [3]. These are not merely minor issues but are seen as destructive forces that can "destroy God's temple," referring to the body of believers, and carry "terrible consequences" [13]. Such strife is explicitly called a "work of the flesh" and an "evidence of a carnal spirit" [9].

Furthermore, emotional decisions can lead to a disregard for God and His will. Worldly amusements and pleasures, often pursued for emotional gratification, are described as "works of the flesh" that are transitory and can "choke the word of God in the heart" [8]. Indulgence in such activities can lead to a rejection of God and a disregard for His judgments [8]. The book of Ecclesiastes, for instance, suggests that frequent feasting, while not inherently wrong, can be dangerous to piety by shutting out thoughts of God and eternity [12].

The Bible also warns about the broader impact of unchecked emotions on one's life and assurance. Deuteronomy 28:66 speaks of a life hanging in doubt, filled with fear night and day, and lacking assurance, which can be a consequence of turning away from God [1]. Sin, often fueled by emotional choices, can affect not only actions but also thoughts, leading to an "unsound mind" that can no longer function as God intended [11]. The psalmist, in Psalm 38:3, connects sin to sickness and emotional turmoil, indicating that such distress can threaten one's life [10].

The New Testament further cautions against allowing the "cares of this life" to weigh down the heart, which can lead to being caught unprepared for the day of the Lord [4]. This implies that an over-reliance on emotional responses to daily anxieties can distract believers from spiritual vigilance. The Puritan commentator Matthew Henry notes that anger, wrath, and malice are "inordinate passions" that are contrary to the gospel's design and possess significant malignity, affecting the "higher as well as the lower powers of the soul" [14]. He emphasizes that the gospel aims to establish the "dominion of right reason and conscience over appetite and passion" [14].

Even in acts of worship, emotional unpreparedness can be dangerous. Paul warns that partaking in the Lord's Supper without discerning the Lord's body puts one in danger [5]. This suggests that a lack of thoughtful, reverent consideration, potentially overridden by casual emotional attitudes, can lead to negative spiritual consequences.

Sources

  1. Deuteronomy “Your life will hang in doubt before you. You will be afraid night and day, and will have no assurance of your life. -- Deuteronomy 28:66”
  2. Matthew “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. -- Matthew 15:19”
  3. 2 Corinthians “For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots; -- 2 Corinthians 12:20”
  4. Luke ““So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. -- Luke 21:34”
  5. I Corinthians “I Corinthians 11:29 (BBE) — For a man puts himself in danger, if he takes part in the holy meal without being conscious that it is the Lord's body.”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Malice — Springs from an evil heart -- Mt 15:19,20; Ga 5:19. Forbidden -- 1Co 14:20; Col 3:8; Eph 4:26,27. A hindrance to growth in grace -- 1Pe 2:1,2. Incompatible with the worship of God -- 1Co 5:7,8. Christian liberty not to be a cloak for -- 1Pe 2:16. Saints avoid -- Job 31:29,30; Ps 35:12-14. The wicked Speak with. -- 3Jo 1:10. Live in. -- Tit 3:3. Conceive. -- Ps 7:14. Filled with. -- Ro 1:29. Visit saints with. -- Ps 83:3; Mt 22:6. Pray for those who injure you through -- Mt 5:44. Brings its own punishment -- Ps 7:15,16. God requites -- Ps 10:14; Eze 36:5. Pun”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Will and Stubbornness — Forbidden -- 2Ch 30:8; Ps 75:5; 95:8. Proceed from Unbelief. -- 2Ki 17:14. Pride. -- Ne 9:16,29. An evil heart. -- Jer 7:24. God knows -- Isa 48:4. Exhibited in Refusing to hearken to God. -- Pr 1:24. Refusing to hearken to the messengers of God. -- 1Sa 8:19; Jer 44:16; Zec 7:11. Refusing to walk in the ways of God. -- Ne 9:17; Ps 78:10; Isa 42:24; Jer 6:16. Refusing to hearken to parents. -- De 21:18,19. Refusing to receive correction. -- De 21:18; Jer 5:3; 7:28. Rebelling against God. -- De 31:27; Ps 78:8. Resisting the Holy Spirit. -- ”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Amusements and Pleasures, Worldly — Belong to the works of the flesh -- Ga 5:19,21. Are transitory -- Job 21:12,13; Heb 11:25. Are all vanity -- Ec 2:11. Choke the word of God in the heart -- Lu 8:14. Formed a part of idolatrous worship -- Ex 32:4,6,19; 1Co 10:7; Jdj 16:23-25. Lead to Rejection of God. -- Job 21:14,15. Poverty. -- Pr 21:17. Disregard of the judgments and works of God. -- Isa 5:12; Am 6:1-6. Terminate in sorrow -- Pr 14:13. Are likely to lead to greater evil -- Job 1:5; Mt 14:6-8. The wicked seek for happiness in -- Ec 2:1,8. Indulgence in A proof of ”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Strife — Christ, an example of avoiding -- Isa 42:2; Mt 12:15-19; Lu 9:52-56; 1Pe 2:23. Forbidden -- Pr 3:30; 25:8. A work of the flesh -- Ga 5:20. An evidence of a carnal spirit -- 1Co 3:3. Existed in the church -- 1Co 1:11. Excited by Hatred. -- Pr 10:12. Pride. -- Pr 13:10; 28:25. Wrath. -- Pr 15:18; 30:33. Frowardness. -- Pr 16:28. A contentious disposition. -- Pr 26:21. Tale-bearing. -- Pr 26:20. Drunkenness. -- Pr 23:29,30. Lusts. -- Jas 4:1. Curious questions. -- 1Ti 6:4; 2Ti 2:23. Scorning. -- Pr 22:10. Difficulty of stopping, a reason for avoiding it -- Pr 1”
  10. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 38:3: 38:3 Sin can lead to sickness and even death (1 Cor 11:30). Whether the psalmist actually felt physically ill or his sickness was a metaphor for emotional turmoil, he knew that it came from God and threatened his life (see Pss 32:3; 39:10).”
  11. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:28: 1:28 thought it foolish: Sin affects our actions and even our thoughts. One of the serious consequences of turning away from God is an unsound mind; people can no longer use their minds as God intended.”
  12. Ecclesiastes (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ecclesiastes 7:2: Proving that it is not a sensual enjoyment of earthly goods which is meant in Ecc 3:13; Ecc 5:18. A thankful use of these is right, but frequent feasting Solomon had found dangerous to piety in his own case. So Job's fear (Ecc 1:4-5). The house of feasting often shuts out thoughts of God and eternity. The sight of the dead in the "house of mourning" causes "the living" to think of their own "end."”
  13. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:16: 3:16-17 Christians must be very careful, both in what they teach and in how they relate to one another, because the body of believers is the temple of God, the home of the Spirit of God who lives in them (cp. Eph 2:21-22), and God’s temple is holy (see 1 Cor 1:2). There are terrible consequences for anyone who destroys God’s temple by such things as jealousy, argumentativeness, and divisiveness (see 3:3-4).”
  14. Colossians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Colossians 3:8: As we are to mortify inordinate appetites, so we are to mortify inordinate passions (Col 3:8): But now you also put off all these, anger wrath, malice; for these are contrary to the design of the gospel, as well as grosser impurities; and, though they are more spiritual wickedness, have not less malignity in them. The gospel religion introduces a change of the higher as well as the lower powers of the soul, and supports the dominion of right reason and conscience over appetite and passion. Anger and wrath are bad, but malice is worse, because it is more rooted ”
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