Why Do People Have Evil Thoughts?  |  Bible Reading Plan for Seekers | January 28

🌱 A Warm Welcome

Welcome to our 365-Day Journey to Discover God!

Have you ever known something was wrong but still felt tempted to do it?

Maybe you've felt a little jealous when someone else succeeded. Perhaps someone hurt you, and for a moment you imagined getting even. Or maybe you've been friendly to someone on the outside while secretly feeling resentment toward them.

These thoughts don't always turn into actions. Sometimes they pass through our minds and disappear almost immediately. But they can still remind us that our inner lives aren't always as kind or generous as we'd like them to be.

Over the past few days, we've begun exploring what the Bible means by sin. Today, Genesis 6 takes us a little deeper.

What if sin isn't only about the wrong things we do, but also about what's happening inside our hearts?

Let's read a passage from the time of Noah and explore what the Bible says about the growing problem of human evil—and how God responds to it.

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📖 Bible Background | What Happens in Genesis 6?

Genesis is the first book of the Bible. Its opening chapters describe God's creation of the world and humanity. In chapter 3, Adam and Eve disobey God's command by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

From that point forward, the Bible begins to show how sin affects people's relationship with God and with one another.

In chapter 4, Cain becomes angry and jealous after God accepts Abel and his offering but does not accept Cain and his offering. Cain eventually kills his brother Abel. This is the first murder recorded in the Bible, showing how something that begins in the heart can develop into an act of terrible harm.

As humanity multiplies across the earth, Genesis 6 describes an even more troubling situation. Wickedness is no longer presented as a series of isolated incidents. It has become widespread throughout human society.

This is the setting for today's passage.

Verses 5–7 describe the seriousness of human wickedness, God's grief over it, and His decision to bring judgment. Then verse 8 introduces a surprising change in direction:

"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."

Who was Noah? Why did he find grace? The following chapters will tell us more of his story.

For today, let's focus on one important question: Why does the Bible teach that sin involves not only our actions but also our thoughts and hearts?

🌿 A Look Back | How Did Sin Enter Human Life?

In our earlier readings, we've begun exploring how the Bible describes sin.

Genesis 3 tells us that after Adam and Eve disobey God, they hide from Him. When confronted with what they've done, they also try to shift responsibility.

In Genesis 4, Cain becomes angry when God regards Abel and his offering but not Cain and his offering. God warns Cain that sin is waiting at the door and that he must rule over it. But Cain does not overcome it, and he eventually kills his brother.

These stories show a developing pattern. Disobedience, jealousy, anger, and self-centeredness can begin within a person and then influence decisions and actions, sometimes with devastating consequences.

Now, in Genesis 6, the Bible describes a world in which wickedness has spread even further.

🔎 Today's Introduction | Why Don't We Always Do What We Know Is Right?

From childhood, many of us are taught to be honest, kind, and considerate of others.

Most people would agree that these are good things.

Yet in everyday life, we don't always live according to the values we believe in.

We know we shouldn't lie, but sometimes we're tempted to hide the truth to protect ourselves. We know jealousy isn't healthy, but we may still feel uncomfortable when someone else receives something we wanted. We want others to treat us with patience and understanding, yet we don't always offer them the same kindness.

Why does this happen?

Our upbringing, emotions, habits, and social environment can all influence the choices we make. Understanding these factors can help us better understand human behavior.

But the Bible raises another question about the human heart:

What if the problem isn't simply that we occasionally make bad choices, but that something within us is also drawn toward selfishness and wrongdoing?

Today's passage shows that God is concerned not only with what people do, but also with the thoughts and intentions shaping their lives.

🎯 Today's Reflection Focus | Sin Affects More Than Our Actions

1. God Sees Humanity's Wickedness — The Problem Has Become Serious

Genesis 6:5 says:

"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

This is a serious description of humanity's condition.

The passage doesn't simply say that people had committed some wrong actions. It describes wickedness as something that had deeply affected their inner lives.

The words "only evil continually" describe the extreme corruption of humanity in Noah's time.

It's important to understand the context. This verse isn't an invitation for us to assume that everyone around us is always thinking the worst possible thoughts. Rather, it describes how deeply wickedness had taken hold of human society at that point in the biblical story.

The passage reminds us that wrongdoing can begin with the thoughts we allow to grow, gradually influencing our attitudes, decisions, and actions.

2. Sin Isn't Just About What We Do — It Also Involves Our Hearts

We usually recognize wrongdoing by looking at people's actions.

Stealing, lying, violence, and deliberately hurting others are examples of behaviors we can identify as wrong.

But the Bible's understanding of sin goes deeper.

Someone may never physically hurt another person but still hold on to hatred. Someone may not have told a lie yet but may be planning how to deceive others. A person might appear kind and respectable on the outside while being driven by selfish motives.

Of course, an unwanted thought that briefly crosses our mind isn't the same as deliberately encouraging that thought or choosing to act on it. And recognizing that we sometimes have troubling thoughts doesn't mean we have no worth.

What today's passage invites us to do is take our inner lives seriously.

Our thoughts can shape our choices, and over time, our choices help shape the kind of people we become.

3. God Is Grieved by Human Wickedness — Evil Matters to Him

Verse 6 says:

"And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

If you're reading the Bible for the first time, this verse may raise some questions.

Why does it say that God repented of making humanity? Does that mean God made a mistake or didn't know what would happen?

In this passage, the language expresses God's deep grief over human wickedness and His serious response to it. In traditional Christian understanding, it doesn't mean that God made an error because He lacked knowledge of the future.

The world God created was originally described as good. But now, humanity's wickedness has brought terrible corruption.

Verse 7 goes on to describe God's decision to bring judgment. This reminds us that, in the Bible, God does not treat evil as something unimportant.

We may wonder why a good God allows evil to exist. But we might also ask: If God never responded to injustice or wrongdoing, would that truly be good or fair?

These are difficult questions. As we continue through the Bible, we'll explore more about God's justice, judgment, and mercy.

4. Noah Finds Grace — A Glimpse of Hope in a Dark Story

Verse 8 says:

"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."

It's a short sentence, but it marks an important turning point.

After describing humanity's wickedness and God's grief, the passage introduces Noah.

The word grace points us toward another important biblical idea: God's favor and kindness.

As we continue exploring the Bible, we'll discover that the relationship between God and humanity isn't only about whether people can be good enough. It also involves God's willingness to show grace.

This verse doesn't say that Noah was someone who had never made a mistake. The chapters ahead will help us learn more about his life.

For now, notice something important: Even in a passage describing how deeply humanity has fallen into evil, the Bible introduces the possibility of grace.

💭 Life Reflection | What If the Problem Isn't Only Out There, but Also Within Us?

When we see dishonesty, violence, injustice, and suffering in the world, it's easy to think that the problem lies with the people doing terrible things.

We may tell ourselves that the world would be a much better place if everyone were simply kinder and more honest.

And there's certainly truth in that hope.

But if we're willing to look honestly at ourselves, we may discover that we don't always live up to the goodness and honesty we value.

Sometimes we stay angry about something someone said long after it happened. Sometimes we don't want someone else to succeed. Sometimes we know we've done something wrong but still try to justify ourselves.

These experiences don't necessarily mean we're unusually bad people. They remind us that the human heart is more complicated than it may appear.

Genesis 6 describes a world in which wickedness has become deeply rooted. It shows how thoughts and desires, when continually directed toward evil, can eventually lead to devastating consequences.

But there's another detail worth noticing.

When God sees humanity's wickedness, the passage says that He is grieved.

This is different from the picture we might have of a distant God who simply waits to punish people. The Bible describes a God who takes evil seriously and is grieved by humanity's corruption.

If you're still exploring faith, perhaps today's passage can leave you with a question:

If the world's problems aren't only caused by systems, circumstances, or other people's behavior, but also have something to do with the human heart, where does real change begin?

As we continue reading the Bible, we'll explore that question further and gradually discover what Scripture teaches about grace and redemption.

✍️ Questions & Small Action | Taking an Honest Look Within

Questions to Think About

1. Have you ever known what the right thing to do was but still struggled to do it? What influenced your decision?

2. How do you think our thoughts influence our words and actions? Is there an emotion or attitude you'd like to handle differently?

3. When you read that God was grieved by human wickedness, what new thoughts or questions do you have about the God described in the Bible?

Today's Small Action

Find a quiet moment today and think back over the past few days.

Was there a situation that revealed an emotion you weren't especially proud of?

Perhaps it was jealousy, anger, selfishness, or resentment toward someone.

You don't need to criticize yourself harshly or solve everything at once.

Instead, ask yourself:

"Where did this thought come from? If I keep holding on to it, how might it affect me?"

If you'd like, write down one small change you could try the next time you face a similar situation.