Team GotQuestions Blog

a Blog for Sharing Stories, Tips & Encouragement

Question on Accountability for Sin in Dreams

March 17th, 2015

I’ve just been assigned this question: “Are we held responsible for sins committed within a dream?”

I’m saying “No”, unless any of you have any thoughts otherwise. If so, I’d love to hear them. Thanks!

Like ·
  • Jeff Laird You know this is a husband, asking so he can tell his wife to stop being mad about what he did in her dreams. Seriously, though, great question…
    March 16 at 5:50pm · Like · 4
  • Joe Maxey I agree Wendyl.. Dreams occur in our sub-conscience state. I don’t think we’re accountable for that. Jeff has a great point however! LOL
    March 16 at 5:52pm · Like · 1
  • Ed Chait Only if you are able to dream lucidly, but since you’re lucid, you can ask to be forgiven
    March 16 at 5:52pm · Like · 1
  • Sarah Van Baale I would say, “no” as well. But I’ve had a few dreams that I’ve repented for. Sometimes things come out of our minds that we’re not so sure how they got in there!
    March 16 at 5:53pm · Like · 2
  • Joe Maxey by the way..Day Dreaming doesn’t count! We control those thoughts by indirectly dwelling on them(or not).
    March 16 at 5:55pm · Like · 1
  • Jeff Laird Dreams represent our thoughts; some things we do, or think about doing, in dreams are wrong. And dwelling on some ideas is sinful. Not sure if that (dreams) counts as actual sin, but it can show how immoral we are, deep down.
    March 16 at 5:59pm · Like · 1
  • Robert Lowry On the other hand, will we receive a reward at the judgment seat of Christ for good works that we might dream about doing? I suspecct not, since you would actually have to do them for them to count. I don’t know exactly where dreams come from, but I suspect both Satan as well as the Holy Spirit might account for at least some dreams.
    March 16 at 6:02pm · Like · 1
  • Tim White I think I agree with Jeff. If you entertain thoughts that come out in dreams, you are responsible for your thought life. Apart from that, no, you can do little to control dreams.
    March 16 at 6:03pm · Like · 1
  • Jeff Laird I’d definitely agree with the idea that some dreams are spiritually generated.
    March 16 at 6:03pm · Like · 1
  • Laurel J. Davis Are there any scriptures we can look at specifically about dreams?
    March 16 at 6:28pm · Like · 1
  • Vincent Trigili I do not know of any Scriptural example where a person was held accountable for a dream. Dreams have been used to give messages, and torment.

    However, we are accountable for our thought life AND you CAN control your dreams. (Google it, there are lots     of methods, some work) So I do not think it is a cut/dry no.

    For example, a man may have lustful thoughts for a coworker and then dream about her and act upon those thoughts in the dream. The thoughts are sin, regardless of how the act was executed.

    Some dreams are completely random garbage, just the physical mind doing its house cleaning, and those would not be anything to be held accountable too.

    So I guess it all comes back to “Depends” on the person and the heart behind what was done. The how is not really a big factor, IMO.
    March 16 at 6:42pm · Like · 1
  • Ed Romero I’ll confess that when I sin in a dream, it was after not a very fruitful day
    March 16 at 6:59pm · Like · 1
  • Danielle Swiontek I think we should consider a sin-filled dream an opportunity to evaluate the possible reasons our subconscious included them in our dreams… It could definitely be an attack from Satan but also might indicate a struggle we’re having with that same sin but we don’t want to openly acknowledge that to ourselves.
    March 16 at 7:20pm · Like · 3
  • William Brenner Sometimes I truly know it is a dream…and I control what I think and do. Other times things don’t make enough sense to be worth being concerned about them. I can see where it can reflect your true inner thoughts, but I never felt a need to apply guilt to actions in a dream, I’d say no to sinning in an unconscious state. We can’t control these thoughts in the ways we do while awake.
    March 16 at 9:09pm · Like · 2
  • Laurel J. Davis Since there are no scriptures, then, to direct us specifically regarding dreams, it would seem reasonable to conclude that confession and repentance can be based on individual conviction.
    March 16 at 9:14pm · Like · 2
  • Ed Chait This GQ article is specifically about wet dreams and sin, but I think it presents a balanced viewpoint on dreams and sin.

    http://www.compellingtruth.org/wet-dreams.html

    Are wet dreams / nocturnal emissions sinful?
    Are wet dreams / nocturnal emissions sinful? Does the…
    COMPELLINGTRUTH.ORG
    March 16 at 9:14pm · Like · 1 · Remove Preview
  • Jim McUmber Wendyl – I say “yes, we are held accountable”. Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Fortunately, wonderous Grace from God steps in for one who believes in God’s grace. All sin is forgiven for us. I John 1:5-10 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
    Yesterday at 6:25am · Edited · Like
  • Wendyl Leslie Many thanks to all of you who added your thoughts and comments to this question. They were very helpful and I was able to consolidate some of them into making my response to the questioner. Thanks again!
    Yesterday at 7:03am · Like
  • Jim McUmber I have had additional thought on this… Matthew 4:1 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”… Matthew 4: 9-11 “And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.” —- Perhaps the dream is a result of sin that we are responsible for in our waking lives. Perhaps it is a temptation. If a temptation, if one does not choose to act out the temptation against God, then there is no sin. In this case there would be nothing to be responsible for.

Team GotQuestions Blog

a Blog for Sharing Stories, Tips & Encouragement