Can we sin in our dreams?

from the old testament

• God distinguishes between unintentional and intentional sin (Numbers 15:27-31; Joshua 20:3). But even the biblical examples of "unintentional" sin are still conscious acts, such as touching something unclean or making a rash oath and not realizing one's sin until later (Leviticus 5:2, 4). None of these involve the uncontrolled, unconscious thoughts while in a dream state, which implies that what we dream cannot be considered a sin.
• None of the dreams mentioned in Scripture were associated with sin. Rather, they foretold God's plans or were meant to encourage those who were in His service (Genesis 37:5-7, 41:1-2, 25; Judges 7:13–15; Daniel 2:31–35).
• Dreams may indicate that one's thoughts are preoccupied by sinful ideas. Besides staying away from salacious content, those who have impure dreams can pray to God, as David did, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

from the new testament

• Sin is a conscious choice, a matter of the will (represented in the Bible as the heart). Jesus said, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander" (Matthew 15:19). The desires of our hearts that we feed are our own choices of which we are responsible.
• The apostle James noted that "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin. . . " (James 1:14). James' point is that cultivating sinful desires can lead to sinning. Using this same distinction, desires may show up in dreams, but that doesn't become sinful unless we act on those desires.
• All human beings are born in sin (Romans 5:12). It's no surprise, then, when sinful ideas show up in dreams. Focusing on the things of God helps us overcome sinful desires: "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:6).  We can't control what we dream, but we are less likely to have impure dreams if we keep our thought life pure by focusing on the Lord.
• Paul expresses the importance of a pure thought life: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8).

implications for today

Have you ever run as fast as you could but made no progress? What about when you're talking to a childhood friend who transforms into your mother mid-sentence? And let's not get started on the embarrassment you feel from realizing you're wearing your bedroom slippers at work. You've probably done these or some version of them in your dreams. Dreams are strange, surreal, and not completely within our control. If they were, no one would ever have nightmares.

But in many ways, what we fill our lives with during the day can show up in our dreams at night. Parents don't allow their kids to watch a horror movie before bedtime because they know it won't lead to peaceful dreams. We should be as careful about what we think about or watch. Consume sinful content and it may show up as lurid dreams.

So, while we may not be able to fully control our dreams and therefore may not be morally responsible for every thought that occurs while we sleep, we are responsible for what we allow into our minds while awake. The heart is shaped by what it repeatedly consumes. This means that if our dreams are consistently filled with sinful desires, fears, or temptations, it may be wise to examine what is influencing our thoughts during the day. Rather than obsessing over every dream, Christians should focus on pursuing purity, filling their minds with what is true and honorable, and trusting God even while they sleep (Philippians 4:8). A life increasingly shaped by Christ during the day will often bear fruit in the thoughts and affections that surface at night.

When we infuse our lives with the Lord, we can sleep in peace.