"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30)
In 1997 Chinese firefighters succeeded in putting out a 400 year old fire. The fire in the Baiyanghe coalfield started in 1560. The fire consumed over 127 million tons of coal before it was extinguished.
Four hundred years is a long time, but it is nothing in view of eternity. The fires of Hell will never end or be put out. (Ministry 127)
In our text Jesus made it clear to His listeners, the seriousness of ending up in hell. In Matthew chapter 5, He said that the activity of sin is more than just the act of sin, but the thought of sin. In regards to murder, if the desire to kill is in the heart, it is sin. In regards to adultery, if you look at a woman, and lust after her, you have committed adultery in your heart.
And it is better to pluck out your eye, or cast off your right hand, then for your whole body to be cast into hell. I believe that these words were spoken to frighten us, and cause us to really think seriously about our thoughts, and behavior. If we do not discipline ourselves, and exercise a strong self-control, we are positioning ourselves to step into hell. And we don't want that!
I truly believe that a strong relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will help us to maintain a strong discipline concerning our thoughts and actions. Through the application of His teachings, and constant prayer, we will stay in a protective position to experience the blessings of God, instead of the threatening torment of an eternal hell.
So Jesus gives us a challenge of what is more profitable: to remove those members of our body that cause us to sin terribly, or to position ourselves to step into Hell. In essence it is a choice between obeying our Lord Jesus, or placing ourselves in a very dangerous spiritual, eternal position. GP
Photo: xusenru/692 images/Pixabay License/Free for commercial use/No attribution required/www.pixabay.com