Matthew 5:29-30 says this, "And if thy right hand offend thee, pluck
it out, and cast it from thee: for it is unprofitable for thee that one
of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast
into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it
from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should
perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."
What do you think about those two verses you just read? They certainly
are attention-getters, aren't they? Very often people think Christ made
some pretty drastic statements, and He did! Phrases like "pluck it out",
"cut it off", and "cast it from thee", leave us with a pretty gory picture
in our minds, amen? Should we literally cut out our eyes and cut off our
hands and cast them away from us if they are causing us to sin?? But wait
a minute - ARE they responsible for causing us to sin, or is it our wicked
heart?? Did your hand make you do it? Did your brain make you think it?
Did your eye make you look? Or did the whole problem begin way down deep
in our hearts....
If removing our body parts were our only choice in solving our sin problems,
then I suppose we would have to take these verses literally today, but
thank the Lord that is not the case! Then just what is the point that
the Lord is trying to get across to us here? Why did He get want to get
our attention with such drastic choice of words in this passage? The Holy
one of Israel, our Father in Heaven, wants to get across to us the seriousness
of sin, that's why! He is teaching us that we should not tolerate sin!
We hurt ourselves and others when we tolerate sinful behavior. Better
for us to go into heaven with one eye or hand than to go into hell with
two, amen? This is where sin ultimately leads if it is not dealt with
properly and scripturally....
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Have you got problems with sin in your life, dear lady? Then you better
take God's direct approach to a drastic problem! Christ's recommendation
for a sinning hand is to cut it off. Christ's recommendation for a sinning
eye is to pluck it out. And then cast off the remains of both... Spiritual
surgery is in order! Are you ready to do that today? Are you ready to
deal with your sin head on? Are you willing to gouge out those sinful
habits from your life, and cut off those sinful practices that you have
been involved in? Or are you just going to go on tolerating your sin,
day in and day out, year after year? Many Christians chuckle over their
bad habits, even defend them! What sins do we tend to tolerate in our
own lives, or in the lives of our Christian friends when we should not?
How do you think the Lord views such tolerance? These particular scriptures
today Christ shared in the context of sexual sins - lust, impure thoughts,
adultery. No matter what category it falls under, we tolerate sin in our
life that, left unchecked, will eventually destroy us, and those we love
as well! Yes, it will definitely hurt to get rid of our bad habits, but
it is far better for us and hurts us much worse when we keep them attached
to us, amen? Doesn't it make sense that it is better for us to experience
the pain of removal than to allow the sin to bring judgment and condemnation
upon us?? Don't kid yourself Christian woman, there is danger in refusing
to respond to God and repent of our sins! Don't diminish what He has strongly
emphasized.... We are to discipline the actions of our body and purify
the desires of our hearts! The heart is where the issues of life spring
forth from, and repentance cleans up those sinful areas within us where
rebellion started to begin with....
Genesis 6:5, "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."
Ladies, we need to carefully examine our hearts for anything that is causing
us to sin, and then take every necessary and immediate action to remove
it, amen? Jesus Christ made such drastic statements because it's a drastic
situation!! Can you handle the truth today?? We are to look upon our sin
as HE does - it needs to go! If the Lord isn't going to tolerate it, then
neither should we. Pluck it out, cut it off and cast it away, amen? So
often when our children sin in the same manner again and again we'll say
to them, "I'm not going to put up with this from you anymore, cut it out!"
Well, why don't we tell ourselves that today?? Why don't we give ourselves
a good lecture once in awhile? Tell yourself, "Cut it out!" Don't put
up with your sin anymore - deal immediately and decisively with it! Appetite
leads to action, therefore if you control your appetites, your actions
will follow suit. Victory is possible! We are to bring the passions of
our heart under control of the Spirit of God and agree with Him about
our drastic condition....
Man calls sin an accident: God calls it an abomination.
Man calls sin a blunder: God calls it blindness.
Man calls sin a defect: God calls it a disease.
Man calls sin a chance: God calls it a choice.
Man calls sin an error: God calls it enmity.
Man calls sin a fascination: God calls it a fatality.
Man calls sin a luxury: God calls it leprosy.
Man calls sin a liberty: God calls it lawlessness.
Man calls sin a trifle: God calls it a tragedy.
Man calls sin a mistake: God calls it madness.
Man calls sin a weakness: God calls it willfulness.
The truth can make a drastic difference in your life - if you let it!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
