I was reading Matthew 18 this morning and I came across verses 8 and 9.
I've always struggled with what Jesus meant by that. I knew he didn't really intend for us to maim ourselves, but I wasn't sure why he put it like that.
After rereading the passage today, it occurred to me that what he might mean is that our eyes and limbs do not cause us to sin, but rather it is our sinful nature that causes us to sin.
Chuck Swindoll was preaching this morning on our sinful nature and how we still have the capacity in us for all the ugly sins we've committed in the past.
James 4 talks about the source of our sins. It is from our hearts that sins come forth.
Back in Matthew 8 verse 7, it condemns the world for all its temptations, but yet it says that those temptations are necessary. I think about Muslims that force women to wear veils and ultraconservative clothing so that the men may not be tempted to lust after the women. They have taken it so far in some cultures that no part of a woman's body can be showing except for here eyes. We as Christians make similar demands on our women, but to a lesser degree to not wear provocative clothing. But that does nothing to address the real problem - the lustful eyes of men.
So getting back to verse 8, I think that what Jesus was getting at was that it is not our eyes and our limbs that CAUSE us to sin, but they are merely following orders from our sin stained hearts. When my son's arm hurts, I jokingly say "Do we need to cut it off?" I think that is what Jesus had in mind.
Comments?
And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
(Mat 18:8-9 ESV)
I've always struggled with what Jesus meant by that. I knew he didn't really intend for us to maim ourselves, but I wasn't sure why he put it like that.
After rereading the passage today, it occurred to me that what he might mean is that our eyes and limbs do not cause us to sin, but rather it is our sinful nature that causes us to sin.
Chuck Swindoll was preaching this morning on our sinful nature and how we still have the capacity in us for all the ugly sins we've committed in the past.
James 4 talks about the source of our sins. It is from our hearts that sins come forth.
Back in Matthew 8 verse 7, it condemns the world for all its temptations, but yet it says that those temptations are necessary. I think about Muslims that force women to wear veils and ultraconservative clothing so that the men may not be tempted to lust after the women. They have taken it so far in some cultures that no part of a woman's body can be showing except for here eyes. We as Christians make similar demands on our women, but to a lesser degree to not wear provocative clothing. But that does nothing to address the real problem - the lustful eyes of men.
So getting back to verse 8, I think that what Jesus was getting at was that it is not our eyes and our limbs that CAUSE us to sin, but they are merely following orders from our sin stained hearts. When my son's arm hurts, I jokingly say "Do we need to cut it off?" I think that is what Jesus had in mind.
Comments?
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2 comments:
from Bob ...
This passage is a repeat of Mat 5:29,30 -- A commentary states the general meaning is 'Take drastic action to get rid of whatever in the natural course of events will tempt you into sin."
The present is not our only life. We are destined for eternity. Nothing, no matter how alluring it is at the time, should be allowed to doom our glorious destiny. Sin being a very destructive force must be put to death, severed.
We need the sword of truth and the Holy Spirit to overcome ---
I am so thrilled you are sharing your thoughts, I'd hate to think I was hogging them all to myself.
Go forth and blog!
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