"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 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 5:27-30
I want to share two follow-up thoughts to yesterday’s post about the necessity of being willing to take drastic steps regarding our struggle against sin. Note that in both of Jesus’ hyperbolic examples (plucking out eyes and cutting off hands), the goal is to escape being cast into Hell.
First, from a gospel standpoint, nothing one can do, including plucking out eyes and severing hands, will ever get anyone into Heaven. The one and only purchase price to enter Heaven is the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. He was “cut off” for us, in our place. His sacrifice was infinitely more than the the horrors of physical crucifixion. In addition to the physical suffering, He bore the infinite and eternal wrath of God to pay the actual penalty for the sins committed by those He came to save. We receive the benefit of what Christ has done, not by maiming our bodies, but by trusting in Christ alone—a trust that includes repentance.
Second, once we are saved—and completely and forever forgiven of every one of our sins (including those we have not yet committed)—then begins the process of sanctification. This process lasts a lifetime as we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice and are being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). This process includes, and depends on, our willingness to take whatever steps necessary to live victoriously over sin. Disfiguring our bodies will not help, nor does God want us to mar the temples of our bodies. But we must be willing to take whatever steps we must to defeat the temptations and sins from which we suffer.
In the immediate context, Jesus was talking about sexual sin. This area of sin may be more of a struggle for some than for others. If you are one for whom this struggle is particularly acute, to follow Jesus’ instruction, you have decisions to make: What steps must you take to avoid this temptation and escape this kind of sin? Do you need an accountability partner or partners? Do you need to limit (cut off?) access to the internet? How seriously must we take this? As seriously as if we were to maim our bodies—without actually doing so physically. Sexual sin—even when it is not physical, but merely a matter of our eyes and minds—will not send a child of God to Hell. But it will ruin your life. Decide. Jesus or your sin? And ask for counsel. Discretion is promised.