Anchor My Faith

Tear It Out, Cut It Off

Scripture: Matthew 5:29-30

We saw in the previous lesson that adultery was the outward response of lust in the heart. What Jesus says next may be somewhat confusing: ^{Mt 5:29} “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”

The issue here is our sin and here Jesus is using hyperbole (intentional overstatement) to show the seriousness of sin and the fact that nothing, even things of greatest importance to us such as our eyes and hands, are to be more important than God. The use of eye and hand in this way probably serves as metonymies (where one thing stands for something related to it) for sins that can be committed with those body parts. For example, the “eye” may represent coveting, lust, or adultery; the “hand” may represent theft or murder. To tear out the eye or to cut off the hand would not remove the root of sin found in the heart, so the implication here is that Jesus is illustrating the seriousness of our sin and to establish ways to overcome it.

We are not to remain a slave to sin, but through Jesus Christ in being spiritually born, we put into place the means of obtaining victory over sin. If we do not take this step of faith and put forth effort to turn from our wicked evil ways, then our destination is an eternity in hell. There may be things that seem important to us now, but if they in any way hinder us, through sin, in our relationship with God, then we must make necessary changes. Those changes are seen as tearing out and cutting off.

Today our preaching and teaching doesn’t emphasize sin and hell as it should. We should think more about being willing to pay the cost of following Jesus: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?” (Mark 8:35 – 37 ESV). In truly walking with Jesus, we must deal with our sin and we must be willing to pay the cost of following him to our cross.

What is there in your life that causes you to sin? What are your plans for removing it so you can enjoy the kindness of God’s grace? Jesus, who lived a perfect life, went to the cross to suffer and die that we who were dead in our sin might have eternal life.

Prayer

Father, thank you for the victory we have over sin through Jesus Christ. Thank you that through his death on the cross we can be forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness. Thank you that through his resurrection we have victory over death.