Day 15: Purpose Not To Sin
“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. “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Matthew 5:27-32 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/mat.5.27-32.NKJV
In today's passage, we read in verse 29: If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. … And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away. Does it mean to literally injure oneself physically? I am sure we know throughout history and even until now, some have taken the passage literally and mutilated themselves. That’s not His point. In fact, it is not the eye or the hand that causes us to sin; it’s the heart, and that’s something we can’t cut out. What is important is to purpose in our heart NOT to sin against God. If looking at something would lead you to sin in your heart, don't look! If doing something that is good in and of itself might cause you to sin, don't do it! If going somewhere might lead you to sin, don't go there! Remember Joseph son of Jacob? He ran away when there was temptation from Pharaoh's wife. You may seem to lose out but bear in mind that nothing worse than losing your soul in eternal hell. https://twitter.com/EstherOngHC (please click to view a visual)
“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. “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Matthew 5:27-32 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/mat.5.27-32.NKJV
In today's passage, we read in verse 29: If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. … And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away. Does it mean to literally injure oneself physically? I am sure we know throughout history and even until now, some have taken the passage literally and mutilated themselves. That’s not His point. In fact, it is not the eye or the hand that causes us to sin; it’s the heart, and that’s something we can’t cut out. What is important is to purpose in our heart NOT to sin against God. If looking at something would lead you to sin in your heart, don't look! If doing something that is good in and of itself might cause you to sin, don't do it! If going somewhere might lead you to sin, don't go there! Remember Joseph son of Jacob? He ran away when there was temptation from Pharaoh's wife. You may seem to lose out but bear in mind that nothing worse than losing your soul in eternal hell. https://twitter.com/EstherOngHC (please click to view a visual)
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