How Important is Sin?

"If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body be thrown into hell." Matt. 5:29-30

Strong words.

I've never thought that Jesus was literally tell us to maim our body in order not to sin. I've never really known what he meant by these dire warnings. So, I read the commentary and this is what it said.

And if thy right hand offend thee,.... Or "cause thee to offend"; that is, is the means of ensnaring thine heart; and of drawing thee into either mental, or actual adultery; for, as before, all unchaste looks, so here, all unchaste touches, embraces, &c. are condemned. As adultery may be committed in the heart, and by the eye, so with the hand:


Pluck it out ... - It cannot be supposed that Christ intended this to be taken literally. His design was to teach that the dearest objects, if they cause us to sin, are to be abandoned; that by all sacrifices and self-denials we must overcome the evil propensities of our nature, and resist our wanton imaginations.
 http://bible.cc/matthew/5-29.htm


Okay, that was the commentary and now I am writing my opinion.


In the verses before and immediately after this Jesus is speaking mainly about adultery. Therefore we can conclude this is about adultery also. If you are looking lustfully, if you are touching lustfully, you must do something about it for lust and adultery leads to hell. (it also caused hell on earth between people)


I can remember a pastor of my church who was always hugging the women. I let him hug me a few times but noticed it seemed too long and too tight. It turned out later his wife left him because of his addiction to pornography. I once had a dentist who went to my church. When I went to get my teeth done (I was in my twenties) he would sometimes rest his arms on my breasts. I was young, I thought he must have to do that. A few years later he asked me to have an affair with him. After I went to other dentists I realized he was touching me inappropriately. 


So, first with your eyes - look away if you are tempted. Run like crazy and pray.


With your hands- keep them to yourselves. 


Sometimes, years ago when I went to social gatherings,  I have sat next to a man and if we all started laughing I would touch him to push him or give him a little slap in jest. I shouldn't have done that as he might have taken it the wrong way.


Whew! A big subject and a touchy one! But one thing about God - He will talk about everything. I like that about Him.

Adultery.

Jesus said, "You have heard it said, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.' But I say to you everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

I think it would be best for me to talk about my own struggle with lust. I rarely have had trouble with lusting after a man, but there have been a few times. When I watched the James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig, I did feel lust towards him and it surprised me. I told my daughter, "I can't watch that movie again." She asked why and I told her, "That Daniel Craig turns me on!" So, for myself if I see anyone or thing that triggers lust in my heart I want to turn away and not look at it.

I worked with a man once who liked me and wanted to have an affair. My marriage was unhappy at the time. I was tempted but felt I couldn't quit my job. So, I prayed a lot about this and he was moved to a different area of the workplace. Also, God did take away the feelings I had for him. Still, now that I look back I believe I should have quit my job and trusted God would give me another one. It would have been a quicker and better way.

I do feel sorry for men because I think they have a much harder time with lust than most women. But I know God's grace is sufficient for everything and He can give us all strength of mind and purpose.

Going to Court.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been speaking of our everyday lives and giving us practical teachings. He now continues with the subject of what to if we are going to court.

"When you are on your way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise your accuser may hand you over to the judge who will hand you over to an officer, and you may be thrown into prison. And if that happens you won't be free until you pay the last cent." Matt:5-25

In old days debtors were thrown into prison until they or someone else paid off their debts. This was common in England and in ancient days.  Many were thrown into debtors prison. Jesus seems to be giving good advice in telling people to try to make a deal with the people they owe money to before going to court. The Romans counseled their people to do this also. In other words - don't be stubborn.

 It is remarkable that this very direction is found in the Roman law of the Twelve Tables, which expressly directed the plaintiff and defendant to make up the matter while they were in the way, or going to the praetor - in via, rem uti pacunt orato. - Blackstone's Commentary, iii. p. 299. Whether the Saviour had any reference to this cannot be determined. As the Roman laws prevailed to some extent in Palestine, however, it is possible that there was such an allusion. http://bible.cc/matthew/5-25.htm

This commentary goes on to explain further how going to court is a violation of the 6th commandment. I found this very interesting.

Agree with thine adversary quickly - This is still an illustration of the sixth commandment. To be in hostility, to go to law, to be litigious, is a violation always, on one side or the other, of the law requiring us to love our neighbor, and our Saviour regards it as a violation of the sixth commandment. While you are in the way with him, says he, that is, while you are going to the court, before the trial has taken place, it is your duty, if possible, to come to an agreement. It is wrong to carry the contention to a court of law. See 1 Corinthians 6:6-7. The consequence of not being reconciled, he expresses in the language of courts. The adversary shall deliver to the judge, and he to the executioner, and he shall throw you into prison. 

Our Relationship with Others.

"If you bring your gift to the alter (go to God in worship) and there remember someone has something against you, leave your gift. First go and be reconciled with that person and then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23

If we have hurt a person in any way we are to go to them and ask for forgiveness before we come to God. Our relationships with other people are vitally important to God. We are to love others as we love ourselves and show this in words and deeds.

"This shows, that acts of love and friendship are preferable to sacrifices; and that sacrifices offered up in wrath, and whilst unreconciled to others, are unacceptable to God, and of no avail." 
http://bible.cc/matthew/5-24.htm

Hubby and I say we are sorry to each other quite often. We both seem to drive each other crazy. I guess it is good for Christian growth since I have learned to pray desperately not to lose my temper with him! He probably does the same, I don't know. We do try never, ever to go to bed mad at each other and haven't done that for years. God has used our differences to teach us patience and to learn to say, "I'm sorry."

Anger.

"You have heard it said long ago, 'Do not murder.' and whoever murders will be subject to judgement. But I say to you, anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger or judgement. If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of coming before the court. And if you call him a fool, you are in danger of hell (eternal destruction)." Matthew

Jesus was quoting the Ten Commandments where it says, "Thous shalt not murder." He is saying there is more to this commandment. Anger leads to murder; so watch out for anger. If we move from anger to calling people names it can escalate even farther. The next step is hitting them or beating them.

What our Lord seems here to prohibit, is not merely that miserable facility which some have of being angry at every trifle, continually taking offense against their best friends; but that anger which leads a man to commit outrages against another, thereby subjecting himself to that punishment which was to be inflicted on those who break the peace. (Clarke's Commentary on the Bible.)

Anger is such a powerful emotion. I've learned over the years that when I feel anger growing inside to start praying right away for patience.  I still slip up once in awhile, but God tells me when I do. He works with us and forgives us.

One time, many years ago, I lost my temper at the lady at a dress shop who was rude to me and wouldn't let me return defective merchandise. I walked to my car and God told me I had to go back and apologize, which I did. Let me tell you, it is a good lesson! God was right of course, it was wrong of me to be nasty to a child of his, to a fellow human being who was maybe going through hard times. There was no excuse. Jesus didn't yell at the people who crucified him, how could I yell at someone who wouldn't take a pair of jeans back?

The Pharisees

Jesus said, "For I tell you unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."

The Pharisees were the dominant teachers of the people during this time. They were strict about obeying the law of God. Jesus once said to them, "You clean the outside of the cup, but inside you are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee. First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may be clean also."

The majority of the Pharisees were not truly righteous, that is why Jesus said we must be better than them. They looked good on the outside, but inside were full of evil, for they had not given their hearts to God. Some were good men however, like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.  Their minds and  hearts were open to the leading of God and so recognized the Messiah when he came. Many priests believed after Jesus was crucified.

God said, "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people." Jerimiah 31:33

This is what it means to be more righteous than the Pharisees.

Jesus Came to Fulfill the Law.

Jesus said,


"Do not think I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not an iota or a dot will pass from the law until all is fulfilled. Whoever then annuls even the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 5:17-19


"The laws of the Jews are commonly divided into moral, ceremonial, and judicial. The moral laws are such as grow out of the nature of things, and which cannot, therefore, be changed - such as the duty of loving God and his creatures. These cannot be abolished, as it can never be made right to hate God, or to hate our fellow-men. Of this kind are the ten commandments, and these our Saviour has neither abolished nor superseded. The ceremonial laws are such as are appointed to meet certain states of society, or to regulate the religious rites and ceremonies of a people. These can be changed when circumstances are changed, and yet the moral law be untouched. A general in an army may command his soldiers to appear sometimes in a red coat and sometimes in blue or in yellow. This would be a ceremonial law, and might be changed as he pleased. The duty of obeying him, and of being faithful to his country, could not be changed." http://bible.cc/matthew/5-18.htm

The sacrifice of a lamb is no longer necessary because Jesus became the "Lamb of God" and gave his life in sacrifice. In this way the ceremonial laws were fulfilled. The Ten Commandments still stand as the Law of God forever. If Jesus would have changed them, we would have had no need of a Savior.

Jesus kept this law perfectly for us. We cannot be saved by obeying it. As Jesus said, "Without me, you can do nothing." He kept the law for us, he covers us with his righteousness, and he changes our hearts day by day. What a fantastic God we serve!