Don't Gouge Out Your Eye
Debbie Gabbara
One thing we see in Matthew chapter 5 is that Jesus did not shy away from tough subjects. The Pharisees spent a lot of time trying to find fault in His teachings and actions. I would imagine they were quite appalled by what He had to say when Jesus suggested to the crowds that they pluck out their eye or cut off their hand if they caused them to sin. Jesus says, “So if your eye - even your good eye - causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand - even your stronger 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 to be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30 NLT).
Jesus did not really mean for us to dismember ourselves; He was using deliberate exaggerations to make a point. This is called hyperbole. We have used them too. Have you ever said something like, “I have a million things to do today,” or “These shoes are killing me,” or how about this one, “You could have knocked me over with a feather?” Those are all hyperboles.
Jesus was using extreme examples to try to help the crowds He was teaching and us to see the extreme costs that sin can have in our lives. We all have a desperate need for Jesus. Only He gives us victory over our emotions, actions, and the will of our mind. We have to be diligent to avoid sin. We have to make deliberate choices. It starts with choosing Jesus!
Romans 7:21-25 (NLT) says, “I have discovered this principle of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Sinning is something that we do not want to do, but we all do it; because, as the apostle Paul said in Romans chapter 7, there is a war in our minds that makes us a slave to sin. Without Jesus, we are doomed to be thrown into Hell and separated from God forever. Do not let sin cause you to “lose” an eye, hand, or any other part of your body that led you into sin. Make a deliberate choice and look for the promises found in God’s Word.
“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” James 4:7-8 (NLT)
Debbie Gabbara
One thing we see in Matthew chapter 5 is that Jesus did not shy away from tough subjects. The Pharisees spent a lot of time trying to find fault in His teachings and actions. I would imagine they were quite appalled by what He had to say when Jesus suggested to the crowds that they pluck out their eye or cut off their hand if they caused them to sin. Jesus says, “So if your eye - even your good eye - causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand - even your stronger 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 to be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30 NLT).
Jesus did not really mean for us to dismember ourselves; He was using deliberate exaggerations to make a point. This is called hyperbole. We have used them too. Have you ever said something like, “I have a million things to do today,” or “These shoes are killing me,” or how about this one, “You could have knocked me over with a feather?” Those are all hyperboles.
Jesus was using extreme examples to try to help the crowds He was teaching and us to see the extreme costs that sin can have in our lives. We all have a desperate need for Jesus. Only He gives us victory over our emotions, actions, and the will of our mind. We have to be diligent to avoid sin. We have to make deliberate choices. It starts with choosing Jesus!
Romans 7:21-25 (NLT) says, “I have discovered this principle of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Sinning is something that we do not want to do, but we all do it; because, as the apostle Paul said in Romans chapter 7, there is a war in our minds that makes us a slave to sin. Without Jesus, we are doomed to be thrown into Hell and separated from God forever. Do not let sin cause you to “lose” an eye, hand, or any other part of your body that led you into sin. Make a deliberate choice and look for the promises found in God’s Word.
“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” James 4:7-8 (NLT)
Posted in Sermon on the Mount
Recent
Archive
2023
January
Reach • Devotion 1Reach • Devotion 2Reach • Devotion 3Reach • Devotion 4Reach • Devotion 5Reach • Devotion 6Gather • Devotion 1Gather • Devotion 2Gather • Devotion 3Gather • Devotion 4Gather • Devotion 5Gather • Devotion 6Grow • Devotion 1Grow • Devotion 2Grow • Devotion 3Grow • Devotion 4Grow • Devotion 5Grow • Devotion 6Giving • Devotion 1Giving • Devotion 2Giving • Devotion 3Giving • Devotion 4Giving • Devotion 5Giving • Devotion 6Galatians 1Galatians 2
February
Galatians 3Galatians 4Galatians 5Galatians 6God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 1God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 2God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 3God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 4God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 5God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 6Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 1Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 2Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 3Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 4Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 5Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 6Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 1Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 2Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 3Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 4Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 5Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 6Delights • Devotion 1Delights • Devotion 2
March
Delights • Devotion 3Delights • Devotion 4Delights • Devotion 5Delights • Devotion 6Final Class • Devotion 1Final Class • Devotion 2Final Class • Devotion 3Final Class • Devotion 4Final Class • Devotion 5Final Class • Devotion 6A Place for You • Devotion 1A Place for You • Devotion 2A Place for You • Devotion 3A Place for You • Devotion 4A Place for You • Devotion 5A Place for You • Devotion 6The Helper • Devotion 1The Helper • Devotion 2The Helper • Devotion 3The Helper • Devotion 4The Helper • Devotion 5The Helper • Devotion 6True Vine • Devotion 1True Vine • Devotion 2True Vine • Devotion 3True Vine • Devotion 4True Vine • Devotion 5
April
True Vine • Devotion 6The World • Devotion 1The World • Devotion 2The World • Devotion 3The World • Devotion 4The World • Devotion 5The World • Devotion 6Peace • Devotion 1Peace • Devotion 2Peace • Devotion 3Peace • Devotion 4Peace • Devotion 5Peace • Devotion 6Focus on Jesus • Devotion 1Focus on Jesus • Devotion 2Focus on Jesus • Devotion 3Focus on Jesus • Devotion 4Focus on Jesus • Devotion 5Focus on Jesus • Devotion 6The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 1The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 2The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 3The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 4
Categories
Tags
no tags