And if thy right hand offend thee,
cut it off, and cast it from thee:
for it is profitable for thee
that one of thy members should perish,
and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 5:30
Jesus was saying,
stay away from sin,
cut it off
If a friend is constantly speaking evil
and there is no good fruit
Stay away
We play a part in what our bodies do
We can’t just say, oh I’m just flesh and a mortal and imperfect,
therefore I sin
What we lack in strength, God has strength to give us
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members
as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:
but yield yourselves unto God,
as those that are alive from the dead,
and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you:
for ye are not under the law,
but under grace.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law,
but under grace? God forbid. Romans 6:12-15
The woman who was about to be stoned,
Jesus said to her:
Woman, where are those thine accusers?
hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord.
And Jesus said unto her,
Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
John 8:10b-11
Jesus told her, Go and sin no more.
He would not have told her that if she was not able to do so
Jesus doesn’t ask more of us than we are able to give
If we need strength, He is there for us,
for His strength is made perfect in weakness
Confessing our sins to God is of utmost importance,
He also has given us the brethren who can support us and pray,
Hiding our sins is detestable to God
These two scriptures seem to go well together:
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:
but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Confess your faults one to another,
and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Proverbs 28:13 & James 5:16
A bar is an easy analogy if you’re a drinker, don’t go
If a friend is a gossip and you find yourself engaging in gossip,
which can lead to other evils
If you see bad fruit from a friendship,
be careful,
you may need to cut it off
There are no absolutes for every one,
As a Christian, our goal is to become more like Jesus
If your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off is the analogy
Those things or people that might not be good influences on you
cut them off
Maybe until you can be strong enough,
maybe forever
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.
Titus 2:12
Sin is between you and God
and whoever else it affects
I know not what is a sin to you and what isn’t
Whatever our struggles are,
we should do our best
to get them under submission
to the word of God
and cut them off
Casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ;
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience,
when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:5-6
Jesus did not come to earth to condemn us
but that we might be saved
He is here with us, every step of the way
to give us whatever it is we need to be successful in Him
He knows how hard it is to dwell on earth
He has the answers and the keys to bring us through
until the day we will meet Him face to face
Let us encourage each other
and support each other in every way we can to finish this race
And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works
Hebrews 10:24
Scriptural References:
Do not fear; for I am with you;
be not dismayed; for I am your God.
I will make you strong; yes,
I will help you; yes,
I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.
Isaiah 41:10
Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:
but we know that,
when he shall appear,
we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1 John 3:2
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:17
I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me
a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day:
and not to me only,
but unto all them also that love his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
And he said unto me,
My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9