Mark 9:43-48 (NLT)
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’
As a teenager, I did countless questionable things, including watching things I had no business watching. One such film was called The Faces of Death, a sort of documentary displaying real clips of people dying or being maimed in various parts of the world. While the LORD has thankfully delivered many of these gruesome images from my mind, one that still sticks out is of a man who had his hand forcefully amputated for stealing. His captors lashed his arm down and sliced through his wrist. As they held the hand up as a lesson to all, someone wrapped his bleeding nub in a plastic bag.
I’m not sharing this to gross you out but to provide a vivid image to help you relate to today’s passage. Just as I have here, Jesus used strong, explicit language and imagery to get his point across. He instructs “If your hands or eyes cause you to sin, get rid of them!” (my paraphrase) Hopefully, we don’t have to get that far to stifle our desire to sin. There are ways to guard our hands and hearts from evil. The next time the overwhelming urge to sin comes try one of these:
- Avoid the situation.
Most times, if you’re not around the things causing you to sin, you’re obviously less likely to do so. Examples include: staying off the computer when no else is around (prevents the temptation to look at things we shouldn’t be), staying away from “old” friends (prevents temptations to return to that lifestyle), staying out of situations where you’re alone with the opposite sex (prevents temptations leading to adultery), staying out of McDonald's (prevents temptations to engorge gluttonous behavior), staying away from the TV during the World Cup (prevents temptations to make soccer your idol), and so on.
-Pray.
Here we go again. We always hear it pounded into us. But there is great power to fight temptation when we have a close, intimate relationship with Jesus. Examples include: praying to avoid sin (see above), praying to have thoughts removed from our mind (old sins, past experiences, unholy imagery), praying for those who tempt us (for their salvation and healing), praying for those we lust after (helps us see others as children of GOD and not objects for our pleasure), praying for the loss of desire for things we want but don’t need (fast cars, fancy clothes, newest flat screen), and so on.
-Prepare.
Sin will be a part of us and our world until Jesus gloriously returns to take us home. Thankfully, he has warned us about sin and given us a way out. He’s even made a way for us to be a part of him despite our sinful nature (Thank you, Jesus!). There are many Scriptures to help us prepare for the struggle with sin, but here is perhaps the most clear: Ephesians 6:10-18. I’ll allow you to read it yourself, but take note of one thing-there is no protection for the back. So never turn and run. But stand and fight, with Jesus in your heart and his word on your mouth. Then scream, “FRRRRREEEEEEDDDDOOOMMMMMMM!” Not only does it sound cool and make you feel like Braveheart, but it's truth.
Application: As you encounter temptation today, use these three resources. Make a conscious effort to avoid dangerous situations, pray continually, and prepare your heart for the fight. Because the last thing I want to see is you- or me- losing eyes or hands.
