Scripture: “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.” Matthew 18:7-9 ESV
[Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Friday’s Daily Focus (click here to read it), Matthew chronicles an embarrassing moment for the disciples who argue over who’s the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Mark tells us the disciples disputed along the way and fell silent when challenged by Jesus. And Luke writes that Jesus first discerned their rival thoughts before confronting them. So Jesus illustrates the godly attitude of achieving honor as a kingdom worker by calling a child to him and explaining that unless they exhibit the humility of a child, they will miss entering the kingdom of heaven, let alone establishing their rank as one of the greatest. And Jesus commends those who care for the young in the faith, for they minister to him as such. Conversely, if they cause the spiritually immature to sin, it will not go well for them.
In the above segment, Jesus builds on the last point of Friday’s reading and declares his first “woe,” a warning of looming judgment. The Greek here is apo tōn skandalōn, which refers to anyone being a stumbling block to his disciples. While he acknowledges that temptations serve their purpose (to initiate God’s redemptive work), this does not excuse those who trip the vulnerable in the snare of sin.
Jesus then directs his warning to his disciples about their actions and shockingly illustrates that they take whatever drastic measures necessary to do their part in overcoming habitual sin patterns. Using the dramatic figure of speech that echoes his warning from the Sermon on the Mount regarding lust (pluck out the eye rather than be thrown into hell, click here to read), Jesus tells his disciples to cut off the hand or foot or pluck out the eye if any aspect of their life causes them to keep on sinning.
Takeaway: These passages can be troubling if applied legalistically. Sadly, I once read an article about an unstable man in Orlando who cut off his hand because of this text. And if we fail to consider the context and the breadth of Scripture, we too will risk taking matters into our own hands devoid of God’s grace and cause more harm than good.
Still, Jesus employs hyperbole for a reason. As theologian Michael Wilkins contends, “A disciple’s actions indicate the state of his or her heart (15:19), and the person who consistently yields to sin is worthy of eternal condemnation since such sin reveals that he or she is not a disciple of Jesus. The fires of the eternal hell of Gehenna await those who receive God’s judgment” (NIV Application Commentary: Matthew, p.615). And, as theologian D.A. Carson argues, pride trips up all of us: “Jesus’ disciples must deal as radically with pride as they were earlier commanded to deal with lust” (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, p.399). Indeed, the flow of this series of Jesus’ teachings stems from his disciples arguing over who is the greatest among them.
So how do we address habitual sins under Christ’s grace? Having worked with addicts and having seen my oldest brother self-destruct (click here to read my article, Transforming the Addictive Personality), those I have witnessed overcome besetting sins first come to the end of their resources. If they think they can manage it, they deny the work of Christ’s cross and grace. Secondly, they doggedly close all the portals through which temptations otherwise breach. It is a radical adjustment that requires leaning on the Holy Spirit, prayer, and the body of believers. And humility undergirds the process—no room for pride. So here are three essential elements of overcoming destructive patterns:
- Transparency (bringing sins into the light of Christ with trusted supporters)
- Patience (accepting that setbacks are part of the recovery process)
- Renewal (relocating to safe places and spaces that circumvent acting out and filling the void with godly activities that bring life)
Particularly, worship, creativity, Scripture memorization, and serving others are excellent ways to fill the void. And when we stay humble, grace abounds to help us break the sin cycle.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son who addressed the consequences of our sin by paying the penalty in full through his life, death, and resurrection. And we thank you for your Holy Spirit, who helps us rise above the power of sin. Still, as you know, all of us, from time to time, succumb to habitual sins that set us back in our faith journey. So would you please help us exercise humility and lean on your Holy Spirit, the community of believers, and your Son’s grace to break the sin cycle? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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