extreme measures

And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.

Mark 9:43

Jesus has a solution for dealing with besetting sins. It makes us uncomfortable when we hear these words from Him. Jesus proposes radical amputation to deal with controlling sins. In Jesus’ perfect moral logic it is better to be one-handed, one-legged, or even one-eyed in order to remove temptations than to be whole and through repeated sinful habit end up in hellfire.

Of course, I am convinced that actual self-mutilation is really NOT what Jesus is driving at here. Amputees are perfectly capable of being atrocious sinners. What Jesus IS driving at though is to find a deliberate means to maintain true repentance of sin. We take sin seriously. We deal with our tendency to yield to temptation by taking strong actions in response. In decades of biblical pastoral counseling I have seen the wisdom of Jesus borne out with real actions. The drunk drives a different route home in order to avoid the liquor store. The porn addict sells his computer and locks down his smartphone, maybe even switching to a flip phone that has no internet. The money worshipper learns generosity by disciplined auto-drafting in order to give freely rather than be trapped by wealth. The angry man stops following the sports teams that infuriate him and lead to a chain of anger and a miserable home. The person who idolizes politics blocks cable news channels, political podcasts, and talk radio. The thief gives back out of concern for the welfare of others and not his own selfishness. The jealous or envious woman struggling with comparison and lack of motivation deletes all social media and looks instead to scripture and real life fellowship with other believers. Amputation in these ways is just as literal as Jesus illustrates with eye-pokes and foot chops.

Lord,

As I regularly self-examine in Your Word and as Your Spirit searches my heart, reveal to me where “cutoff” measures will help me to thrive. I will trust what You ask as I believe You when You say that such actions will make my life and my eternity much better.

Amen