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Friday, February 8, 2013

One Eyed Christians


Mat 18:7  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Mat 18:8  Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
Mat 18:9  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

I cannot remember anyone ever preaching about this passage which occurs three times in the Gospel record. It may be because it seems so harsh. It may be because preachers know that teaching what Jesus taught might reduce the collection. It may be that preachers are afraid there will be a lot of one handed one eyed people in their congregations after such a message. I have often wondered why there were not a few one eyed one handed Christians.
As I thought about this passage a little I realize that in most cases these drastic measures are not necessary. But it is helpful to realize that most of the things that offend, or cause me to sin are my own fault. If I find that I am looking at things that cause me to lust, Quit looking at those things. If I find that I am doing things with my hands that are sin stop doing those things.
I have a problem with my weight. The problem is that my hand keeps carrying tasty things to my mouth. This offends me because when I eat too much I gain weight. When I gain weight I shorten my life, when I shorten my life this does not glorify God. I don’t need to cut off my hand, I need to make sure it doesn’t carry so much to my mouth. This is not a trivial problem, and the applications are many.
If you cannot control the thing that causes you problems, eliminate it. don’t go where there is a lot of tasty food. Stop watching television altogether. If you cannot control a thing, eliminate it.
It is not the Devil or God who leads us to sin. It is my own lust. If I constantly give in to lust, sin is the result and sin ONLY leads to DEATH.

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.