Scripture:
Matthew 18:7-9
7 “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! 8 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. 9 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.
Observation:
Jesus rebukes the world and those within the world that tempt mankind to sin. However He then transitions to give direction to his followers in regards to their own personal responsibility in winning the battle over temptation. He uses violent language when challenging his followers to overcome temptation. His words make it clear that it is better to experience short term pain, discomfort, and suffering in avoiding sin than it is to indulge in sin and experience eternal suffering.
Application:
Temptation is real. It is all around us. Everyone is tempted by different things and at different times. However we can’t excuse ourselves for sinning because how hard temptation is. Jesus rebukes the world and those that lead us into temptation, however, He still wants us to take responsibility for our own actions. He also wants us to take out our “violence” against our own sin, not the sin of others.
If we are gonna get angry about sin, we must start with our own sin.
What causes me to sin? What are the weakest areas of my life? Where am I most vulnerable? It is there that I must take aggressive action against my tendencies to sin.
A few things…
⁃ I need to cut out stuff from my life that leads me to sin.
⁃ I need to take personal responsibility and not waste time blaming other people or situations for my actions.
⁃ If I am angry about sin, it better be my own first.
Prayer:
Father thank you for this powerful scripture that reveals your heart for purity and righteousness. Thank you for forgiving me. Give me the strength to be proactive and even “violent” about my own sin.