“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast if from you. . .. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. . .
– Matthew 5:29-30
Sin is the root cause of every problem in this world. From political and worldview divisions to broken marriages and parent-child conflict. Trying to “fix” our problems without factoring in sin is like trying to heal cancer with a band aid. Without an understanding of sin there will be no true lasting resolutions. Sin exalts self as “God.” Sin deludes people into thinking they are the solution. When humans who all fall short of God are seen as the answer, the result is inevitably resistance, rebellion, and revolutions. Yes, sin is humanities’ biggest problem and if we are ever going to be cured or gain victory over sin, we must listen to Jesus and deal drastically with it.
Three Life Dominating Sins
There are three life dominating sins. These three sins are found from top to bottom in society, from nations to individuals. Lust, greed, and betrayal are found to some extent in our sinful problems. These three sins wreak havoc on people’s lives. These three flow from the fallen sinful heart of humanity.
In the Garden of Eden, Eve was tempted by the serpent. She sinned as she looked and lusted at the forbidden fruit. She was greedy to be like God. And she betrayed God when she bit into the forbidden fruit. Adam also looked and lusted after the forbidden fruit. He greedily took the fruit because he like Eve, wanted to be God. And Adam betrayed God when he dug his teeth into the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3).
Lust is looking at things we shouldn’t look at. Lust is enflamed by first looking at things we shouldn’t look at and then fantasizing about those things in our mind. Greed is grasping and clutching for more, more, more. Greed begins in a heart infected with a spirit of entitlement, which flows from envy, coupled with an aversion to work and an addiction to laziness. Betrayal is the enemy of faithfulness. Betrayal is a symptom of love grown rotten. Nations lust for more power and influence. Nations greedily grab for more land and take it by violence. Nations fall when those in power betray one another for the sake of position and power. Individuals lust to fulfill their passions and desires. Individuals grasp for more of what they already have enough of. Individuals betray covenants and commitments to fulfill their own desires and regain what they perceive as rule over their lives. Whether a nation or individual, sin in these forms is found and sin in these forms’ wrecks order, serenity, and love.
What Did Jesus Say About Dealing with Sin?
The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ greatest sermon (Matthew 5-7). It was a message particularly taught to “disciples,” or learners. The Sermon on the Mount is for those who desire and are open to learning from Jesus. This Sermon isn’t for the casual connoisseur but for those interested in a life controlled by Jesus Christ.
Jesus opens His Sermon with Beatitudes that speak of the path to blessings (Matthew 5:1-12). From His introductory words He defines discipleship as being salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). Disciples are instruments representing Jesus and used by Him to purify, heal, and bring flavor. Salt melts the snowy cold hearted sinful worldlings. Light exposes sin and shows the way to find help. Jesus said what He was calling disciples to was more than mere religious pharisaism (Matthew 5:17-20).
Then Jesus began to discuss various sins. He discussed the nature of murder and relational conflicts; how we perceive people and how it effects our spiritual walk with God. (Matthew 5:21-26). From this point Jesus shared words I want to focus on in this teaching. Jesus shares about the need to deal decisively with sin. Sin is not something to deal with casually. Sin needs to be taken seriously, dealt with drastically. Sin is dangerous. Sin is the beast in the room, a vicious predator, a ruthless resident in the heart of humanity.
Jesus said the following about dealing with sin:
Matthew 5:27-30 – “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’28 “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.29 “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.30 “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Jesus moves beyond consideration of mere outward actions to the higher ground of inner heart condition. Jesus is constantly bringing us to consider our hearts and minds. He says that not committing the outward sin of adultery is not enough to assure righteousness. Whether two people break the bond of marriage outwardly (which is what adultery is) is not the only issue, the deeper issue is are you having a love affair with another in your heart and mind (5:27-28).
Sin is Serious
Sin is serious and not something to sleep on or put off dealing with. Sin, like cancer, metastasizes and spreads. One small sin left undealt with leads inevitably to larger more complicated consequences and more sin.
Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). Even when we sin after being born again through faith in Jesus, sin hinders our communication with God. Sin covers our ears, so we don’t hear God loud and clear. Sin clouds our perspective, so we don’t see God’s plans clearly. Sin dulls our hearing and darkens our perspective. Sin distances us from God and it must be dealt with.
Created in the image of God, human beings have the capacity to think, reason, and respond to a conscience (Genesis 1:26). Sin pushes us and lures us to overlook the forbidden things our God-given conscience intuitively warns us to abstain from (Romans 2). Sin gets us to overstep what we have faith to do. Whatever is not from faith, is sin (Romans 14:21). Sin is breaking God’s Law, a Law that was designed by God to protect and guide us in the way of blessings (Galatians 3:10-13). Sin makes losers of us all.
Sin is a serious problem. Jesus expressed the seriousness of dealing with sin but telling us to cut out an eye if need be. An eye sees, therefore if there are things we are looking at that cause us to sin, we need to cut them out of the picture. Hands grasp. If there is some sin you are holding on to, you need to cut it out before it destroys you. We might add, feet walk, if your feet are taking you places you shouldn’t be going, cut them off. If you are listening to things you shouldn’t be listening to, cut off, or turn it off. Jesus is telling us sin is serious and it should be dealt with decisively.
Sin in the Heart
The heart of humanity is infected with sin, and therefore, is the heart of our problems. David was inspired by God to write, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). The word used to describe sin her eis “iniquity,” and means perversity or evil, depravity. The heart of humankind is the abode of all sinful problems.
Throughout the Bible God points out this heart problem. Through the prophet Jeremiah God said:
Jeremiah 4:14 – “O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?”
But the cleansing of a heart is not something a person can do on their own. No amount of therapy or talk or reasoning can clean a heart, only God can clean a heart. This is because the heart is deceitful and humanity is unable to know the truth about his or her own heart. Again in Jeremiah it states:
Jeremiah 17:9-10 – The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”
So serious is this problem of sin in the heart that Jesus uses a literally eye-popping metaphor to make His point when He says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” What you look at can lead you straight to eternity in hell. Furthermore, Jesus says, “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” What you grasp at can lead you straight to eternity in hell. Yes my friend, sin is serious. Consider carefully, what are you looking at in life, what are you grasping for?
Searching Out Sin
Now before you order an Exacto-Knife or razor blades, before you ready yourself to do your best imitation of the Terminator cutting away the flesh around your eyeballs, understand Jesus isn’t speaking literally but figuratively, shockingly, but figuratively. So, put down the scalpels and butcher knives disciples, Jesus is not endorsing Islamic-like practices of literally cutting off appendages; Jesus is saying that sin in the heart requires drastic action. He is trying to shock disciples into seeing the seriousness of sin and that sin needs to be dealt with decisively.
Jesus is commissioning disciples to go on an inward search-and-destroy mission against sin in our heart. What does this look like? Let me suggest the following.
Disciple deal drastically with sin in your heart by first surrendering to God and asking Him to search your heart. In the Psalms it states:
Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
The instrument or spiritual scalpel which God uses to search our hearts is His word:
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
God’s word cuts deep, but sin is deep in us, and it must be cut out. It is only when we fully surrender and submit to God that we are positioned for corrective spiritual surgery. Remember, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:13). God is the ultimate Physician. He never misdiagnoses us, and He always has a cure.
God’s word tells us a prerequisite to being used by God is presenting ourselves to Him as a “living sacrifice.” That means we come to Him in full surrender, like a sacrifice, living, but forsaking all personal preferences, life goals, dreams, hopes, ambitions. It is only as a living sacrifice, on God’s operating table, that He is able to perform the necessary surgery that, transforms us by the renewing of our mind and implants in us “that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
Dealing with the Sin Within
Romans is the Apostle Paul’s most thorough inspired statement on what Christianity entails. In his letter to the church in Rome Paul defines “the gospel of Christ” which is, “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. . .” (Romans 1:16). Paul speaks of the pervasive sin of the Gentile world (Romans 1:18-32) as well as the Jewish world (Romans 2). The entire world is overcome by sin (Romans 3:1-20). But God who is rich in mercy and grace sent His Son Jesus to satisfy God’s just requirements for human beings to be forgiven. Those who confess their sins and turn from them to God putting faith in Jesus, will be forgiven (Romans 3:21-26). God in Christ is not only just, but the “justifier” (Romans 3:26). Jesus paid our debt of sin so that whoever trusts Him by faith as their Savior, God forgives and justifies. This is the greatest of good news!
We are saved from sin and its penalty of eternal damnation through faith in Jesus (Romans 5). We are not only saved from sin, but we are saved to “newness of life” (Romans 6). But there remains a problem even for those saved from their sins. There remains a sin within me that if ignored relegates what should be a wonderful new life in Christ to a state of wretchedness (Romans 7).
Paul then devotes an entire chapter to the solution for this wretched inward war, the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells every genuinely saved Christian. You are not genuinely saved from your sins without the Holy Spirit indwelling you (Romans 8:9-11). You can’t please God on your own, in your own strength (Romans 8:8). In fact, on your own you are no match for the indwelling sinful “flesh” that still desires to war against God (Romans 8:1-8).
The solution to our inward intruder is the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit affirms that we are not under condemnation but are called to a new holy way of life (Romans 8:1-2). The Holy Spirit affirms we are adopted into God’s family as the Father’s children (Romans 8:12-17). The Holy Spirit helps us through the hardships of our physical maladies (Romans 8:18-25). The Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak. He helps us pray (Romans 8:26-27). The Holy Spirit enlightens us to understand that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). The Holy Spirit is the one who does the holy work in us to conform us to the likeness of Jesus (Romans 8:29-30). The Holy Spirit assures us of our connection to God and His resources in all circumstances (Romans 8:31-36). The Holy Spirit, therefore, makes us “more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37-39).
God’s provision is always “much more,” and the Holy Spirit helps us to know and accept that in our relationship with Him (Romans 5:9-10, 15, 17, 20). It is impossible to deal with sin whether inside or outside, without the help of the Holy Spirit. Disciple, seek the help of the Holy Spirit and deal with your sins.
Dealing Drastically with Sin Within by Faith
God has always justified people “by faith.” Abraham is an example of this (Genesis 15:6). Old Testament saints were justified by faith based on God’s foreknowledge of the eventual redemptive work of Jesus on the cross (Romans 3:25). But it is faith in God that opens the spigot to an outpouring of His grace. It is by faith that we can walk with Abraham “who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations. . ..” It is by faith like Abraham that even when we are old, it can be said of us, “and not being weak in faith , he did not consider his own body, already dead. . . he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. . . . And therefore, ’it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:16-22). Faith is pivotal to dealing with sin.
God has created us in His image (Genesis 1:26). That image in us means we have the capacity to think, reason, and choose. Created in the image of God, we have the capacity to make decisions. We do this, by faith. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). The faith God gives us the capacity to use is the gracious means to go beneath the surface of our lives. Faith is God’s provided means to connect with Him. Faith, therefore, because it connects us with God, is the means by which we learn about our sins and the Gospel solution to those sins.
Disciple, deal drastically with sin in your heart by reckoning by faith to forsake your wicked thoughts and receive the forgiveness of God. In Isaiah it states:
Isaiah 55:7 – “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”
The only proper response to God’s disclosure of sin in our heart is to “forsake” that sin. This will require drastic action. When God calls and demands that the “wicked forsake his way,” He is speaking of repentance. Repentance is a change of mind. Faith by nature, especially when referring to dealing with sin, is repentant. When someone is called to repent they are being called to put faith in God.
Repentance is not a work but is a capacity God has graciously created in every human being. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by calling people to repent (Matthew 3:1-2). Jesus came calling people to repentance (Matthew 4:17). The Apostles preached repentance (Acts 2:38). The Apostle Paul preached repentance (2 Corinthians 7:8-11). Faith by nature necessitates repentance. You can’t put your faith in God and walk away from Him. You turn to God or repent, by faith in God. You can’t put faith in Christ and walk away from Him. We put faith in Jesus by turning to Him and trusting in Him.
The disciple, by faith, will need to change their way of life if they are truly to deal with sin. You may have to go on a fast of watching TV or at least monitor closely the programming you expose yourself to. You may have to watch where you go and what you do so as not to put yourself in a tempting or compromising situations that rekindle old evil thoughts. You may have to give up old friends. You may have to change jobs or schools. By faith we imitate God and live out His word. By faith we walk in a love that imitates Jesus’ sacrificial love for us. By faith we can live holy lives freed from bondages of lust and perversion. By faith we can tear down the idolatrous alternatives to God in our lives.
I’m not talking about a Hallmark faith-in-faith here. I’m talking about a saving faith that is saving because it is faith in Jesus. I’m talking about a faith in Jesus that secures forgiveness for our confessed sins and spiritual life from the Holy Spirit who indwells us. This faith is the switch to the light that exposes darkness in our lives. This faith is the mans to answering the call to “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 5:14; please read Ephesians 5:1-21).
We need to come to a point of reckoning with sin. God condemns sin. Through faith in Jesus our sins are forgiven and removed. There is therefore no condemnation through faith in Jesus (Romans 8:1-2). But even after being forgiven and saved from our sins, there remains an intruder who crashes our borders and wants to set up residence within. The only way to deal with this intruding sinful nature is to identify it and decide to no longer put up with it. We need to act in faith and not present ourselves “as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of God.” God’s promise to those who have such a reckoning is, “For sin shall not have dominion over you. . .” (Romans 6:11-14).
This battle is in your heart, and in your mind. Take your thoughts captive. Submit all your thinking to Jesus and ask Him to help you sort them out. Don’t allow the wicked thoughts to have the double negative effect of driving you away from God, away from the only One who can help you. Come to the Lord and forsake your wicked thoughts. Run to God for help disciple and trust him to do His work in you.
Lastly, Disciple, deal drastically with the sin in your heart by maintaining spiritual heart purity in the Spirit. This is done by realizing that God’s word is designed to accomplish this purpose in our lives and that the disciple needs to daily and even moment-by-moment seek the Spirit’s application and empowerment of the word in life. Paul wrote to young pastor Timothy:
1 Timothy 1:5 – “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,”
Pure hearts, good consciences, and sincere faith is God’s will and objective for the disciple. Such a trinity of accomplishment may seem daunting, beyond our reach. But this is not a work in the disciple’s own strength. This is a work of God in the disciple.
We need to declare war on sin. There is a spiritual war going on and our weapons are not fleshly or human, they are spiritual. The Bible tells us that we are to take every thought captive in Christ:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
Lust, greed, betrayal, these three sins and all the other forms of sin, need to be rooted out of our heart and lives. When it comes to sin, in any form, we need to pluck it out or cut it off. We must deal and deal drastically, thoroughly, with sin. We can’t do it on our own, we need help from God to do this. We need the Triune God’s help, the Father, the only Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Lust, greed, betrayal, the depraved trinity of sin encouraged by the devil. Disciple don’t be discouraged. The God of peace has promised to crush Satan, including his trifold sins, under our feet (Romans 16:20). In faith, if we resist the devil, he will flee (James 4:7). The indwelling Holy Spirit is greater in us than anyone who opposes us, including the devil (1 John 4:4). We just have to take a step of faith to reckon with our sin. We just have to take a step of faith and determine in our heart to deal drastically with sin. No more excuses. No more dabbling in sin. No more doubt. No more self-deceptions. Your first step is to pray for God’s help. Join me now in a life-changing prayer:
Father in Heaven I come to You in Jesus’ name. Father, I surrender to You. By faith, I present myself to You as a living sacrifice. Please do your spiritual surgery on me. Give me victory over the sin that indwells me. Please for Your glory, give me victory over sin. Please, in Jesus’ name, in the power of the Holy Spirit, make me what I need to be, to do what You call me to do, for Your glory, until Jesus’ returns. In Jesus’ name. Amen!