Cut Out Temptation

And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:45-48)

Jesus was never soft about the truth. He wasn’t worried about hurting feelings; He cared about the souls of those not submitted to God’s way. Here, in Mark 9, He said something so radical it would have stopped everyone in their tracks. If your eye offends you, pluck it out because it’s better for you to lose an eye than to have hellfire.

Notice, He didn’t say “go to hell.” Although hell is real, and Jesus talked about it more than about Heaven, He specifically emphasized making sure you don’t get burned by hell’s fire. That’s the consequence of Satan’s rule. It’s the curse of the law affecting your relationships, your life, and your purpose. Jesus wasn’t advocating self-mutilation; He was warning that you must take temptation seriously, or it will destroy you.

What in your life is pulling you toward destruction? Lust? Pride? Unforgiveness? Bitterness? Jesus made it very clear that whatever you’re struggling with, it’s not worth losing your soul over. You need to remove it from your life. The alarming thing is that most believers would rather stay comfortable and risk eternal consequences than give up those things. The grace of God doesn’t just save you from sin; it gives you power to overcome it in every part of life. Refuse to flirt with sin. Don’t dance on the edge of destruction because you don’t want to give hell a foothold in your life.

Practical Application

Hell is real, but so is freedom. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the areas where you have allowed temptation to linger, and then decide to remove the access point. If it’s an app, delete it. If it’s a relationship, set healthy boundaries. If it’s a mindset, decide to renew it with the Word.

Matthew 18:9; Mark 9:43