Matthew 5:27-30
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
I think that a big part of Jesus’ wisdom, and his message, was the importance of cutting through outward appearances and what is external to what is really going on in the heart. The verses above are obviously in the context of lust and adultery, but this principle of going beyond outward actions to the heart applies broadly.
This can be an uncomfortable challenge. But in the light of the gospel, we are free and safe to put sin to the sword. To confront the sin of our hearts and eyes and to wage war against it, to pursue the fruits of the Spirit and the likeness of our Savior, Jesus.
The reason we are free and safe to do this is because God knows everything about our hearts, more than we do, and loves us anyway. He knew about every single sinful motivation, thought and deed, when He died for us to win our redemption and forgiveness.
May the comfort and joy that comes from the knowledge of God’s amazing love for us, free you today to set your heart completely on Jesus as your joy and hope. May it free you to fight back against sin in order to be more like Him.
David Lather
