Some here dismiss all but the Torah and the gospels as the Word of God for Christians. Some dispute that the writings of Paul are also the Word of God. So I wonder how many really believe the commandments of Jesus. I address my comments to you and no one else.
Matthew 18: 8 & 9
"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 to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell."
Have you men never once looked at a woman with lust? According to Lord Jesus, you'd better lose your sight. Ladies, have you ever looked at something another person has and wished it was yours? You should likewise lose your sight.
I recommend that you wear an eye patch. That way you might at least save one eye. Either that or go and live in complete isolation so that you are not tempted by anything.
Ephesians 2:8, religious version: By obeying the Law you are saved, so that you can boast in your works.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
When a person is in the flesh it is their works.
And when they are led of the Spirit it is God's works.
Which we have to do God's works or there is no salvation.
Pro 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man.
Our cutting a body part off would not stop us from sin if we like sin for we would be lusting with our mind.
If we like sin whether we do the act or lust it is on our heart so it is sin.
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.
Jesus did not actually mean to cut off a body part for God is love and it is a sin to do harm to yourself.
If it is a sin to harm a person then it is a sin to harm ourself.
Like if we kill ourself it is murder.
Jesus was illustrating the point of how important not sinning is.
Joh 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
We know that Jesus did not mean this literally but illustrating a point.
Which the Eucharist we do in remembrance of Him.
But the Catholics take it literally and believe that the Eucharist is the real, true, and substantial Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, not merely a symbol.
Through the process of transubstantiation during Mass, the bread and wine become the actual presence of Christ while retaining their outward appearance.
The Catholics believe the Eucharist is a true, propitiatory sacrifice, not merely a symbol or a meal.
Some people take things literally when it is symbolic or illustrating a point especially in importance.
Jesus was sacrificed once for all.
There is no sacrifice after that.
The Catholics interpret the Bible weirdly but they do not believe you would have to cut off a body part.
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!
Which it causes chaos and division in the world, offenses, because of sin that takes away peace and people get hurt because of it as they fight with each other.
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
And then lists the increased behavior of people in sin including hypocrites that love sin more than God and do not come to the truth.
Which will cause perilous times to come.
Not only does sin cause chaos to ourself but chaos to the world.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection.
At the end time the increase of sin will cause people to not love each other.
Which increases division, fighting, and chaos.
Look at America which no nation engages in sin more than them.
See the importance of abstaining from sin.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
If a person hates sin, and does not want sin, and allows the Spirit to lead them they can abstain from sin.
God does not want chaos in the world.
Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Sin separates us from God whether we confess Christ or not.
Why do people say they cannot abstain from sin as if God would not help us to abstain from sin when He hates sin because it negatively impacts us and the world.
Jesus did good because He was led of the Spirit.
Which the man Christ Jesus told a man why call me good for only God is good giving glory to Him that He is doing good because He is causing Him to do good.
Why would God not give us that power to overcome the flesh.
The Bible says love not the world or the things in the world which is sin.
And the saints have overcome the world.
But how did they overcome the world if they are sinning.
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual.
1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
We do not void out the law by faith but we establish the law, obey the law.
Which is spiritual not physical.
The moral laws, laws of love.
Which love is greater than faith.
And love is the fulfilling of the law.
Which a person led by the Spirit is not under the law because they are obeying the law therefore the law cannot touch them for prosecution.
If a person believes they cannot abstain from sin then they are sinning.
So they are under the law.
True faith has the right perspective of God's kingdom that it is love and act accordingly.
We are saved by faith and not by works when we first confess Christ for that is all we can do.
Which God gets the glory for we are in the flesh and those works cannot save.
But after that we receive the Spirit we have to do works of love by the Spirit.
Which God gets the glory for they are His works.
