Scripture to Read: Matthew 5:29–30
As Jesus taught the people, there were times He used illustrations to firmly get His Truth across. Jesus said in Matthew 5:29–30, “29 If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.” Fortunately, Jesus was not speaking in literal terms. Sadly, some have taken these verses literally and damaged their bodies. The problem is that even if we plucked out both eyes and cut off both hands, our minds can still have lustful thoughts and desires, so mutilating our bodies does not stop sin. But we must “crucify” our fleshly desires so that we do not sin. God’s Word tells us this in Galatians 5:16–17, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” We must choose to be surrendered to God’s Holy Spirit in us so that the desires of our flesh are not what we choose to walk in. The battle is real, but walking in the Spirit means victory.
Challenge & Application
· Why would it not be beneficial to mutilate our bodies to seek to overcome temptations?
· What does it look like for you to walk in the Spirit and not in your fleshly desires?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!