Matthew 18:5 – 9 ESV Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Woe to the world for the temptation to sin! For it is necessary for temptations to come, but woe to the one by whom temptation come! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
God loves people and He hates sin! That is worth repeating … God loves people … and He hates sin. We enjoy repeating the first part, but tend to downplay God’s hatred of sin. Sadly, that is all too often because we love, or at least have grown comfortable with, our sin.
Jesus made two important points in the above passage. It will not be pleasant for those who tempt others to sin, yet each of us is responsible to keep ourselves from falling into temptation. Jesus said, “Woe to the one by whom temptation come.” Woe because they will face the living God who hates sin. We must carefully examine our actions and intentions to make sure that nothing we do or say leads others toward sin.
We must also take care that we ourselves are not led into sin. We won’t be able to shift blame to our tempters when we face God. Jesus said to cut off anything that leads to sin, even a body part. The truth is, hands, feet, and eyes do not cause people to sin. Our mind and our spiritual hearts cause us to sin. Be careful therefore, what you allow access to your mind and heart. Cut anything, or anyone, out of your life that increases your desire to sin.
Awesome God, I am not grateful enough for Your love. Please forgive me for the times I choose the things You hate. Create in me a new heart that loves what You love and hates what You hate.