WHAT ABOUT JESUS TELLING YOU TO CUT OFF YOUR HAND AND FOOT, OR PLUCK OUT YOUR EYE, IF THEY OFFEND YOU ?(MATT. 18:7-9).
THIS IS IN THE CONTEXT OF OFFENDING LITTLE ONES, THOSE THAT ARE NEW CHRISTIANS, EVEN OFFENDING CHILDREN WHEN THEY BELIEVE A CLEAR TEACHING OF THE BIBLE, AS I SHOWED YOU IN THE PREVIOUS STUDY.
WHEN I TOLD THE KID NEXT TO ME THAT THE BIBLE SAID JESUS WAS GOING TO RETURN, AND THAT SUNDY-SCHOOL TEACHER OVERHEARD ME, IF, THAT TEACHER HAD PULLED ME TO ONE SIDE, AND REALLY NAILED MY HIDE TO THE WALL FOR BELIEVING SUCH A THING, THAT TEACHER WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS TROUBLE WITH GOD.
SECONDLY, WE KNOW FROM THE WHOLE BIBLE THAT GOD DOES NOT WANT HIS CHILDREN CUTTING OFF PARTS OF THEIR BODY. ISRAEL WAS NEVER A SOCIETY OF ONE HAND PERSONS, OR ONE EYED PERSONS, OR ONE FOOT PERSONS AND ETC. THEN WE ALSO HAVE A DIRECT INSPIRED TEACHING THROUGH THE APOSTLE PAUL, THAT WE, OUR BODY, IS THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND IF WE DO NOT LOOK AFTER THAT TEMPLE.....WELL YOU ARE IN TROUBLE WITH GOD - SEE 1 COR. 3:16, 17. YOU DO NOT FIND ANY WRITER OF THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT SOMEONE CUTTING OFF THEIR HAND, OR PLUCKING OUT AN EYE, FOR SOME SIN THEY DID.
OBVIOUSLY JESUS WAS NOT MEANING THIS TEACHING TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY, OR WE WOULD ALL BE EYELESS, MOUTHLESS, WHY EVEN....BRAINLESS!
THE CONTEXT HAS TO DO WITH OFFENDING.
JESUS IS TEACHING THAT OFFENDING IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER WITH GOD. HE'S ALREADY GIVEN IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE OFFENDER TO BE DROWNED IN THE SEA; HE NOW GOES ON TO MORE EMPHASIS...... MAKE OFFENDING SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BE A PERSON NOT OFFENDING THE LITTLE ONES [EVEN CHILDREN, YES] IN CHRIST! THEY ARE VERY PRECIOUS TO GOD, THEY HAVE ANGELS LOOKING OUT FOR THEM, ANGELS THAT SEE THE FACE OF GOD. ALL PEOPLE THAT GOD CALLS TO SALVATION AND HIS KINGDOM, ARE VERY PRECIOUS TO HIM.
GIVE UP, CAST AWAY, WHATEVER IT IS THAT MAKES YOU OFFEND..... DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, SO YOU WILL NOT OFFEND.
PUTTING IT BLUNTLY...... BUTTON UP YOUR MOUTH, WALK AWAY FROM THE SITUATION, HAND IT OVER TO SOMEONE ELSE.....CRY OUT TO GOD FOR A NEW MIND OF THINKING, THAT HAS WISDOM AND LOVE...... AS JESUS SAID ELSEWHERE, BE AS WISE AS A SERPENT AND HARMLESS AS A DOVE!
JESUS WENT ON TO SAY, GOD IS CALLING PEOPLE, TO SAVE THAT WHICH IS LOST..... GOD AND HEAVEN REJOICE OVER ONE LOST SHEEP THAN OVER THE 99 THAT ARE IN THE FOLD, AND ALREADY SAVED. GOD REJOICES OVER THE 99 FOR SURE, BUT HE DOES NOT WANT ANY LITTLE ONE BEING CALLED, TO PERISH (V. 14).
SO JESUS IS SAYING GET YOURSELF OUT OF THE WAY, TAKE WHATEVER ACTION MENTALLY, SPIRITUALLY, YOU NEED TO TAKE, NOT TO CAUSE OFFENCE TO LITTLE ONES.
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