What does Matthew 5:30 mean?

The Jews often spoke in hyperbole. This is one of those times. Exaggeration to stress a point. Otherwise most everyone would be missing an eye and a hand.

 

The message is very clear meaning that no human being can enter the Kingdom of God.

Even if anyone cut off his or her hands or feet and become limb-less(amputated), he or she will still commit sins with the eyes and or ears. Then if the eyes or ears are cut off, such person will still commit with the brain as it thinks about wrong things. Then the brain has to be removed. At the end, even if we die, we can never reach the goad set up by God. Therefore we need a Savior and Jesus is the only way and the only solution.
If we go to Jesus Christ, we can go to heaven without having our limbs cut off.

There is no way other than Jesus Christ for us to go to the Father ( John 14:6)

There is no other name than Jesus Christ by which we can be and we must be saved. ( Acts 4:12)

 

It could also be symbolic, which I think it is, of the various traps Satan sets for us.

If watching sports causes you to think about gambling, dont watch sports.

If hanging out with certain people makes you think about lust, dont hang around them.

Anything can be a sin because we are sinful people. What may cause you to sin may not cause me a 2nd thought. You must discipline yourself.

 

I would take it to mean systematic crucifixion of the flesh, whereas if by desire or action you are enticed to sin, then abandon them. Period. After all, nothing could be more drastic than to amputate yourself.

Blessings,

SpyHunter

P.S. -- Do NOT literally amputate yourself; no disciple or apostle did this, so neither should you.

 

You just have to use common sense. If you use the internet, dont go to questionable internet sites, if you use television stay away from the wicked channels and movies and other shows and just watch the good ones.

Its not a sin to be tempted, its a sin to purposely place yourself in the way of temptation and if you give into sin then you are in trouble

[ April 28, 2006, 04:50 PM: Message edited by: Claudia_T ]

 

Ps:101:3: I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me

this explains it really. Dont purposely set anything wicked before you...

AND if anybody else puts something wicked in front of you, you cant help that, but you CAN not allow it to cleave to you.

 

Then check your e-mail at a time with no sex ads. It's not hard to aviod things like that, but if you can't then pray for the grace to overcome it.

 

You make excellent observations here!!

Nice going.

OSAS (Once saved always saved) is man-made-tradition.


Contrast that to God's Word --

Therefore the “loss of salvation” is seen whenever that state of salvation is explicitly seen to be revoked, when our acceptance and peace with God is denied by God.

#1. Turned over to Satan 1 Tim 1
#2. A certain terrifying expectation of Judgment to come – Heb 10
#3. Forgiveness revoked Matt 18 – old massive debt is now put back on us.
#4. Christ denying us 2Tim 2
#5. The shipwreck of faith 1 Tim 1
#6. Impossible to be renewed again having been partakers of the Holy Spirit Heb 6
Bound up to be burned – John 15, Heb 6
#7. Enslaved to sin again – as a dog that returns to its vomit


Turned over to Satan – in the shipwreck of faith

Denied by Christ instead of His “confessing us before God and His angels” –

Soul bound by sin and under the condemnation of death

Forgiveness revoked –

Severed FROM Christ and Fallen from grace

 

The theoretical ability to lose one's salvation is a good spur to doing good works...

But, the real issue is this...

Why would any *real* Christian want to kick Jesus out of their life?

I mean after tasting and seeing that the Lord He is Good...

If after experiencing that in His Presence is fullness of Joy...

Why? Would I ever want to leave Him behind...


My God is a Jealous God... He fights for me...

Both to prove His love and to fend of all false loves...

Which Father will not do everything in their power to keep their sons and daughters in areas of their loving safety?

True enough my kids are 18 and 21 and can violate good sense if they want to...

But, their love for me constrains them against doing anything that might force me to kick them out...

Of course which of us Fathers *could* kick their kids out?

I mean they might get themselves in a place where they get killed in a car crash. God forbid!

But, unless they went into open rebllion and tried to kill me... I couldn't ever kick them out...

I suspect that God, as our "Abba" Father has similar feelings towards us...

John wrote us things so that we could and would know that we have eternal life...

1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

As long as you care if you belong to God or not...

I think that is a pretty good indicator that you haven't gone so far as to have lost your salvation...

And, trust me, if you ever stop caring...

God can get your attention in a way that will make you care pretty seriously... Pretty quickly

He's is not going to let you go without a fight...

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

If you care enough to draw nigh...

Lastly, how do you know you are saved in the first place?

Is it a feeling? NO...

It is based on the fact of the Word of God. Not feelings.

Feelings change daily, hourly even.

God's Word says that:

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

I may not *feel* saved but if I continue to believe in the Physical Bodily Ressurection of Jesus Christ and if I am not Ashamed to confess my relationship with Jesus to all men, if my goal in life is to allow Him to be my undisputed ruling authority...

Then I am saved. No matter how I feel. No mater how bad I've messed up.

Hey, if I feel miserable about messing up...

Then In a *very* real sense I have already confessed it to God and Repented...

All that's left is for me to believe and accept:

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I hope this helps?

Mike Sr.

 

Adam was "safe" as long as he chose to remain in fellowship and obedience to Christ. The same is true with Lucifer and with Paul even though when you read Paul's statements in the text given above - you see that Paul is 100% fully sold out for Christ and does all to gain Christ.

Heaven/salvation is not a "ticket" not a "membership card" not a "bag of groceries" bought once and on the shelf-for-life.

It is a "relationship". It is the new creation the new birth "with Christ IN you the hope of glory".

The point Paul makes in Romans 11 is correct.

Assurance comes from God Rom 8:16 "The Spirit bears witness WITH our spirit that we ARE the children of God".

You can trust God - you can not trust a membership card.

This is what scared the Jews in Romans 2. They wanted to "get the t-shirt" or "have the membership card" but did not care about the relationship. Paul argues in Romans 2 - that this ultimately buys them "nothing".

in Christ,

Bob

 

you are right this list of strong warnings from God the Father is pretty "motivating" --
http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/28/3848.html#000010

The question is - should we practice "peace and safety misdirection" telling God's people to ignore what God is saying here since He can't possibly be "serious" in those warnings. they must "be fake".

I don't think we can afford to do that.

in Christ,

Bob

 

you are right this list of strong warnings from God the Father is pretty "motivating" --
http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/28/3848.html#000010

The question is - should we practice "peace and safety misdirection" telling God's people to ignore what God is saying here since He can't possibly be "serious" in those warnings. they must "be fake".

I don't think we can afford to do that.

in Christ,

Bob

 

Bob,

I agree that we don't dare neglect the clear warnings...

But, coming from a Pentecostal/Armenian background I also know that the "Fear of God" can be traumatic and disabling, for some...

I believe that there needs to be moderation in that we need to "encourage" to love and good works...

That is, niether demanding condemnation nor sit/settle on ones lees in Zion...

Mike Sr.

 

Agreed. I too am aware of the need of strong assurance and the Bible certainly provides that.

If God is for us who can be against US.

In fact Romans 8 is a great tribute to assurance within the context of God's own choice to sustain free will.

 

Yep, that's the one I use a lot, too.