Matthew's Message: Seven NuggetsSample

Get rid of the sin in your life

“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:29)

You should fear sin, so much so that you would rather lose your eye than sin. Because sin leads to hell. Jesus says to us: I love you. I don't want you to go to hell. And therefore: flee from sin! Whatever it costs you, pay that price. Whatever tempts you, get rid of it.

Sin is so serious because it leads to hell. It may seem like such a small difference, to obey God or go your own way. But the outcome is dramatically different. If you start on a long boat journey and set out on the wrong course by just a few degrees, you might end up on the wrong continent. Whether you follow Jesus in your life, hate sin, or whether you want to do it differently and seek your own way, that is the difference between heaven and hell.

The Lord Jesus came to forgive our sins and to save us from hell. His warning makes us realize how terrible and dangerous even the smallest sin is, and how precious it is what Jesus has done for us. The first thing we must do: is accept in gratitude that He has borne the punishment for our sins.

The second thing we must do: is fight against sin. If Jesus has forgiven our sins, He has also given us a new life, directed towards God. Evidence of this new life is our desire to live for God and not to grieve Him with our sins. Fighting against sin is part of it!