Reality of sin. Practicality of grace.

And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 'where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'
Mark 9:43-48, ESV

Jesus was not advocating bodily self-mutilation or self-righteous mortification of the flesh when He gave these warnings. I always knew that much but it took me many more years to better understand what this statement is supposed to mean to a Christian who is required to be holy, as God is holy.

I believe that Jesus understands that many of us still...

• don't really understand what hell is
• don't really understand what the wages of sin is
• don't really understand that the Christian life is a fight of faith requiring constant diligence

Jesus' strong warning tells us that some of will have to do radical or exorbitant things to escape the sin that "so easily ensnares us." The grace of God which teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts has a very practical side. Our cooperation in the sanctification process involves adding things to our life: times of sincere prayer, quality time in God's word, Christian fellowship and all other obedient responses to His word. God gives grace for all this. Our submission to sanctification also involves removing things from our life. God's grace enables us to do this also.

There are no two ways about it. Without holiness no one will see the Lord. Without holiness there is no entrance to the eternal city where the King is holy and where all the citizens are holy. We ought not to cuddle nor 'test' sin, nor let it reign in our mortal bodies. Don't let it reign, means that as regenerated believers we have the ability to allow or disallow, resist or yield. We have no excuse because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death. The temporary pleasures of sin are not worth the awful consequences of eternal separation and torment. The punishment is determined by the righteous judgment of a holy God.

Some well meaning 'Christians' may say we are crazy or use that over-used 'L' word, legalistic. I mean, giving up a longstanding ungodly 'friend'; getting rid of the TV, internet, or social networking; a strict non-alcoholic policy; fleeing the presence or the flattery of the 'hot' guy or girl at the workplace or church even - these may all seem a bit excessive, right? And after all, lots of other people seem to have no difficulties with them. But if you and I know our own history of vulnerabilties and sinfulness, and if we correctly esteem ourselves, these 'crazy' measures may just be the things that keep us from taking a turn for hell. Yes, hell. Sin has 'now' consequences too, but the Son of God did not find it necessary to discuss those in the light of the exceedingly terrible and just judgment of hell's eternal torment.

So, is there a cost for this commitment to avoid sin? Absolutely. Jesus said so. We may end up not having some stuff other people have. No hands, no feet, one eye. And we may lose some 'friends' too. We just might not be the 'well-rounded' or spontaneous-go-getter-daring friend that some people want for a lifetime of wild, worldly thrills. Let's face it, with one eye, no hands and no feet, we may not look 'right'. Holiness is not very popular nowadays. But there is no one holy in hell, and nothing sinful in heaven. Jesus was pretty straightforward about that, even at the risk of sounding like a lunatic. I imagine there is a very good reason why He needed to make that point so very clear. We need to be aware of the practicality of grace against the reality of sin.