In what ways can we identify and eliminate spiritual stumbling blocks today? Setting the Context “ ‘If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.’ ” (Matthew 18:8) What Jesus Emphasizes • Sin is deadly serious; unrepentant sin leads to “eternal fire.” • Removing causes of sin is worth any sacrifice, no matter how painful. • The language is vivid and literal in its warning, though the cutting is applied spiritually—eliminating real-life sources of temptation. Spotting Modern Stumbling Blocks • Unchecked thoughts (Matthew 5:28; Philippians 4:8) • Addictive habits—substances, entertainment, or media (1 Corinthians 6:12) • Toxic relationships that pull us from obedience (1 Corinthians 15:33) • Secret sins we excuse or hide (Psalm 90:8) • Pride, unforgiveness, envy—“respectable” sins that dull our conscience (James 4:6; Ephesians 4:31–32) Practical Steps to Identify Them 1. Daily Scripture exposure – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) 2. Honest self-examination – “Search me, O God, and know my heart… see if there is any offensive way in me.” (Psalm 139:23–24) 3. Accountability with mature believers – “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another.” (James 5:16) 4. Sensitivity to conviction of the Holy Spirit – “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” (Ephesians 4:30) Biblical Pattern for Cutting Them Off • Repent decisively (Acts 3:19) • Flee tempting settings (2 Timothy 2:22) • Remove physical access: – Delete apps, change routes, filter devices (Romans 13:14) • Replace with righteousness: – “Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature… and put on the new self.” (Colossians 3:5, 10) • Embrace radical obedience quickly (Psalm 119:60) Encouragement for the Fight • God provides escape routes (1 Corinthians 10:13). • Christ’s grace empowers victorious living (Titus 2:11–12). • The reward is life and joy, far outweighing any loss (Mark 10:29–30). Running with Endurance “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1) Nothing we surrender will ever compare to the glory of entering life unhindered by sin. |
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