CONTROL IT OR AMPUTATE IT 

MATTHEW 5:27-30, MATTHEW 18:1-9

      In the two passages of scriptures that we just read, Jesus speaks of two types of offences.  He speaks of offenses to ones self and to offences to others.  The word used for offence here is the Greek word skandalon which means “An injury or wrong done to one or a stumbling-block or cause of temptation.  So the word Skandalon can be used in both passages because we can do things that are a stumbling block for us may cause us to be tempted or may even injure us spiritually.  At the same time we can do things that injure, cause to stumble and tempt others.  However, note that though two types of offences are described, the solution given for both is the same.  If it was a limb like a hand or a foot they were told to cut it off.  If it was an eye they were told to pluck it out.  Now that seems drastic to us, but there is a point to be made here.  The title of today’s message is “Control It or Amputate It”. 

MATTHEW 5:27-30

          Jesus starts this passage with a statement related to what they currently believe, “You have heard it said.”  Well not only had they heard it said that they should not commit adultery, according to Exodus 20:14, it was the 7^th commandment in the Laws given to Moses by God.  But by verse 28 Jesus was raising the standard.  You see adultery was to have sexual relations with a woman who was under another man’s authority, whether it was here father, husband, older brother, etc.  Jesus here says that to look at her in such a way as to dishonor, even that should be considered at sin.  Now note it did not say anything about the woman being affected, caused to stumble, being injured or even being aware that someone was looking at her in such a manner.  The woman here is not affected.  It is the one who is doing the looking that is injured here.  He is injured because in his heart he has already gone out side the boundaries of lust set by God.  Now he was drawn or pulled outside the boundaries by his senses, what he could see and therefore Jesus says it is better for him not to see.  If one is drawn outside the boundaries by what he can touch, then it is better not to be able to touch.  If you are drawn outside the boundaries by what you can taste then it is better not to taste, what you can hear then it is better not to hear, even what you can smell, then it is better not to smell.  We must remove stumbling blocks that cause us to sin. I know that Jesus did not mean that we should with no regard just run around and cut off our body parts.  I believe the point that Jesus was trying to make is that if you can’t control it then you need to get rid of it, even if it is one of your body parts.  I believe this because then he makes the statement, it is better to lose the part and make it into heaven than keep it and end up in hell.  In other words control it or amputate it, if heaven is to be your home.  For the individual, any relationship, practice, or activity that leads to sin should be stopped and if you can’t stop it he says cut any part of you that is drawing you to that activity. Why because Jesus says it would be better to go to heaven with out that part than for both you and the part to end up in hell.  We may not like the thought of amputating a part but what is more important the hand or the soul. If you had gangrene and could not restore the blood flow to a limb you would cut it off to save the rest of the body.  With sin, we have a choice we can exercise our will and the power that God has given us over our flesh and we can stop practicing sin.  And if not, then maybe we should consider what Jesus said and amputate the offending part.  Control it or amputate it, or go to hell, the choice is yours to make.

          Let me now extend that beyond the individual to the church as a whole.  Just as any body part that refuses to be controlled and leads you to sin needs to be amputated so any person, program, or teaching in the church that threatens the spiritual growth of the church body and the church of Jesus Christ must be removed.

I CORINTHIANS 5:9-13

          We seem to every so often have to come back to this question of holding one another to the standard that God has set.  Some call it judging.  What does Paul say here?  In verses 9 and 10 he is saying, “I told you earlier not to associate closely and habitually with sinners because then you will appear to be one and just like those in the world.  But then in verses 11-13 he says, “Now I am telling you also not to associate with closely, habitually or even occasionally with one who claims to be a brother (meaning Christians) who refuses to walk in the standard given to us.  He says it is not my concern to judge those who are without, or outside of the family of God because God will judge them.  But those who claim to be in the family of God and will not walk upright Paul says put that wicked person from among you.  What is he saying?  He is saying, either line up with the standard of God or be amputated.  This same Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 6:3, “Give no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed.” If we truly love God and the ministry that he has set in place for us to do then we should be will to give up anything that will injure the reputation of the ministry or of God.  (I Corinthians 10:31-33)

PHILIPPIANS 3:17-19

          In the earlier part of this Chapter Paul explains that he does not see himself as perfect and that he recognizes that he just like everyone else is pressing to Christ.  But then he encourages the people to follow along with him as he followers Christ and not only with him but with others who have set their heart and mind on living up to the example of Christ.  But then he warns against many who were among the believers, living as they so desired.  Paul called them enemies of the Cross.  Why, because the cross was about sacrificing of the flesh that one might do the will of God.  They are enemies because their flesh is their god and bringing shame upon themselves, they glorify themselves their god rather than the almighty who is God. Their hearts, minds and desires are set, fixed planted in earthly things and they bring destruction upon their own selves. 

         Now ask yourself, “am I as the shepherd of God, or you and I as the spokespersons for God, are we to sit back and let those who also claim to be in our family and represent our Father carry on in any manner in which they like, knowing that they displease and dishonor our father.”  Where is the love for the father in that and even more important where is the love for the one headed for destruction?  We are obligated to correct him and when correction fails we are to amputate him.

          In your spare time go back and read I Corinthians 5:1-8 and you will find that the situation which prompted Paul to say put the brother out was a fornicator who had been warned and refused to change.  Also read

2 Corinthians 2:1-11, where Paul says that the punishment inflicted on him was right but also when he returns to the fold he should be given and received again in love.

          So whether as it affects the individual Christian or the body as a whole what it boils down to is commit to living to the standard or get amputated.  Either you must control your flesh or have your members amputated.  We can not afford to allow offending members to remain be they body parts or church members.  If they refuse to submit to the standard they should be amputated. 

            In our Matthew text, Jesus was saying one must remove whatever offends. To keep from offending, radical changes are often necessary. 

Jesus meant a disciple should take prompt, decisive action against whatever would draw him away from his allegiance to Him. Whatever tempts a disciple to cling to this world’s life must be removed much as
a surgeon amputates a gangrenous limb.

MATTHEW 18:1-9

          This portion of scripture is not about offending one’s own flesh but rather about offending others.  Jesus says here that if your members are going to be used to offend others it is better that you cut them off, or pluck them out.  As believers we are going to get beat on enough by the world, we don’t need to injure one another.  Now if I offend you by telling you that you are doing wrong, then the problem is not with me but with you.  In fact I have not offended rather I have forced you to face conviction.  I did not injure you but rather prompted a pathway for healing.  However, I may injure you in the method that I use for telling you that you are wrong and when that happens I should come back and apologize to you, not for what I said but for how I said it.  

JAMES 3:2-8

          The truth of the matter is that sometimes, some people need to keep their mouths closed.  In fact most of us need to work harder at controlling our tongue.  We have forgotten that Eccles. 3:7 says that there is “a time to keep silent and a time to speak.”  For many, the tongue is completely unruly.  You think you should say anything that pops up in your head or repeat anything that you hear.  If the words from your mouth are constantly starting fires, causing discord and strife, then maybe you would bridle your tongue.  Better still control it or amputate it. 

PROVERBS 12:18

          Sometime what we say to other is like a sword piercing through them.  You want to be truthful when someone has asked for your opinion and the person doing the asking must be willing to hear the truth.  At the same time you must remember that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21).  Sometime unsolicited remarks are given like stab wounds.  They are not constructive criticism, but rather are destructive accusations and putdowns.  When I read this verse my initial reaction was Lord sometimes when I am preaching I know that my words are stepping on toes and cutting the people and I questioned if my bluntness in reaching was wrong.  The Lord told me there is a difference in a scalpel and a sword.  A scalpel wounds to heal the body by taking away that which is hurting the body or repairing that which is broken in the body.  A sword wounds only to kill, never to heal. 

          Some of us are under the mistaken impression that our opinion must be heard on every issue and you are just wrong.  In fact if you have so much wisdom as to think that your viewpoint must be heard then you would also be wise enough to know that Prov. 17:27 says “he that has knowledge spares his words” or keeps his mouth shut.  One so wise as to need to be heard would know that Prov. 10:19 says “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”  In other words, you don’t have to look far to find sin in a person who talks too much cause he tells everything he knows and eventually he or she will say something they have no business saying.  But a wise man keeps guard over his tongue.  We have had messages before on the tongue and what problems it can cause.

          Recognizing that our tongue is the hardest member of our bodies for many to tame, of course it would be the primary instrument for the enemy to attempt to use.  We must guard our tongues and not allow it to be used to offend others and we are offensive in our speech we must be quick to rectify the situation to stop the fire from burning that the body be not consumed.

          I know that there are many ways in which we can offend others but most of those ways start with our tongue.  Just as Jesus said when our eye causes offence we should pluck it out, or our hand or foot cause offence  we should cut it off, so when your tongue causes offence it too should be removed.  We must learn to control our body, even the tongue and if we cannot control it maybe we should consider amputating it or at minimum sewing your mouth closed.  I know that we are not going to literally go around cutting off our body parts.  But I wonder how much more effort we would put into controlling our body if we really understood that our lack of control might one day lead us to hells destruction.  If we knew that hells doors were waiting on us, would we learn to control what we did not want to amputate, and would we choose to amputate what we could not control so that heaven and not hell would be our home.