CUTTING OFF SIN
Cutting off sin may sound harsh, even violent—but those are the very words Jesus used to describe what it takes to live a holy life in a fallen world. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives a startling command:
“So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it of and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” ( Matthew 5: 29 –30 )
Jesus repeats this warning again in Matthew 18, intensifying the message by including the foot. These words are vivid, intense, and deeply unsettling. 8-9
“If your hand or your foot gets in the way of God, chop it of and throw it away. You’re better of maimed or lame and alive than the proud owners of two hands and two feet, godless in a furnace of eternal fire. And if your eye distracts you from God, pull it out and throw it away. You’re better of one-eyed and alive than exercising your twenty-twenty vision from inside the fire of hell. ( Matthew 18: 8 –9 )
At face value, they seem to advocate self-mutilation. But Jesus’ aim was not to harm His listeners—it was to wake them up.
Sin is not something to be managed, excused, or ignored—it must be cut off.
To follow Christ is to take sin seriously and be willing to surrender anything—no matter how valuable or familiar—if it leads us away from God. The good news? Jesus doesn’t call us to face this battle alone. He gives us grace, power, and the promise of eternal life.
i. The Heart of the Issue: Sin Begins Within
The context of Matthew 5 is crucial. Jesus said:
“But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” ( Matthew 5: 28 )
This shows us that sin isn’t just about external actions—it begins in the heart, in our desires, thoughts, and attitudes. Jesus was not introducing new laws, but uncovering the true depth of God’s standards. So when He talks about gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand, He’s urging His followers to do whatever it takes to root out sin from their lives. The cost of ignoring sin is far greater than the cost of addressing it.
ii. The Sacrifice of Discipleship
Jesus didn’t only speak of avoiding sin—He constantly emphasized the cost of discipleship:
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.’” ( Matthew 16: 24 )
To “take up your cross” meant a willingness to suffer, to deny oneself, and even to die to selfish desires and worldly values. In the same way, when Jesus speaks of cutting off body parts, He’s calling for a willingness to sacrifice anything that separates us from God—even things we consider essential or comfortable.
- Ending a relationship that leads you into temptation
- Walking away from a career that requires compromising your integrity.
- Removing entertainment, habits, or influences that dull your sensitivity to God’s voice
iii. Not about Mutilation, But Transformation
Importantly, Jesus is not calling for literal mutilation, but spiritual transformation. His words challenge us to be ruthlessly honest about sin and to take intentional steps to remove it. We’re not saved by our own sacrifice, but by His.
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.” ( Romans 12: 1 )
Jesus is the One who ultimately sacrificed everything—His glory, His comfort, and even His life—to rescue us from sin and death. The sacrifice He calls us to is a response to His grace, not a requirement for earning it.
1. Hyperbole with a Holy Purpose
Jesus uses extreme imagery (plucking out an eye, cutting off a hand) not to endorse self-mutilation, but to shock His listeners into recognizing how serious and deadly sin truly is. His goal? To wake us up to sin’s consequences before it’s too late.
“Sin is not just bad behavior—it is rebellion against a holy God.” ( Romans 3: 23 )
Jesus used graphic hyperbole to emphasize just how dangerous sin is and how urgently it must be removed from our lives. He wasn’t talking about surgery on the body—but about spiritual surgery on the heart.
2. The Deadly Cost of Sin
Sin isn’t a light matter. It leads to spiritual death and eternal separation from God.
“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” ( Revelation 21: 8 )
This shows why Jesus speaks so urgently—because sin has eternal consequences.
3. Drastic Measures Are Sometimes Necessary
Jesus states Whatever causes you to sin—cut it off. This could mean ending a toxic relationship, quitting a job that tempts you, giving up a digital habit, or avoiding environments that lead you astray.
“It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled…” ( Matthew 18: 8 –9 )
It’s not about losing literal limbs—it’s about gaining eternal life.
4. Jesus Came to Save, Not Condemn
Even though Jesus warns of hell, His motivation is love, not condemnation. He came to rescue us from sin and death by taking our place.
“But we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” ( Hebrews 2: 9 )
Jesus warns of hell because He doesn’t want anyone to go there.
5. Nothing Is Worth Missing Heaven
This is the heart of the passage: eternity is at stake. Whatever you’re holding on to that’s dragging your soul down—let it go. Heaven is too glorious, and hell is too horrific, to let sin win.
“Nothing is worth missing heaven for. Nothing is worth going to hell for. Nothing.”
iv. Grace is the foundation
It’s crucial to remember that Jesus doesn’t speak these hard truths to condemn but to free. He offers forgiveness, power to overcome sin, and new life through His Spirit.
The Apostle Paul reminds us:
“So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” ( Romans 6: 11 )
Through Christ, we’re empowered to say “no” to sin and “yes” to righteousness—not by cutting off limbs, but by surrendering our hearts. Jesus used shocking words to express an eternal reality: sin is dangerous, and discipleship is costly. But His call is not to physical harm—it is to spiritual seriousness. Anything that draws us away from God is worth removing. No sacrifice is too great when eternity is at stake.
In the end, Jesus doesn’t ask us to hurt ourselves—He asks us to deny ourselves, so that we can truly live.