"And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched."
Mark 9:45
Christ talks about hands and eyes in this way in this chapter as well, which I think is just pressing the point home. What is that point? I don't think it is really about physically maiming ourselves, but more about not blaming our bodies for our choices. Yes, they have desires that are not always what God approves of, but they are ours to teach and to train, and to bring into line with our spirits. This is a challenging thing, of course, because by definition, part of ourselves does indeed want whatever that desire is, and the desire can be very strong. I think that is why Christ uses such a dramatic analogy here, explaining that amputation is better than hell.
Today, let's remember that we are free to act in accordance with God's commandments and that God can help us overcome our own unrighteous desires. Let's work to make good choices and to move towards life rather than hell.
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