When the Master spoke about cutting off your hand if it causes you to sin, He wasn’t speaking literally. He used a parable to convey a deeper meaning. He meant that if there is something in your life that has become intertwined with your habits and actions, leading you to engage in sinful behavior, you should remove it from your life. This could be a bad habit or an activity you enjoy during your spare time that consistently leads you to sin.
For instance, let’s say you used to have a strong liking for Netflix. However, you found that you couldn’t control yourself from watching inappropriate content that led you to sin. In order to address this issue, you made the decision to deactivate your Netflix account. Although you may have reactivated it a couple of times, you ultimately realized that it was best for you to permanently let go of it. In doing so, you metaphorically “cut it off” from your life.
It’s important to note that not everyone needs to cut off Netflix or any other similar activity if they can exercise self-control and avoid engaging in sinful behavior. The phrase “cutting off your right hand” can also be understood as distancing yourself from any friendship or relationship that consistently leads you to sin.
The essence of the Master’s message is that we should be willing to make difficult choices and remove anything from our lives that perpetuates sin and negatively impacts our spiritual well-being.
