Is this speaking of salvation?

EmSw

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Matthew 18
8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.


Is this speaking to the unsaved about salvation, or is this speaking to those already saved?
 

Greg J.

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But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! (Matthew 18:6-7, 1984 NIV)

He is using exaggeration to emphasize how evil sin is and how essential it is to stop sinning. (It is a sin to harm oneself in any of the ways Jesus refers to.) He is specifically referring to sins that cause another to sin—in particular, children.

Such sins can be done by both believers and unbelievers. Trying to make a distinction between the two is not a part of what Jesus is doing. The verses that follow confirm God gives grace to the humble and he especially protects children from hindrances to salvation (as well as works for their salvation)—IMO because they are relatively innocent of evil and weak.
 
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Uber Genius

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I would agree with Greg here.

Remember that these parables are very memorable. It will be 20 years before Peter recounts them to Mark to write down. The disciples are gaining knowledge slowly but surely here. But they don't have the gospel until after Jesus is risen and explains everything to them.

The worse thing we can do is misuse this parable as how to literally deal with sin. Eusebius. In his Ecclesiastical History, VI.8 he relates how Origen decided to castrate himself due to misreading this passage of scripture. Though it probably was just a viscous rumor spread by on of Origen's detractors.
 
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Geralt

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He is speaking to his audience that time. It doesn't say if they were unsaved or not.
Matthew 18
8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.


Is this speaking to the unsaved about salvation, or is this speaking to those already saved?
 
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watchman 2

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Matthew 18
8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.


Is this speaking to the unsaved about salvation, or is this speaking to those already saved?

He's speaking to either unsaved Samaritans , or law abiding Jews. It really doesn't matter , because he hasn't paid the price for the sins of the world yet. He is speaking to people who do not have His covering or Grace.

Kind of like people who choose to be saved by their own obedience.
 
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Job8

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Is this speaking to the unsaved about salvation, or is this speaking to those already saved?
This passage is about the extreme seriousness of sin and its eternal consequences. Since Hell is not for the saved, it is addressed to the unsaved. However, it is not an indication of how one may be saved. There are other Scriptures for that.
 
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watchman 2

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This passage is about the extreme seriousness of sin and its eternal consequences. Since Hell is not for the saved, it is addressed to the unsaved. However, it is not an indication of how one may be saved. There are other Scriptures for that.


So how does your understanding serve the millions of people God could potentially call to be in Christ , before the 1500's? Your understanding is based upon Gods Word that wasn't available to most of history.

So is Salvation standing on God "himself" a real living person ? Or His words ? If it is His Words , that eliminates alot of people God the Father has called through out history.

Maybe you should rethink your understanding ?
 
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samir

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Matthew 18
8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.


Is this speaking to the unsaved about salvation, or is this speaking to those already saved?

Everyone needs to refrain from sin because the wages of sin is death. Anyone who sins is of the devil and does not know God. Those who are born of God do not sin.
 
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EmSw

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He's speaking to either unsaved Samaritans , or law abiding Jews. It really doesn't matter , because he hasn't paid the price for the sins of the world yet. He is speaking to people who do not have His covering or Grace.

Kind of like people who choose to be saved by their own obedience.

What is the price Jesus paid for sins of the world? Is it three days and nights in the grave? Is it being beaten by Roman soldiers? Is it having a crown of thorns on His head? Was it being rejected by men? Please tell us the price Jesus paid for the sins of the world?
 
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EmSw

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This passage is about the extreme seriousness of sin and its eternal consequences. Since Hell is not for the saved, it is addressed to the unsaved. However, it is not an indication of how one may be saved. There are other Scriptures for that.

So the unsaved can cut off their hands and enter life maimed? They can pluck out their eye and enter life with only one eye?

Is this a new way to life?
 
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watchman 2

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What is the price Jesus paid for sins of the world? Is it three days and nights in the grave? Is it being beaten by Roman soldiers? Is it having a crown of thorns on His head? Was it being rejected by men? Please tell us the price Jesus paid for the sins of the world?

Are you serious!
He was the perfect Lamb, the perfect sacrifice , (perfect obedience to the law of God from birth to death, not even a disobedient thought, EVER!) . He had to become "kin" to us humans to be the unblemished sacrifice for our sins, that tore the veil open and gave us a possibility to enter into Gods presence.

Again, basic stuff here EmSw. Something about you doesn't make sense, want to fill in the blank for me?
 
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Job8

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So is Salvation standing on God "himself" a real living person ? Or His words ? If it is His Words , that eliminates a lot of people God the Father has called through out history.
Actually it eliminates no one. There is God's General Revelation in His Creation as well as in His Divine Providence. There is also God's Special Revelation in the Bible and in the Gospel. And it is God who says that all men are without excuse (Rom 1:20-23):

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
 
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Geralt

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It will be forcing an issue to something not in the context. No I will not suggest it for the passage is not about the saved or unsaved and to insist is an exercise of speculation.
Can we say both saved and unsaved?
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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What is the price Jesus paid for sins of the world? Is it three days and nights in the grave? Is it being beaten by Roman soldiers? Is it having a crown of thorns on His head? Was it being rejected by men? Please tell us the price Jesus paid for the sins of the world?
Can someone, ANYONE, anywhere, be saved if they don't know the price Y'SHUA paid ?
(NO ONE here has mentioned it yet! That is way-flabbergasting on a "Christian" forum)

So, you say not one person is born of God?
They quoted YHWH'S WORD.
You're right if you mean not one person who continues willfully sinning is born of YHWH. The TRUTH is not in them, and the LIGHT (Y'SHUA) is not in them; just darkness.
 
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EmSw

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Are you serious!
He was the perfect Lamb, the perfect sacrifice , (perfect obedience to the law of God from birth to death, not even a disobedient thought, EVER!) . He had to become "kin" to us humans to be the unblemished sacrifice for our sins, that tore the veil open and gave us a possibility to enter into Gods presence.

Again, basic stuff here EmSw. Something about you doesn't make sense, want to fill in the blank for me?

You didn't say what the price was that Jesus paid for the sins of the world. Do you know?
 
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