What did Jesus Christ mean by this?

yeshuaslavejeff

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Most of them do for they pursue self interest. They take each other down to pursue self interest. Rarely do they work for the oppressed unless it serves their purpose. They like many Christians are more likely to preach to the choir.

Matthew 5: 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
It is a sinful system, as Scripture clearly says.
To waste so much time trying to play politics, for all the sides, is sinful.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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Well, fruitless at the very least
Self-willed, selfish, politically or socially or fleshly motivated, distracting, deceptive, and being done instead of helping the poor. (not that they have any concern for the poor , per se; but the funds if re-directed to helping the poor would be better spent than spending millions or however much on political entertainment)
 
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timothyu

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Self-willed, selfish, politically or socially or fleshly motivated, distracting, deceptive, and being done instead of helping the poor. (not that they have any concern for the poor , per se; but the funds if re-directed to helping the poor would be better spent than spending millions or however much on political entertainment)
True but it is the Adversary and it's minions world so they do what they do. If they want to cut each other's throats, so be it. It's the only reward they will have. The rest of us are supposed to have better things to do.
 
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Greengardener

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I'm disappointed to see an honest OP be hijacked by a political agenda. But, having said that, I'll go on to answer the OP. Here's what I see about it:

What is is about your right hand or your eye that causes you to sin? The statement appears to be there to make us think about cause and effect. Sin originates in the intents of the heart/mind. Comparing to other statements Jesus made, like the one hating his brother has committed murder in his heart or the one lusting has committed adultery already in his heart, we see that there is something besides the last act that we need to see. We need to see our heart need for deep repenting and turning to or turning back to God with our whole heart, hiding nothing. Cut off those conveniences that make it easy to continue down the wrong road. Those sins will cost you EVERYTHING because they lead to death. Jesus is worth EVERYTHING we could give up of those sinful ways because He gives LIFE.
 
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timothyu

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Those sins will cost you EVERYTHING because they lead to death. Jesus is worth EVERYTHING we could give up of those sinful ways because He gives LIFE.
We've already earned one death because of those sins of self interest. And very few will die having overcome their shortcomings. Many who think they have, have already re-condemned themselves with pride in the fact. But to see those shortcomings and what they stand for, leading to a hatred of who we are, may possibly be the only thing we my accomplish, where God may be forgiving as we now not only understand the knowledge of good and evil, but which is the better way. Remember, even God had the knowledge of good and evil. There is a balance. Repentance is hating our nature of self interest even if we cannot overcome it.
 
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Phil W

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We've already earned one death because of those sins of self interest. And very few will die having overcome their shortcomings. Many who think they have, have already re-condemned themselves with pride in the fact.
How can one have pride in the things Jesus has done for us? ie. Crucifixion of the old man, with the affections and lusts?

But to see those shortcomings and what they stand for, leading to a hatred of who we are, may possibly be the only thing we my accomplish, where God may be forgiving as we now not only understand the knowledge of good and evil, but which is the better way. Remember, even God had the knowledge of good and evil. There is a balance. Repentance is hating our nature of self interest even if we cannot overcome it.
Jesus was raised from the dead so we CAN overcome it.
 
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timothyu

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How can one have pride in the things Jesus has done for us? ie. Crucifixion of the old man, with the affections and lusts?
Personal bragging rights or flaunting salvation as if it were some badge of honour, has nothing to do with Jesus.
 
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timothyu

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Jesus was raised from the dead so we CAN overcome it.
He was raised to be the first of His new Kingdom, an opportunity then open to all. How is the personal will relinquishing to the will of God coming along? If anything we can be forgiven for being who we are, but must first show we want to change and know why, not to gain entrance to the Kingdom, but because we are a selfish self serving species and should not like ourselves for it. Animals do the same but have no self awareness so are not guilty. We abuse the knowledge.
 
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Phil W

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Personal bragging rights or flaunting salvation as if it were some badge of honour, has nothing to do with Jesus.
Got that right.
We can let God brag on us after the final judgement, when He finds that our names are in the book of life.
 
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Phil W

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He was raised to be the first of His new Kingdom, an opportunity then open to all.
Isn't that opportunity still available? (you wrote "then" available)

How is the personal will relinquishing to the will of God coming along?
Are you asking me a personal question?

If anything we can be forgiven for being who we are, but must first show we want to change and know why, not to gain entrance to the Kingdom, but because we are a selfish self serving species and should not like ourselves for it.
Yes indeed.
It is written..."For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor 7:10)
Anything less than a real "change" is only worldly sorrow.
 
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tz620q

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If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed,
rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched, where their
worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better
for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never
be quenched, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:43-46.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter
the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:47-48.

Obviously this is not literal.
One way to take this literally is to consider the long term effects. If one's hand or one's eye was causing one to sin, it is part of a corruptible body that will perish. Why allow that which is corruptible deter us from the incorruptible. Why hold onto earthly things, when heavenly things await us?
 
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98cwitr

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If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed,
rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched, where their
worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better
for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never
be quenched, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:43-46.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter
the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:47-48.

Obviously this is not literal.

I did a Sunday School lesson on this exact topic a few years back, sure it was an hour long thing, but I'll boil it down:

Where does sin come from? Can an appendage cause you to sin? According to Matthew 15:19:

Matthew 15:19 New International Version (NIV)

19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

So from the heart, we find sin manifested...we find our evil desires turn to action. So, what is the remedy? To cut your heart out? No, to have faith in God's Promise found in Ezekiel 36 and Jeremiah 31; God knows we need a new heart to be a new creation (John 3):

Ezekiel 36

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.


Jeremiah 31

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”

If God is our Gardener, and we are part of the vine (John 15), then it is God Himself that does the cutting through His Holy Spirit (John 16).

I go into more Scripture references of spiritual refinement, but those drive the points home.
 
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