The Pilgrim Path---Mark 9: 45—50

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.

DEALING WITH SIN---TEMPTATION…

Sometimes I do not take sin seriously. The LORD Jesus Christ used some far-reaching imagery to peak our attention concerning sin and temptation. Think of dealing with sin---as importantly as removing a limb that is causing death (perhaps gangrene). Well, that limb must be removed from the body---Ouch---Wow!

My problem is that I’ve been known to have far too casual an attitude toward sin in my life (it’s not that significant / not that dangerous / not that crucial / Besides: many other people do far worse things---so I’ll just retain my sin for a while).

The Living Christ tells me to be quite militant with “my” sin. Radical. Not long ago I read a line from the 19thcentury evangelist D. L. Moody where he basically quipped, “my greatest problem is D. L. Moody.” I can readily identify with Moody. Saint Augustine often prayed, “LORD, deliver me from my greatest enemy---MYSELF.”

Has the Holy Spirit ever given You this kind of self-awareness?

From Dr. William Hendriksen: Jesus, as he walked on earth, saw many Pharisees and scribes, people who advocated a formal, legalistic religion in the place of the true religion proclaimed by the ancient prophets in the name of the LORD. Thus by and large the salt had lost its flavor in the religious life of Israel. Many “sons of the kingdom” would be cast out (Matthew 8:12)…

Verse 50b---Always have salt within yourselves: it is useless for a man to try to exert an influence for good upon others unless, by the grace of God, he has goodness within; that is, unless the Word of God as applied by the Holy Spirit, has transformed him into a true disciple of Christ. To have salt within oneself means, therefore, to have within oneself those qualities that promote truth, kindness, peace, joy, etc. within the brotherhood, and in the world at large a willingness to listen to the good tidings of salvation in Christ…

Very logical, therefore, is the continuation: “And be at peace with each other.” If within the brotherhood there is nothing but carping and quarrelling, how can those who call themselves Christians expect to win others to Christ?

From Bishop J. C. Ryle: Our bodily senses are the channels through which many of our most formidable temptations approach us. Our bodily members are ready instruments of evil, but slow to that which is good. The eye, the hand, and the foot are good servants, when under right direction. But they need daily watching, lest they lead us into sin. Let us resolve by God’s grace to make practical use of our LORD’S solemn injunction in this place. Let us regard it as the advice of a wise physician, the counsel of a tender father, the warning of a faithful friend. However, men may ridicule us for our strictness and preciseness, let us habitually “crucify our flesh with its affections and lusts.” Let us deny ourselves any enjoyment, rather than incur peril of sinning against God. Let us walk in Job’s steps: he says, “I will make a covenant with mine eyes” (Job 31: 1). Let us remember Paul: he says, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away” (I Corinthians 9: 27).

From John Owen: Sin proceeds higher by degrees; it hardens the heart as it advances. Mortification (killing sin by the grace of God) withers the root and strikes at the head of sin every hour. The best saints in the world are in danger of a fall if found negligent in this important duty. Negligence of this duty decays the inner man instead of renewing him. It is our duty to be “bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (II Cor. 7: 1), and every day to be growing in grace (I Peter 2: 2), and seeking to be renewed in the inner nature day by day (II Cor. 4: 16).

HYMN

Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit into every troubled breast;

Let us all in thee inherit, let us find the promised rest;

Take away the love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be;

End of faith as its Beginning, set our hearts at liberty.

Charles Wesley, 1747

Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ Our Risen LORD, Pastor, Jason