The Terrible Reality of Hell: Matthew 5:29-30
“29) If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30) And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.” Matthew 5:29-30
Jesus now gives a sober warning of the reality of hell. During His public ministry He warned more about avoiding eternal judgement in hell than filling in the mysteries of heaven. (See also Luke 16:19-31)
It is not the will of God for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) But the raw truth is than most people face eternal judgement in hell. (See Matthew 7:13-23 and Revelation 20:7-15) Jesus came to be a mediator between God and man and to open the doors of salvation. (See 1 Timothy 2:3-7)
So how tragic and terrible is the reality of hell? In our text today, Jesus warned that it is to be avoided at all costs. He said that if hell could be avoided by plucking out your eye or cutting your hand it would be worth the sacrifice. It would be better to go through life blind or lame than face eternity in hell.
There is only one problem, self sacrifice cannot save us from our sin. We cannot erase our own sin nor can we become good enough to earn our own salvation. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was making the case that all people are sinful and lost and worthy of eternal judgement in hell.
There is only one mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ. His death on the cross paid the debt of human sin and opened the doors of salvation.
John 3:16-21 gives a clear presentation of the gospel. ““16) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17) For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
Because salvation is based on faith in Jesus Christ, there is no excuse for anyone to spend eternity in hell. Jesus paid the price for sin so salvation is a free gift to those who trust in Him. We cannot buy our salvation. Many people could not afford its value. because Jesus was holy and sinless, salvation is based on His goodness and not ours. We do not earn our salvation. Jesus died in our place so that we can live through faith in Him.
Your eternal destiny comes down to how you respond to Jesus Christ. God does not ask you to pluck out an eye or cut off your hand. He simply invites you to humble yourself, confess your sin and guilt, repent and place faith in Jesus Christ as your hope of salvation. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and mankind. He is the only way to God. (See Acts 4:12)
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
