Saturday after the Sixth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on July 17, 2021 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 9:43-50 (NKJV)
9:43 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—44 where
‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
45 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—46 where
‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
47 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—48 where
‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’
49 “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”
Devotion
Every sin is offensive to God. Nevertheless, there are some sins which can entrap a believer so that he falls from grace and “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11). Clinging to sin in impenitence will cause one to be “cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched.” It is better to take action right now, while you still can. Even drastic and decisive action is needed to remove the cause of sin so that the believer can still enter into eternal life. If one of the hands, feet, or eyes is found to be the cause of sin, then amputation would be justified. However, we know that it is the heart of man that controls the hands, feet, and eyes. You cannot remove the desire to sin except through God replacing your sinful heart with a heart that fears and loves Him.
Jesus’ solution includes the application of fire and salt. Fire has a burning property which cleanses impurities, while salt preserves and cures the germs of corruption in food. We have “salt within ourselves” when we are constantly applying the Law to our thoughts, words, and deeds so that we live a life of repentance. We season even our sacrifices to God with fire so we see that our righteous deeds are as filthy rags in God’s sight. It is only through a lively faith in Christ’s forgiveness that our daily sins of weakness do not harm us.
Prayer: O God, who hast prepared for them that love Thee such good things as pass man’s understanding, pour into our hearts such love toward Thee that we, loving Thee above all things, may obtain Thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
