Spiritual Self-Surgery

The verses which I have just read to you are no doubt painful to your ears. They describe for us the most dreadful thing that can possibly be imagined; the consequences and judgment of a person’s being cast into hell; that place of everlasting torment. Jesus is saying that every person, those who were listening to Him then, and those who are listening to this sermon now, must do everything in their power to avoid going to hell. He is telling us that being cast into hell will most certainly happen to the person who refuses to deal decisively with their sins; especially with their besetting sins, those sinful habits of soul and body that want to continue on in us, working death in us, after we come to Christ. A true Christian must, and they will by the grace of Christ, deal with these sinful habits. Jesus is saying that it is possible to fool yourself about whether you are a true Christian. I believe that He is telling us that we, as believers, must be ready and willing to become spiritual surgeons; ready to perform spiritual self-surgical operations upon our own heart, and our own body, when we realize that habits of sin are continuing on in our lives.