Posted by Searcher on 9/14/2009, 10:34 am, in reply to "Religious Rituals"
75.105.0.52
Dear Ray,
You said we are supposed to wash and preserve our flesh, right? Not even close.
We are to consider our body of flesh dead and buried because it is full of sin and in the flesh it is impossible to please God. The washing that Christ is speaking of in Ephesians is not washing of the flesh. He is washing the church which is His body of which He is the Head:
Eph 5:23-27
For the husband is head of the wife,even as Christ is the Head of the church: and He is the Savior of the body...Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such things; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
The flesh, the body of sin? Ro 8:8-10, So then they that are of the flesh CANNOT please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
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Mark 9:43-50 is not Christ telling man to literally pluck out his eye or cut off his hand or cut off his foot. Each of these things, the eye, hand and foot show the works of the flesh compared to the righteousness that is given to us by God through faith. The works of the flesh are as filthy rags. They are worthless. What matters is a man's heart and whether he puts his trust in God.
"Eyes" are used as a symbol of man's heart and seeing is understanding the wisdom given by God. An example is found in Matthew 6:22,23, "The light of the body is the eye: it therefore the eye be single [clear], thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thy eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!"
The "eye" is spoken of as seeing, blind, a bountiful eye, an evil eye, the eye that mocks, mine eye that effects mine heart, the eye mourns, the eye that winks, the eye that causes sorrow, the sharpness of eye is used to describe a malicious person.
Ex. Proverbs 23:6,7
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye...for as he thinketh in his heart so is he...his heart is not with thee.
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Likewise, the hands are used to describe wickedness, injustice, labor, shedding innocent blood, by the work of the hands men have made false gods, helped the needy, etc.
Ps 9:16 says that the wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Acts 2:23, "Him have ye taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" The "hands" are once again a reflection of the path we choose with our heart. Those that seek Him are said to have "clean hands, and a pure heart."
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.
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The feet are also used because they represent the path that a man follows. If a man trust in God and not in his own understanding, God will direct his paths and his feet will not slip or fall.
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The eye or foot or hand that "offends" is the false leaven that a brother puts in the path of others that is a stumbling block to them. Jesus said "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees". He was referring to the false tradition and false doctrine that was part of their religion. Salt is used as an antiseptic to keep things from fermenting and corrupting. False teachings corrupt the Word of God and put stumbling blocks in the path of others.
Jesus used an innocent child as a perfect example of one who could easily fall prey to those who set out to deceive. Mark 9:42.
Searcher
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