Psa.27:4 "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."
St. Mark 9:43-48 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:(vs44)Where the worm dieth not, and the fire that never shall be quenched:(vs45)And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: (vs46)Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.(vs47) And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:(vs48) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary on page 31, comment on St. Mark 9:43-44 BETTER DIE THAN SIN "Christ is speaking here of injuries which we may do ourselves or others. Most men guard themselves carefully against physical injury. They insure against accidents, avoid miasma, and attend to the first appearance of the external assault, but is unsuspicious of treachery within. In a moral sense, it may often be said "A man's foes are they of his own household". The allusion to the hand, the foot, and the eye indicate that the causes of sin are found in our nature; that evil is natural to us as the use of these members. Sins spring from within:"Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts". When acts are repeated, habits are formed which become part of ourselves. Then these habits are allowed for and excused by others, so that we no longer get our attention directed to them as otherwise we might do, and notoriously regarded as a personal peculiarity. Yet though it seems a part of ourselves, God says, "Cut it off and cast it from thee".