Matthew 5:27 - 30

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Jesus is introducing another subject which will show His new law is more strict than the Law of Moses. He is discussing the subject of being unfaithful in a physical manner to a spouse, or what is called adultery.

He is not speaking of lusting after the woman that a man intends to marry. In 1 Corinthians 7:2 Paul tells a man to marry to avoid being guilty of fornication. Of course he would not have been in any danger if he was not thinking of wanting to have sex with the woman. It is not a sin if the intention is to marry the woman.

It becomes a sin if a man sees any woman and has the desire to have sex with her, and it is not possible or desirable for them to marry. If the man is already married then it is a case of spiritual sexual infidelity or spiritual adultery.

Of course this subject is not for men only, women can be guilty of the same sins.

In verses 29 and 30 Jesus uses extreme examples. He uses the example of removing the eyes to make sure one does not desire a woman who is attractive to the eye. He also uses the example of removing the hand if it is guilty of an act of sin to keep one from sinning. They are examples of the need to keep from doing the things which are deemed as sinful. But it is our brains which develop the desires to commit the sins. It is our brains which register the scenes which the eyes see that causes us to desire to fulfill sexual desires or causes us to covet things which are not ours and gives us the urge to take them from the rightful owner.

It would be so much easier for us if we could remove the offending part of our body to save the soul, but we cannot, we must use God's word to train our minds to desire what is right.

Romans 12:1 – 2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

We must renew our minds to avoid being sinful to align it with the perfect will of God.