Matthew 18:8-9: Entering Heaven in a Wheelchair

"And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire." Matthew 18:8-9

Around 2,000 years ago, Jesus asked his disciples a question that I would like to contemporize and ask you this morning: Would you rather enter heaven in a wheelchair, or never enter heaven at all? Do you have your answer? Alright, then go ahead and keep reading.

In Matthew 18, we find the fourth "discourse" of Jesus in the book of Matthew, where Christ speaks of church life and discipline. In this discourse, he gives his future church some pretty harsh truths:

"And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire." Matthew 18:8-9

What exactly is Jesus saying here? Does he really want to cut off our hands and feet? Well, no. Let us realize here that Jesus is using a literary technique called hyperbole in order to make his point. In other words, Christ is exaggerating his point in order to make it clear. Yet knowing this, if we look at the text, Christ's point becomes rather obvious: whatever causes you to sin, cut it out of your life, that it might not lead you into hell. Look specifically at what Jesus says here: "It is better for you to enter [eternal, heavenly] life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire." In other words, it's better to enter heaven crippled and in a wheelchair than to not enter heaven at all.*

One of my professors told a story in class yesterday that I'm going to use here. Warning: It's a bit mature, but it makes a great point. He told us in class of a man in his church once who picked up all of his stuff, divorced his wife, and moved across the country for another woman. Horrible story, I know, but when my professor asked him why he left his family and his wife for another woman, he told him that the man said this: "for better sex." Astounded, my professor replied to him: "So you're willing to risk heaven and go to hell for 'better sex'?" Once again, I know this example is rather mature, but it makes a great point.

The text this morning begs us to answer the question: What are we willing to "risk heaven" for? According to Christ, eternal life in heaven isn't even worth risking your own two hands or feet. But what are the things in our lives that lead us astray and take away from our satisfaction in Christ? Are we willing to surrender eternal life with Christ for those things? If so, let us reconsider our salvation to see whether we are really within the faith (see 2 Peter 1:3-15).

Now let me be clear here: I do not believe you can lose your salvation. I do not think that Christ is saying this here, nor do I think that any text in the Bible says this. In fact, I believe (and have written on my blog many times...) that a Christian cannot lose his salvation. But just because we are saved does not mean that we are to sin that grace may abound (Rom. 6:1). Thus, what we find here is Christ warning both believers and unbelievers to watch themselves. What are the things in our lives that lead us further into temptation? Ultimately, these are the things that lead men to hell as well as expose the true identity of some nonbelievers who may claim themselves to be in the faith when it is truly not so.

In the end, believers, let me admonish you to consider: what do you need to "cut out" of your life? What do you need to radically change about your life that you might not be led into further sin? Maybe it's a cell phone, an X-Box, a sports team, an inappropriate relationship, or a habit of turning your computer on late at night. Although the sacrifice might seem difficult, realize this: any "sacrifice" that leads us to purity in Christ is eternally worth it. For you would rather enter into heaven on a wheelchair than not at all, wouldn't you?

*In interpreting Christ's words here, I do not mean (and I don't believe that Christ means in the passage) that we will have the possibility of being "crippled" or "lame" or "in a wheelchair" in heaven. In heaven, we will be void of all diseases and sicknesses. Nevertheless, the point is clear: it is better to travel towards heaven in this life making whatever sacrifice necessary rather than making no sacrifices and traveling to hell.