Jesus made a radical statement about the dangers of temptation to sin. It’s much better to develop the habits and practices to prevent our wandering to wrong places and thoughts. Managing our sin, trying harder, and following rules don’t work in ghe long run. But wanting to be a person who doesn’t need the temptation is even better. Wanting to love Him more, love others, to be content and full of joy are character qualities to pursue. There is no formula for character development other than wanting to become someone different is key.
“Genuine transformation of the whole person into the goodness and power seen in Jesus and his “Abba” Father—the only transformation adequate to the human self—remains the necessary goal of human life. But it lies beyond the reach of programs of inner transformation that draw merely on the human spirit—even when the human spirit is itself treated as ultimately divine.” - Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart
“His words are hyperbole, of course, and not to be taken literally, but they convey the level of commitment needed to deal with those things in our own lives that are hindrances to our growth as the followers of Jesus. Such stumbling blocks are generally expressions of the ego-centric, constructed self.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford
