Jesus is not teaching self-mutilation here, He is not advocating the actual physical removal of eye or hand... but He IS teaching us something important about how we deal with sin, temptation and the pursuit of righteousness. In the war against sin there can be no half measures. We cannot allow any stronghold of the enemy to be maintained. So there will be times when we must cut off things from our lives that we would really rather keep. Relationships, habits, ideas, affections and delights are just the beginning of the list of places and practices that the enemy can infiltrate to wreak havoc in our lives. We must be honest with ourselves about the cost of these things as well as their danger to our souls… for while Jesus was NOT telling us to literally pluck our eye out, He was not speaking in hyperbolae about the risks. For if the enemy is allowed free reign in our thoughts and in our practice the end result is that we stray further and further from truth, from life and from God Himself. While those who are found in Christ cannot lose their salvation, those who are on the edges and seeking will find that the more they love their sin, the less they care about God and the easier it is to ignore Him altogether… and beloved, this is their ticket to hell. I urge you in light of the shed blood of Jesus, cut out the things that keep you from delighting in His presence, sever ties, cast out the evil practice and burn your idols… no price is too high, for no consequence could ever come close to an eternity in the fires of God's eternal and just wrath. And to make the matter more pressing, Jesus has already paid the price to deliver you! God commands all men everywhere to repent and if you will only repent and believe you will find mercy in the arms of the Beloved! Run to the cross, there you will find grace and mercy, forgiveness and life!!