Mark 9:43
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: 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:
The offending hand stands for anything that causes stumbling, and whatever leads into sin must be decisively cut off and put away, however great the sacrifice, because it is better to enter into life maimed than to keep both hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. The cutting off pictures surrendering the will to God and separating from sin even when it feels like a painful loss. As a hand or foot would be cut off or an eye plucked out to save the body from death, so much more earnestly must sin be put away because it brings death to the soul.
The warning applies to every habit or practice that leads into sin and brings dishonor upon Christ, degrading character and misleading others. Envy, malice, evil thoughts and speech, and covetousness are weights that must be laid aside in the race for immortality. One cherished sin is enough to degrade character and mislead others, and heaven's blessing cannot attend anyone who violates the eternal principles of right. The strong language reflects the infinite value of each soul and the danger of turning someone away from Christ.
Hidden sin cannot be concealed from God, and God is a consuming fire to sin, so if a person refuses to separate from sin, God's presence consumes the person with it. The unquenchable fire, with the worm that does not die, is the experience and destruction of every unrepentant sinner who cherishes sin, refuses the gift of Christ and forgiveness and saving grace and entire obedience to the law of God, is cut off from God with God's wrath remaining on him, and is destroyed in soul and body as the sure consequence of sin as transgression of God's law. That fire involves remorse, despair, hatred and bitterness against God when punished for transgression, and it is the lot of all who are grafted into Satan by cherishing sinful traits when too late they see that sin breaks God's law.
The unquenchable fire of judgment will cleanse the earth of its moral corruption, not by another flood as in Noah's day, and no human means can put it out.