K051. What kind of metaphor will Jesus use to describe His church today?

Someone said, "A Church is a hospital for sinners; not a club for saints"
Will Jesus use a 'hospital' or an 'amputation theatre'? Ironically many of us can only accept the metaphor of a church as a 'hospital', not an 'amputation theatre'. But do we know that most good hospitals have amputation theatres or operation theatres?

Yes, a church can be compared to a hospital which heals and saves; but it can also be compared to an 'amputation theatre' which does surgical operations to remove 'cancerous cells' (or sins) from the body too (Mat 5:16-30). Of course, only the sinners need such a 'medical service or treatment'. Jesus mentioned it clearly that all of us, the sinners, still need it (through repentance in Him). No one (including the Pharisees) is too righteous to be exempted from it. But many preachers today would just want to turn it into a silly joke which mocks at the churches as the 'amputation theatre' that produces many 'one-eyed jacks and lame people'. They blame the churches for teaching God's law of purification and sanctification or teaching too seriously like Jesus. However, they can never understand the Lord's metaphor which tells them to 'pluck out their eyes' or 'cut off their hands' if they sin. They just want to knowingly or unknowingly misinterpret that Jesus wants them to throw away all the laws; when, in reality, the Lord wants them to  keep the highest standard of the law and keep themselves from all forms of sinful lusts or wicked desires:

Mat 5:16-30 KJV  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  (17)  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  (18)  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  (19)  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. .. (27)  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:  (28)  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  (29)  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  (30)  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Many say that these Bible verses are not practical because they are just hard sayings or threats to drive the people to the end of themselves so that they cannot keep the law of God anymore, and therefore any churches who still teach the law of God are like 'amputation theatres' filled with many one-eyed jacks and lame people. Well, I can see how they have turned the metaphor of Jesus into another metaphor which mock at others.
I will tell them, Do you think that you can see better because you have both eyes? Jesus has said it so clearly, and yet you still cannot see? He said to you that you should forgo any eye that cannot see, rather than having both eyes that cannot see. It is not a matter of how many eyes you have; it is a matter of how much willingness do you have to keep the Spirit of the law of God and His righteousness at all cost and live. You said that you have high regard for God's law, but when you 'ding dong' between your own metaphor and what God said, you contradict yourselves like a lukewarm:
Rev 3:15-19 KJV  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  (16)  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  (18)  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  (19)  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

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