Cart-Before-the-Horse Theology Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Cart-Before-the-Horse Theology -------------------------- Date: 4/19/2001 Keywords: "commandment" "love" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Matthew 22:35-40* 35. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37. And [Jesus] said to him, " ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38. "This is the great and foremost commandment. 39. "The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40. "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." Questions 1. After reading the above passage, what is the greatest commandment according to Jesus?   2. Why do you think Jesus went on to give a second commandment?   3. What would happen if you reversed the order of the two commandments and made the second one more important than the first?   4. How does pornography line up with these two commandments?   Practical help There are two ways to approach religion or theology. We can come at it from man’s perspective or from God’s perspective. The Bible claims to be the Word of God. It was written through the pens of many writers spanning a time of about 1,500 years, yet the consistency of voice clearly makes a logical whole when studied with respect. If the Bible is disrespected in the process of studying it, then the conclusions can be expected to be flawed. How many times have you heard someone say, "You can make the Bible say anything you want!"? You can, if you desire to bend the words. Jesus is respecting the Old Testament when he quotes the two commandments above. The first commandment is Deuteronomy 6:4. The second is compiled from other commandments and is the embodiment of the last 6 of the Ten Commandments. What does this have to do with pornography? If you are looking for a way out, the only reasonable solution, if God exists and created you and the world you inhabit, is to find out what He wants, and then do it. But people want to find an easy solution to uncomfortable problems and retain complete control of their destinies. So they often "invent" their own religion or reinterpret God’s Word to fit their needs. One way to do this is to simply reverse the order of the two commands Jesus states. Let’s make the most important thing loving people and put loving God on the back burner. After all, we don’t want to be accused of being fanatic about the whole thing. Besides, we will get more attention and accolades by the good things we do for people than loving God. But true religion and its good effects are a result of doing things God’s way. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and see what happens to your porn habit. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2001 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."