The Power of Love in Our Struggle with Temptation Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: The Power of Love in Our Struggle with Temptation ------------- Date: 11/20/1998 Keywords: "love" "hatred" "temptation" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: 1 John 2:7-11* 7. Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 9. The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10. The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. Questions 1. As you read through this passage, what do you think is the "old commandment" John mentions (read John 13:34-35)?   2. Look at what John says about "hate" in this passage. What is true about the person who hates?   3. What is true about the person who loves?   Practical Help How do John's words about love and hatred contribute to eXXit's purpose to help people stand strong against sexual temptation? John's thought would be that a commitment to love is at the heart of moving out of darkness and into light. That is a very practical thought! Love toward our spouse is not nurtured by viewing pornography. When we lustfully view sexually explicit images of people on the web, we are not being loving toward them. Taking seriously Jesus' command to love (first God and then our neighbor) is fundamental to resisting the temptation to view Internet porn. Why? Because love takes us away from a focus on ourselves and our gratification and moves the focus to the welfare of another. We who have experienced the love of God firsthand by receiving His forgiveness when we placed our faith in Christ can give that powerful, good gift of love to others. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 1998 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."