Question 26.
As a summary statement of the Bible, isn’t "pursue pleasure" more encompassing than "love God" (Matthew 22:37)?
Answer 26.
Asked another way the question might be: "Isn’t Christian Hedonism just a summary statement of all the Bible teaches?"
In either case, the answer is still the same. No, the pursuit of pleasure and Christian Hedonism are not summary statements that in aggregate describe in single phrases everything that the Bible attempts to explain and teach.
This question has been asked to me and even stated at me as a "fact" many times. For anyone to think that the Bible adds up to one giant summation that means "pursue your own pleasure in God as your highest calling and most important duty" is to ignore what the Bible says of itself.
Of itself, the Bible says that there is one all encompassing summary statement that combines the intent of every law from the Old Testament and every precept uttered by a prophet in the New Testament.
And He said to him, " ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’
"This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.‘ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40)
The word "depend" means "to hang from", as a suspension bridge would hang from one of its two giant support cables. The bridge and the lives of all those who use it are completely reliant on those two cables for their support and usefulness of the bridge.
Every law and every word of the prophets are reliant on one of two summary statements:
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
- Love your neighbor as yourself.
Paul understood well that love for God and love for your neighbor were the two summations of the Word.
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)
Even the scribe who questioned Jesus came to understand that there was no higher summary of all that is written in the Word than to love God with all your strength and to love your neighbor with as much sincerity as you love yourself.
One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" Jesus answered, "The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these."
The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34)
And what does it mean to love God? Many answers are possible, but one answer is predominant through the entirety of Scripture:
- "TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices" (Mark 12:33b)
- Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)
- "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)
- If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15 )
- He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me…(John 14:21 )
- If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. (John 15:10 )
- …what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. (1Cor.7:19 )
- …you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God…for you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. (1Thes.4:1,2 )
- And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. (1John 2:3 )
- But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. (1John 2:5a)
- By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. (1John 5:2)
- For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. (1John 5:3 )
- And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. (2 John 1:6a)
There is no higher summary statement of the Word than the two which Jesus Himself delivered to us: Love God with all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Everything written in the Word depends on these two summary statements. And what is love except that we fear and obey the Lord.
"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Eccl.12:13 NIV)
