Gay marriage, abortion, and immigration are in the news again because of the Republican National Convention. But what does the Bible say about how we should look at the whole thing?

[Related Topic: What’s a Compelling Way to Talk with Others About Abortion?]

Video Highlights:

  • The Pharisees came to Jesus to try to trap him with a question, much like politicians do today. They asked him to pin down the most important commandment in the Old Testament. (Matthew 22:36)
  • Jesus responded right away with two framing principles: love God and love people. He was boiling down the 10 Commandments and the basis for the moral code of the Bible. (Matthew 22:37-39)
  • The essence of Christianity is to love God first – and submit to his principles – and then to love people as an outflow of proper relationship with God. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, you should approach every social issue with that framework in mind if you’re a Christian.

[Related Topic: How Jesus Handled Sexual Sin]

[Related Topic: A Biblical Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis]

Bible Text

Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[e] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[f] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Discussion Questions:

  1. Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
  2. What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
  3. Which of the social issues in the video are most important to you, and why?
  4. Pick a social issue. How can well-meaning atheists miss the principle of “loving God” (obeying his Word) according to that issue? How can well-meaning Christians miss the principle of “loving people”?
  5. Read Matthew 22:37-39. Try to explain how the two principles are a summary of the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20).
  6. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
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