Fulfilling the Law Through Love
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Rom 13:8
Owe no man... This has nothing to do with owing just debts of money and other material things. It simply expresses the idea that Christians owe to each other mutual love. You are not bound to your brethren to obey them as you are civil rulers, but you are bound to them by love.
When You Really Love You Will Not:
1. Transgress the moral law (Rom. 13:8, 13:10).
2. Deprive any man of his wife (Rom. 13:9).
3. Rob any woman of her virtue (Rom. 13:9).
4. Take the life of anyone (Rom. 13:9).
5. Hate anyone (Rom. 13:9 with 1Jhn. 3:15).
6. Take the property of anyone (Rom. 13:9).
7. Rob a man of his good name (Rom. 13:9).
8. Covet one thing of another (Rom. 13:9).
9. Love only yourself (Rom. 13:9).
10. Work ill toward anyone (Rom. 13:10).
In our society today, the number one cause of divorce is debt. Easy credit has caused our young people to over-spend, and then they start blaming each other when they cannot meet their obligations. If we would all practice not owing anyone anything, it would take many of the day to day pressures off, and we could live more peaceful lives. It takes a little longer, but if we save to get something we really want, we will appreciate it more when we do get it.
This scripture is not a prohibition against borrowing money, but Paul is telling us that we need to pay the obligations when they become due.
for he that... We are commanded over and over to love each other by God throughout the Scriptures. God set the example of love when He gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross for us. God’s type of love we can only hope to have. Agape love asks nothing in return. It is the perfect love.
The love that we show is usually conditional. We usually love because of what someone has done for us, not in spite of what they have done to us. When Jesus was asked, what was the most important commandment that God had given us; He replied:
Mark 12:30-31 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.” “And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
In light of the future
Discussion of believers’ obligations to civil authorities evidently triggered Paul’s thinking concerning believers’ debts to others. He commanded, Let no debt remain outstanding (lit., “Do not keep on owing anyone anything”) except the continuing debt to love one another (lit., “except loving one another”). This is not a prohibition against a proper use of credit; it is an underscoring of a Christian’s obligation to express divine love in all interpersonal relationships. A Christian should never fall short, and so be “in debt,” in loving others (John 13:34-35; 1Cor. 16:14; Eph. 5:2; Col. 3:14; 1Jhn. 3:14, 3:23; 4:7, 4:11, 4:21).
The importance of continually showing love is seen in the explanation, For he who loves his fellow man (lit., “the other one”) has fulfilled the Law (cf. Mat. 22:39; Mark 12:31). Love, not mere external conformity to rules, is the essence of the Law (cf. Gal. 5:14).
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