Romans 13:8-10 (WEL) Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 Because: you must not commit adultery, you must not kill, you must not steal, you must not bear false witness, you must not covet, and whatever other commandment, it is briefly summarized in this saying, “You must love your neighbor as you do yourself.” [Exodus 20:13-17, Deuteronomy 5:17-21, and Leviticus 19:18] 10 Love does nothing wrong to his neighbor. Therefore, love fulfills the law.
V8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
This verse presents two principles: 1) no financial debt is preferred and 2) genuine love. Love is not tolerance. Love is a choice to be kind and gentle as much as is possible (Romans 12:17-18). Breaking the law is the opposite of love. This is because we have a sin nature which seeks me first, my laws, my desires, my way, my comfort, etc. Compare Matthew 22:39.
Love is described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (WEL) 4 Love is very patient and kind; love is not envious; love doesn’t brag about itself, is not haughty. 5 It doesn’t behave improperly, is not self-seeking; love isn’t easily aggravated, doesn’t keep a list of wrongs. 6 It doesn’t rejoice in injustice, but rejoices with the truth; 7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, calmly endures all things. 8 Love never ends
MacLaren writes: “That is the first plain truth taught here. Love is not an emotion… which we may indulge or not, as we please. It is not to select its objects according to our estimate of their lovableness or goodness. But we are bound to love, and that all round, without distinction of beautiful or ugly, good or bad.”
V9 Because: you must not commit adultery, you must not kill, you must not steal, you must not bear false witness, you must not covet, and whatever other commandment, it is briefly summarized in this saying, “You must love your neighbor as you do yourself.” [Exodus 20:13-17, Deuteronomy 5:17-21, and Leviticus 19:18]
If I love my neighbor, I will not commit adultery; I will not kill; I will not steal; I will not lie about them; I will not covet, etc.
The Bible principle and motive is godly love. It is love in doing life, instead of following a bunch of human rules. Godly love in loving my neighbor is based on a standard—the Bible.
V10 Love does nothing wrong to his neighbor. Therefore, love fulfills the law.
We had the principle stated in verse 9; now we have the reason—love does nothing wrong to his neighbor. Our neighbor is anyone we meet.
James 1:25 (EHV) But the one who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues to do so—since he does not hear and forget but actually does what it says—that person will be blessed in what he does.
If we meet an enemy, we are to be kind, gentle, and peaceful as possible. See Romans 12:18 and Proverbs 25:21.
If we meet a non-enemy, we are to treat them the same way. We will enjoy them, but how we treat all people should be the same. See James 2:1 and Romans 2:11.
We learn:
- The importance of love.
- What love is.
- Some examples of expression of love.
Questions
- Do you love?
- Think of some ways you have loved.