The Debt of Love
Romans 13:1-14
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. [Romans 13:8]
The Bible has much to say about debt. It clearly teaches that we avoid it. “Do not continue owing anything to anybody” is the literal Greek present tense translation of the first four words of Romans 13:8. As one commentator put it, “The verse probably does not forbid all debt, but it certainly forbids an attitude of contentment with indebtedness or thinking that indebtedness is a normal situation.”
For the Christian, the idea is that debt should not be his normal situation. What should be normal, however, is his debt of love. This is because God first loved us. We are indebted to God’s love, and we pay that debt by responding to it. And that love was displayed at the Cross. Our debt of love is a response to God’s love, a far different dynamic than financial debt. It is interesting, however, to ponder Paul’s contrast of thought, “Owe no one anything except to love one another.”
Love and grace are the continued themes in our Romans application. Remember, the first eleven chapters were doctrine; Condemnation [1:18-3:20], Justification [3:21-5:21], Sanctification [Rom 6-8], and Sovereign Choice [Rom 9-11]. But from Chapter 12 is the application; God’s Righteousness Revealed in Transformed Living. Because of what God has done for us in Christ [in these doctrinal truths], our reasonable response is transformed living [ref. Rom 12:1].
Remember, too, that both the doctrine and the application rest upon Grace, God’s unmerited favor upon you and me. When we stand before God Who is Holy, it is only by grace, never works. We have no merit to stand on our own; it is all by His grace.
And with Grace comes the greatest grace gift [charisma], the fruit of love [ref. 1 Cor 13:1-8; Gal 5:22-23]. Love is the spiritual glue that holds the body of Christ together. It is “the circulatory system of the spiritual body, which enables all the members to function in a healthy harmonious way.” [Wiersbe]
Love is the greatest way to apply Christian doctrine. Without love, we are just noise [ref. 1 Cor 13:1].
May our transformation as Christians radiate grace and love each day we have the breath of life on this earth.
