Love: Our Debt, Our Duty

Introduction

We are working through Romans 13

This chapter is a continuation of the ideas found if 12 where Paul is disusing what it means to be a Christian and how that looks. What it means to be a disciple of Jesus the Christ.

Because we live in the end of the age. He seemed to think it would happen during his lifetime, but we are told that no one knows the hour. But because we live in the age because we are believers in Jesus the Christ, Because we are Christians we should be living and behaving in a certain Godly manner. While we wait to go home. While we wait to be made new, while we wait to the restoration of humanity to what it was supposed to be in the Garden Where we can be in the presence of God.

Last week he talked about submission to the ruling authorities as we are living sacrifices

Romans 13:8-10

Romans 13:8–10 NIV

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

As living Sacrifices Paul now turns to another law.

The Law of Love for one another.

Living respectfully toward the king (Authorities) and loving one’s fellowman are the two dimensions of every person’s public life.

If there is a key word in verses 1–7 it is “submit” (vv. 1, 5), which contains within it the range of words such as “honor,” “respect,” and “obey.”

When it comes to one’s fellowman. Paul draws upon a range of words found in the Ten Commandments given by God to Israel through Moses.

He summarizes all those words in the operative word love.

In light of the previous verses dealing with society and governance at large, it would seem his focus is still on the wider scope of Christian responsibility. It is not Christian to love fellow church members while hating a pagan neighbor.

No, Paul is saying something larger to the believers in Rome: “The way to open doors for the gospel in Rome is to Love.

We are on a kingdom mission of spreading the gospel, not morally rehabilitating the Roman Empire or its citizens.

It isn’t about morality that comes, but that isn’t what it is about. It is about the Gospel in the book of Romans.

Obey the emperor and love your neighbors. If you do this you will live at peace and have greater opportunity to focus on the mission of the church

There is a certain paradox in Paul’s words: in order to get out of debt to the law we have to go into debt to love—we fulfill the law when we love.

Instead of focusing on what we could never do (perfectly meet the demands of the law), we are freed to focus on what we can always do (love one another).

Think about that.

You, me, we can’t obey the law perfectly. In our fallen state we will not be good enough. There is times we will mess up. There will be times when we don’t choose what God says is Good, instead choosing for ourselves.

When Christ reduced the Ten Commandments, which they themselves are summary of the whole moral law, Christ reduced them to two, he simplified the process of obeying God for the Pharisees.

Love God and Love your Neighbor. Something that you will hear me talk about that a lot because it is a summery of all the commands given in the Bible.

The Jewish leaders, the Pharisees, were more interested in the details and particularities of “how” to obey God than in actually obeying God, and reducing the details of the moral law to two simple statements removed their excuses: love God and love your neighbor (Matt. 22:34–40).

Paul does the same thing here reminding the Roman believers to be living sacrifices to fulfill the debt of the law through Love.

When Paul quotes four of the six commandments dealing with the neighbor, in an apparently in random order, he is saying that all commandments and laws and regulations governing one’s relationship with others are essentially commands to love your neighbor as yourself.

This summary command was initially taken by Christ (Matt. 22:39; see also Mark 12:31; Jas. 2:8; Gal. 5:14) from Leviticus 19:18 and coupled with the Shema, the great statement of Judaism that the Lord is one and to be loved with all the heart, soul, and strength (Deut. 6:5).

Loving one’s neighbor as oneself does not imply a self-focused infatuation with self. Rather, it is a simple way of saying, “Take care of your neighbor with the same natural motivation that you take care of yourself.”

And who is this neighbor that we are to feed and care for, that we are to love (love here is agapao, not phileo; the command is to sacrifice oneself, not be merely friendly or affectionate)?

It is the person who has a need that I can meet, according to Christ’s story in Luke 10.

A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and left him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, also passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to the man, bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, the Samaritan took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, asking him to look after the man and promising to reimburse any extra expense upon his return.

Luke 10:36–37 CSB

36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”

The reality is you can’t meet everyone needs. but be the neighbor to the ones you can meet. By showing mercy on them.

Next Steps

What does it look like to show mercy on your neighbor?

Help find a job

Give money

Feed

make extra for someone

show hospitality

pull the weeds they can’t

...

what does it look like to show mercy on your neighbor?

Bibliography

W., Jackson. Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2019.

Boa, Kenneth, and William Kruidenier. Romans. Vol. 6 of Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.

Chip, Ingram. R12 Living on the Edge Study Guide: Dare to Experience True Spirituality . New York: Howard Books, 2009.

Bruce, F. F. Romans: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 6 of Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985.

Questions for Further Discussion

According to the sermon, what is the key theme in Romans 13:1-7 regarding our behavior towards governing authorities?

What is the relationship between living respectfully towards authorities and loving one another according to Romans 13:8-10?

Why does the sermon mention a paradox in Paul's words regarding debt to the law and debt to love in Romans 13?

How does Paul simplify the process of obeying God by summarizing the moral law into loving God and loving your neighbor?

What is the theological significance of the command to 'love your neighbor as yourself' in relation to fulfilling the law, as discussed in the sermon?

How does the sermon connect the command to 'love your neighbor as yourself' with the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10?

How can we practically apply the concept of showing mercy on our neighbors in our daily lives, based on the sermon's teachings?

Why is it important to show mercy on our neighbors, and what are some specific actions mentioned in the sermon that demonstrate this mercy?

Reflecting on the sermon, how can prioritizing love for others over legalistic adherence to rules lead to a more fulfilling Christian life?

In what ways can teenagers actively demonstrate love for their neighbors, as encouraged by the sermon's message on fulfilling the law through love?