Owe Nothing but Love

Last time we spoke about our attitude toward the government and about paying our taxes, today we return to our calling to love and hope. Let us pick up in Romans 13: 8-14

Romans 13:8–14 TLV

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the Torah. For the commandments—“You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and any other commandment—are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of the Torah. Besides this, you know the time—that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first came to trust. The night is almost gone and the day is near, so let us put off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the day—not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and envy. Instead, put on the Lord Messiah Yeshua, and stop making provision for the flesh—for its cravings.

Owe Nothing Except Love

Paul has just discussed the respect and honor that we owe toward those who are in authority. He has also has spoken about paying our taxes. Paul now pivots back to speaking about the relationship we should have between one another.

I have often heard of love being spoken of in terms of finances. We often make deposits of love into those around us. And sometimes we also make withdrawals when we hurt or injure them. Paul seems to be using a similar metaphor. Throughout Scripture, financial debt is never spoken of in a good light. Sometimes it might be necessary, but it is never desirable. As it says in Prov. 22:7

Proverbs 22:7 TLV

The rich rule over the poor, the borrower is a slave to the lender.

Paul also agrees that we should not be in debt to anyone, but instead focuses on the one commodity that it is absolutely acceptable to owe others, and that is “Love.” Would it surprise you to learn that the word for love here is “agapao”? This word for “love” means:

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. ἀγαπάω

to have a warm regard for and interest in another; to have high esteem for or satisfaction with something, or to practice/express love

Paul then goes on to say that the one who loves has fulfilled the Torah, and point to the Commands of the 10 that deal with our relationship toward other people. Love always does what is in the best interest of the other person, but how are we to know what will bring harm to our neighbor? Are there things that might bring short-term pleasure, but a long-term pain and destruction? Is it possible for someone to claim to be “led by the Spirit” but in reality they are simply doing what they “feel” is best?

Maybe another way of asking the questions is this: Do we love God because he has commanded us to? Or do we obey God because we love Him? David Stern puts it this way:

The Jewish New Testament Commentary Romans, Chapter 13

Messianic Jews live with that tension. But so do Gentile Christians, and likewise non-Messianic Jews. For even the most orthodox Jew, even one who, for the sake of argument, knows every halakhic decision ever made, would, as a practical matter, have to reach his own conclusions as to what the Law requires of him, at least in boundary-line situations; and if, at such moments, he is not operating in love, his decisions will be wrong. Conversely, an approach which disregards legal rules and precedents guarantees a lower standard of ethical action, since each individual will have to “reinvent the wheel” as he rediscovers for himself accumulated wisdom and expertise.

I think the best position avoids both the wooden application of law and the unreliability of subjective love-feelings. It combines the sensitivity of Spirit-inspired love (which is more than a mere feeling; it implies loving action) with respect for ethical instruction, halakhah and other law, seeking to draw from the full complement of God-given human and supernatural resources the right and loving responses in all circumstances.

Greatest Commandment

There are multiple places where Yeshua spoke about the love that we should demonstrate. We all know the passage in Mark 12:28-34 where Yeshua points out that the greatest commandment is to “Love Adonai with all our hearts”, and to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” But what does it actually mean to command us to love God? When we think of love, we all know instinctively that love is always a choice. In fact, whenever we feel compelled to love, we start to wonder if the love has twisted into something different. I want to look at a passage in Mark that is a couple of chapters earlier. In fact, Paul may have been recounting the oral tradition of this passage in Mark 10:17-31

Mark 10:17–31 TLV

As Yeshua was setting out on His way, a man ran up to Him, fell on his knees before Him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call Me good?” Yeshua said to him. “No one is good except One—that is God. You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,’ do not cheat, ‘honor your father and mother.’ ” The man responded, “Teacher, all these I have kept since my youth!” Looking at him, Yeshua loved him and said, “One thing you lack. Go, sell as much as you have, and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” But at this statement, the man became sad and went away grieving, for he had much property. Then looking around, Yeshua says to His disciples, “How hard it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at His words. But Yeshua answers again and says to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” The disciples were even more astonished, saying among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Yeshua said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God!” Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we’ve left everything to follow You!” “Amen, I tell you,” Yeshua replied, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the sake of the Good News, who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and property, along with persecutions; and in the olam ha-ba, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Yeshua was calling this young man to a life of sacrificial love. Yeshua will always contend to be the first place in our lives. Do we give Him preference over anything else? Is there something in our lives that is taking priority? To love someone is to put their desires and needs over our own. This is true in our families, and it is true with the Lord, Yeshua. What is it that Yeshua is asking of us? Notice that what Yeshua asks of this young man was to pour out his wealth on the impoverished around him as a way of demonstrating his love for Yeshua? Just like John would later write in 1 John 4:20-21

1 John 4:20–21 TLV

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him: that the one who loves God should also love his brother.

Hope

Paul said in Romans 8:24 “For in hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?” Now Paul uses vs 11 to 14 to speak of hope, but without even using the word. Hope is all about perspective. Do we have our eyes fixed only on Yeshua?

When I was thinking about this, I got this picture in my mind. When we focus only on ourselves we get the self-centered behavior that Paul speaks about: drunkenness, promiscuity, sensuality, strife and envy. Paul is most likely writing this letter from the city of Corinth, and would have been surrounded with this sort of behavior. It sounds very much like today, doesn’t it?

Now putting our eyes on others is not enough. That is why the Command to love our neighbor as ourselves is second, not first. We could find our hearts still filled with unforgiveness, envy and despair.

However when we set our focus on Yeshua, we are reminded of the forgiveness that we have received. (By the way, that helps us extend forgiveness to others as well.) We are reminded by Paul in 1 Timothy 6:6 “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”

And when it comes to looking at the future, Paul reminds his listeners that “the night is almost gone”. Paul is referring to pain of the present being temporary and that the Glory of the Kingdom of God is nearer to us today than ever before! When we are in this place, we can look toward the future with hope, because Yeshua, who is calling us, has already been through the fire, and He has come through to the other side. We are also able to encourage others. As Paul says in 1 Cor. 13:12-13

1 Corinthians 13:12–13 TLV

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. But now these three remain— faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.

When Yeshua was encouraging His talmidim the night he was betrayed, He told them in John 14:1-4

John 14:1–4 TLV

“Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be. And you know the way to where I am going.”

Yeshua spoke to them about the hope which was to come, and Paul does the same in Phil. 3:12-21

Philippians 3:12–21 TLV

Not that I have already obtained this or been perfected, but I press on if only I might take hold of that for which Messiah Yeshua took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself as having taken hold of this. But this one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua. Therefore let all who are mature have this attitude; and if you have a different attitude in anything, this also God will reveal to you. Nevertheless, let us live up to the same standard we have attained. Brothers and sisters, join in following my example and notice those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. (For many walk who are enemies of the cross of Messiah—I have often told you about them, and now I am even weeping as I tell you. Their end is destruction—their god is their belly and their glory is in their shame. They set their minds on earthly things.) For our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. He will transform this humble body of ours into the likeness of His glorious body, through the power that enables Him even to put all things in subjection to Himself.

Put on Yeshua

This brings us to our conclusion for today. Paul wants us to focus on Yeshua. He has been speaking about taking things off and putting things on. Now he concludes by telling the believers to Romans 13:14 “Put on the Lord Messiah Yeshua!” I always get the idea of Yeshua in all His glory, covering us so that all that anyone else sees when they look at us is Yeshua. David Stern points to how this idea of clothing ourselves in Yeshua comes from Isa. 61:10

Isaiah 61:10 TLV

I will rejoice greatly in Adonai. My soul will be joyful in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me in a robe of righteousness— like a bridegroom wearing a priestly turban, like a bride adorning herself with her jewels.

This is the passage that Yeshua read in Natzeret, and explained, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your ears.” Luke 4:20. As we go from this place today, let us walk while being clothed in Yeshua.

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