What Do I Owe You?

What do I owe you is the question. Paul says, 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. (Ro 13:8). The Message Bible says it this way: Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. (Ro 13:8). When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along (Ro 13:8).

So its clear to me I might owe you. No I did not borrow any money. I might owe you a thank you because you were kind to me. If so let me pay that debt. Thank you! So What do I Owe You? LOVE.

There is a law code- The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love. (Ro 13:9–10). MSG

Jesus made this clear in Matthew 22:37 and Luke 10:25 In Matthew the question was whats the greatest commandment. In Luke the question was what do to inherit eternal life?

In Matthew Jesus says: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mt 22:37–39).

In Luke The lawyer actually answers his own question. The lawyer says: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus said to him 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” . (Lk 10:27–28).

The lawyer was not satisfied. He attempted to justify himself by asking who is my neighbor. Jesus shares the parable of the Good Samaritan. After sharing the parable Jesus asked him: 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Lk 10:36–37).

We have a responsibility, an obligation, and a duty to LOVE. Can you just take a moment to think about a world full of LOVE! All of this violence would stop! Leviticus 19:18 clearly states: 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. (Le 19:18). 1 John 2:9-10 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. Let me add this (1 Jn 2:9–10) 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 Jn 2:11).

What does owing love look like?

First love is an action word.

It is not enough to say I love you or I love my neighbor. It requires some action on our part. Proverbs 3:27-28 27  Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. 28  Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. (Pr 3:27–28).

Sincere outreach and acts of kindness is a great way to show love. A great way of loving your neighbor as yourself.

Avoid adverse behavior

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.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Ro 13:9–10).

This is not new news Exodus 20:13-17 and Deuteronomy 5:17-21 are the words that God wrote on the tablets and gave to Moses. The first 4 commandments pertain to God and the last 6 pertain to our interaction with one another. Jesus said 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. . (Jn 14:15).

I know its difficult but we have to lean on the Holy Spirit. John 15 goes on to say: 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (Jn 14:16–21).

It prepares us for his return.

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. (Ro 13:11). For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, (Ro 13:11–13).

Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed. 2  Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast. (Is 56:1–2).