Owing Love When Jesus Is the Standard of Love

October 16, 2018

Owing Love When Jesus Is the Standard of Love

Romans 13:8

Nicole Sims

Central Truth

Because Jesus loved us enough to completely pay the debt for our sin by His death on the cross, we should live our lives paying others this debt of love with a kind of love that only comes from God.

Fulfilling the Law Through Love

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

I love listening to Brant Hansen, a Christian radio personality. He often poses hilarious questions such as, "Would you rather get a $10,000 gift card to Cracker Barrel or grow an inch?" While God doesn't ask us if we would rather owe $10,000 or love, I sometimes wish He would.

The truth is that owing love can be more difficult than owing money. We know what love is because Jesus showed it to us on the cross (1 John 3:16). It means laying down your life for another. It means those things in 1 Corinthians 13 that we read at weddings (being patient, kind, etc.), but struggle to do for the person we choose to love most in this world. It can also mean sharing truth that someone doesn't want to hear. Loving like Jesus can get you hated, mistreated, and misunderstood. But God still calls us to love. That is the way Jesus lived, and He fulfilled all of the law and prophets.

God gives His followers the power to love others. The world notices when people forgive murderers; forgive adulterers; overcome evil with good; care for widows, orphans, and the poor; and choose to love those the Lord puts in their paths daily. Romans 13:8 echoes Jesus' message that our love for others sets us apart as His followers (John 13:34-35).

I was once in a dispute in which feelings were deeply hurt on all sides. I desired to honor God, but my own pain and baggage made it difficult to know how to do that. One friend asked me how I would treat someone who hadn't hurt me and challenged me to love the person who had hurt me the same way. That clarified how to love as this verse directs. The love I gave was not easy to give, and it was not received well. But I trusted the Lord with the consequences and believed that His way of love was the best way. Because Jesus loves us enough to show us how to love, I can live owing love to others; and you can, too.

This month's memory verse

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

– Romans 12:18

1. When considering those who have hurt us deeply, paying $10,000 might seem like an easy alternative to loving the offending person. Can you think of someone whom you would rather owe a monetary debt than owe love as God requires? What would it look like if you chose to love that person through forgiveness as Jesus has forgiven you? (Love does not mean that there is no consequence for hurtful behavior or that your relationship will be reconciled. Check out this Real Truth Real Quick for more guidance: http://realtruthrealquick.com/forgiveness.)

2. Do you fear loving others because it might not be well received or returned? What does the Bible say will happen to followers of Jesus? (Read John 16:33, John 15:20, and Matthew 5:10-11.)

3. Jesus loved you enough to die for you while you were still a sinner so that you can be a part of His family forever (Romans 5:8). Does this change your view of what love is and to whom you should show it?