October 19, 2018
I. Owe. You.
Romans 13:6–10
Paul Gittemeier
Central Truth
Love (the verb) is something we do—actions, thoughts, and words. Love (the noun) is something we enjoy, take pleasure in, or are attracted to. If done intentionally and repeatedly, the verb will produce the noun. Today’s Journey focuses on the verb.
Romans 13:6–10
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
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. 9 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.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Dive Deeper | Romans 13:6–10
Today’s key verse describes a debt from which we will never be free—our obligation to love others. Romans 13:9 goes a step further in its command to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn this is one of the two great commandments, right behind “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:31).
Some time ago, while reading the second-best publication of all time (Reader’s Digest), I learned there are three classes of people: Haves, Have-Nots, and Have-Not-Paid-For-What-They-Haves. I’m all three, but let’s focus on the third. I haven’t paid for the most valuable thing I have—the fullness and freedom of a restored relationship with God, produced by His unconditional love as demonstrated through Christ’s death on the cross. My debt to Him—love others AS I LOVE MYSELF.
This is good for everyone, because I love me some me! I find self-denial counterintuitive, and I am an accomplished grace extender . . . to myself. I am gifted at evaluating me as the “game-over” version of what I wish to become, while evaluating others as just starting on their (long) journey to perfection.
Love others as I love myself? Whaaaat? Ouch! How? Here are some excellent ideas: The “One Anothers” In Scripture. (Note: I’m UNABLE to find biblical support for my all-too-familiar methods of engaging those around me: scrutinize one another, shame one another, humble one another, judge one another, marginalize one another.) Self-love is the standard for loving others. If we embrace God’s Word, we must love them as instructed.
Now back to us “Have-Not-Paid-For-What-They-Haves.” In God’s amazing way, we’re not asked to give something we haven’t freely and abundantly received, “[J]ust as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)
One final observation—we often use likes, follows, and comments to our social mania posts as a means of gauging how others see us, but Jesus offers a pretty clear assessment method: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
Love others. It matters to them, and it matters to God.
This month's memory verse
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
– Romans 12:18
Discussion Questions
If you’re still with us, this is the section where The Journey morphs from preachin’ to meddlin’. It’s tempting to close down and move on to your next task, but please, please take one more look at this list: The “One Anothers” In Scripture. It provides fantastic marriage advice, relational hygiene instruction, and a how-to list for personal attitude adjustment.
1. If the people you encounter today loved themselves as you love them, would that be a good thing?
2. What is the difference between liking people and loving them?
3. Today’s praises are often yesterday’s prayer requests. What praises come to mind that wouldn’t be yours tomorrow unless you thanked God for them today?
4. Many great people of faith have provided simple, yet profound wisdom about loving others.
- Jim Elliott: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
- Rick Warren: “The way you store up treasure in heaven is by investing in getting people there.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
- Max Lucado: “Those in Christ’s circle had no doubt of his love; those in our circles should have no doubt about ours.”
- A Church Sign: “That loving others thing, I meant that!” –God.
Share with us an inspirational quote about loving or serving others in the “Comments” section.