We all have obligations. Some are formal, like a bank loan or a business contract. Other obligations are informal, such as caring for children or fulfilling a promise. Our next step in Romans says something startling about debt, obligations, and owing something to others.
“Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:8–10, CSB)
In the previous verses, Paul talks about the need to cover our obligations. “Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.” (Romans 13:7, CSB) So, to make the main point of verse 8 about avoiding all debt would be a bit out of step. Paul’s point, which echoes Jesus’ teaching, is about the higher obligation to love one another.
Loving one another fulfills the obligations of keeping God’s commands. It doesn’t wipe the commandments away, but through living a life of love through Christ, we avoid breaking those commands. There is no love in murder, adultery, stealing, or coveting. Neither is there love in backbiting, gossip, or manipulating someone to get your way. Loving your neighbor as yourself makes those things unpalatable.
Loving one another is a debt that is never finished. We never get to the point where we can kick back and say, “I’m done, I’ve loved enough.” How do we find the will to continue? Paul answers in verses 11-14.
“Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.” (Romans 13:11–14, CSB)
Know the times we live in, discard (take off) the deeds of the flesh, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, which is like putting on the armor of light. We can’t fulfill the debt of loving one another without putting on Christ. (Also consider Colossians three, where Paul goes into greater depth). We simply don’t have the stuff, but Christ in us does have all that is needed to fulfill this obligation.
Romans Applied. It’s not easy to love one another. Can we admit that? People do and say stupid stuff. People sin against us or even use us spitefully. Christ’s command isn’t about loving only those who love us; it extends to those who hate us and those we have problems with. That is the whole point of the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
We can obey Christ’s command only through Him and His love for us. Jesus loves us; we love in return, and abiding in that love, we have the resources to love one another.
- Romans Applied – Debt of Love - September 16, 2026
- Romans Applied – Debt of Honor - September 9, 2026
- Romans Applied – Christian Life - September 2, 2026
