Romans 13:8-14

8: Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9: For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
10: Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11: Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.
12: The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13: Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
14: But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

*** 

Paul had just said to give to civil authorities what was due to them, whether in taxes or respect. He continued this thought applying it to their neighbors by saying not to owe anything to anyone. Love is the only debt we should have. It’s the one debt we must never think we’ve ‘paid off.’ He who loves does no wrong to others, therefore love fulfills the law of God. God’s intention has always been for us to maintain our good attitude and behavior not just when we’re alone, but in our interactions with others. This requires a God-like level of love with unselfishness and humility.

Paul quoted from the ten commandments in Exodus 20:13-17 and then from Leviticus 19:18 to say that all the law is fulfilled when you love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus also quoted this as the second greatest commandment with the first being to love God above all (Matthew 22:36-40).

Paul then encouraged them to do this because the time was short. The night was almost gone. The time of stumbling around in the dark—in sin—without an understanding of God’s plan of salvation was coming to an end. We need to put off all the dark deeds of the night and put on the armor of light—put on the Lord Jesus Christ who gives us victory over all darkness. It’s time to stop the lusts of the flesh from having a place in our lives, wake up and walk in the day. Each moment that goes by is closer to the manifestation of our salvation—whether with the passing of our lives, or the return of Jesus.

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