Your obligation to love ...


Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. -Romans 13:8-10 NLT

The Ten Commandments embody the idea of loving God and loving each other. As Paul indicates here no one steals from another if they love them. Neither do they murder them or commit adultery with that person's spouse. When someone gossips or bears false testimony they prove that they do not love the one that they malign. In the same way a person proves that they do not love God when they treasure earthly things more than they esteem God.

Love can do what no written law can ever do. Love compels us to do things that cannot be listed in written documents. In the gospels Jesus consistently contrasted divine love with Mosaic Law. When a woman caught in the act of adultery was brought to him he showed us the weakness of that law. All walked away from judging this woman by stoning because none were free of sin. Perhaps we can only love when we first understand that we are all sinners?

Lord Jesus, conquer our desire to sin and help us to love the way that you love.


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