Paul has just taught us to owe nothing to those in authority—not taxes, tolls, honor, or respect—but to give them what is due. God is showing us how to live in this world, paying our debts and, better yet, avoiding debt altogether. But there’s one debt we’ll always owe to those around us.
“Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
What a clever insight from Paul—and so true! This command echoes what the Pharisees and religious leaders knew as the summary of the Old Testament law. Remember when a religious leader asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life? Jesus asked him what he understood, and he replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Jesus affirmed he answered correctly. But why does loving our neighbor fulfill 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.”
When we love others above ourselves, we don’t harm them. We won’t commit adultery, breaking our covenant with God or causing another to break theirs with their spouse. We won’t harbor hate and murder someone. We won’t steal their things or covet what they have—instead, our love will delight in what they have been given. This applies to all the commandments—they’re truly summed up by “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
This is the one debt we owe everyone: love. God’s immeasurable love for us, shown through the sacrifice of His Son who died for us, calls us to pay this debt of love to everyone in our lives at all times. We’re to do no wrong to others, considering them better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). This means showing kindness to the neighbor who frustrates us, offering patience to a coworker who’s hard to work with, and extending forgiveness to a friend who’s let us down. Unlike taxes or respect to authorities, which we pay to owe nothing, this debt of love we should always owe, keeping it as a daily commitment to reflect God’s love in every interaction.
When I love my neighbor as myself, I please God, do no harm, and fulfill the law. Do I owe this debt of love to those around me, reflecting God’s love for me? Let’s love others today, honoring God with this beautiful, unending debt.
