ROMANS UNWRAPPED 208

"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.   For this, THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, THOU SHALT NOT KILL, THOU SHALT NOT STEAL, THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, THOU SHALT NOT COVET; and if there be any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF.   Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."       Romans 13v8-10

Not only are we to recompense the state for the work that they do, we are to pay back the debts that we owe to everyone.   This should not be taken as a scripture against borrowing; few of us can live without borrowing, and there is no suggestion we should not do it, simply that we should pay it back.   There is however a debt that we owe to our fellows, which will never be repaid, and that is a debt of love.   The N.I.V. renders this  "let no debt remain outstanding"; the warning in Proverbs 22v7 should be heeded.   The greater debt that we all owe is to love our neighbour, in return for, and as an evidence of, God loving us.   In summary, the Christian is to be right with God, right with the church, right with the state, and right with his neighbour.   In support of this Paul quotes the second of the two main commandments of the law as above.   This is the part of the law which demands love to our fellow human beings, and the practical way in which this will be evident.   Jesus in the gospel of Matthew 19v34-40 summarized the whole law in two parts.   The first great commandment was to LOVE GOD; the second, said He  "is like unto it"  LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.   He then says  "on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."  

Notice the order "love God" then "love your neighbour."   I cannot love my neighbour unless I love God.   The evidence that I love God is that I will love my neighbour.   I will not break my covenant with them, I will not take their lives, I will not relieve them of their possessions, I will not lie about them, I will not envy them for anything that they have.   The law of God and indeed the law of man in the present can be summed up like this; I will not do anything that will cause my neighbour personal injury or personal loss.   This is the very basic requirement of life, but there is more.

The standard once again is set by Jesus  "Thou shalt love thy neighbour AS THYSELF."   This of course needs little explanation, since we all know what it is to love ourselves.   To quote the words of Paul  "No man ever yet hated his own flesh."  Ephesians 5v29   Says Paul in that passage we love our own selves by nourishing and cherishing our bodies.   So should we act towards others.   In Matthew chapter 7 the Lord Jesus quoted the GOLDEN RULE   "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.; for this is the law and the prophets."   Matthew 7v12   Thus there need be no doubt as to the standard that this is applying, I should be to others as I would wish them to be towards me.   This practice is described by the apostle James as "THE ROYAL LAW"  James 2v8.   People who are "royals" in this world are trained to be of a different class of behaviour to the rest of us.   The world is crying out for true "royal behaviour."   We have had enough of low class behaviour we need more of better class people around us.   We Christians have the ability to act like princes and princesses, like royalty, in our lives.

Paul closes this section by saying "love works no ill to your neighbour:" therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."   In practical terms I am to meet his every need.   This will involve praying for him, preaching the gospel to him, where possible, providing for his every need.   The greatest example of this in the bible is the story of the good Samaritan in Luke 10v31-36.   Jesus was asked the question "who is my neighbour?"   In the context of this chapter  "who is the one or ones I have to love in both a negative and a positive way?"   The story goes something like this:

• It was a chance meeting  "as he journeyed" something that could happen at any time.
• The victim was a Jew, the helper was a Samaritan.   They were enemies historically and religiously.
• All the Samaritan saw was a human being needing urgent help.
• He tended to his wounds pouring in oil and wine.
• He brought him to an inn where he could recover.
• He remained with him as long as he could.
• When he had to leave he left money to pay for his keep.
• He promised the innkeeper to pay for any extra.

This was Jesus answer to the question who is my neighbour?   My neighbour is any human being who needs my help and I have the power to give it.   This is the debt of love that we owe to everyone, because this is the love that we have received of God. The world would be a better place if we all treated others as we do ourselves. Only by God's grace can we do it.