LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

Passage: Romans 13:8-14

Key verse: 9b

NIV

Love Fulfills the Law

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.(A) 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a](B) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up(C) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](D) 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.(E)

The Day Is Near

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come(F) for you to wake up from your slumber,(G) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.(H) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness(I) and put on the armor(J) of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,(K) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.(L) 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,(M) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[c](N)

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Footnotes
  1. Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21
  2. Romans 13:9 Lev. 19:18
  3. Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Fulfilling the Law Through Love

8 (A)Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for (B)the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, (C)“You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: (D)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore (E)love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you (F)to wake from sleep. (G)For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 (H)The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us (I)cast off (J)the works of darkness and (K)put on the armor of light. 13 (L)Let us walk properly as in the daytime, (M)not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, (N)not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But (O)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, (P)to gratify its desires.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Let no debt remain outstanding (8-1 ) It is not just the governing authorities we should pay what we owe them. Anytime we owe anyone anything, we should discharge that debt. But there is one exception. Our debt of love is never paid off. We can never love someone for a certain time period and then say, "I have paid my debt. I no longer need to love you!" Our debt of love is continual. By loving others, we fulfill the requirements of the law. Loving someone never does them any harm. "Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law." (1 ) 2. Understand the present time (11-14) We don't just blindly love others. We love others with the understanding of the nearness of our salvation. It is closer today than it has ever been. Tomorrow it will be even closer. The night is almost over, the Day is almost here. So, we should stop sinning and behave decently, as God meant us to. No more drunkenness or dissension or jealousy. Rather let us clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not think about how to gratify our sinful natures. We are new in Christ! Let us gratify him!

Prayer: Lord, let us put on the armor of Christ. Help us behave decently as if our salvation were coming today.

One Word: Clothe yourself with Christ