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Apr 04, 2025 06:00am

Paying the Debt of Love: A Lesson from Romans 13

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There she was. A thing of beauty. I had never dreamed I could have something so nice, but it could be mine for $8,000.

It was a late 90’s model Nissan Altima. I desperately needed a newer, dependable car. I had made a new friend that owned a wholesale car dealership, and this little champagne-colored beauty was on his lot.

My dad was with me when I first saw it. We walked around it, checked everything out, and for the most part, it seemed like it was in good working condition. I slid behind the wheel, and it felt good. At that moment, I knew I wanted that car. And if I get something in my head like that… whew! It’s hard for me to think of anything else!

But, $8,000. I didn’t have that kind of money. Back then, that was a lot!

My friend at the car lot helped me finance it, and my payment each month was $108. For a college kid, that was a lot, plus insurance had to be added.

But I was determined.

I now owed a debt, and I wanted that car to be free and clear. Most of my time, my attention, and my money were consumed with paying it off. I declined invitations to things so I could save money for the payments. When at work, I didn’t think about the hours so much or the work I had to do, as I did that car. There was something truly special about making that payment every month.

Romans 13:8-10
“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
9 The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Paul shared with the Roman believers and those of us who read the Scriptures today that the debt we owe to the Lord is to love one another.

To pay a debt, our time, our energy, our decisions are focused. It becomes a big part of our lives. We owed a HUGE debt that we could not pay. No matter how much we worked, how hard we tried, how much money or effort we put toward it, we could not pay the debt of sin. But Christ could. Because of His perfect, sinless sacrifice, He could pay the debt we owed.

So, what can we offer in return?

Love others as you love yourself.

That’s it.

How do we do that?

Just like Paul said, when we follow this commandment to love others, all the other commandments will fall under it. We won’t kill, steal, or cheat when we are showing love.

Especially if we are showing someone else the same care and attention we give to ourselves.

How can we show that kind of love to someone else today?

Share the love of Christ with them. Invest in them. Build a relationship. And offer to them the greatest gift you’ve ever received – salvation. Need help? Go to follow.lifeword.org and learn what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus and use it to lead someone else to the Lord.