Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,”“You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Vs 8, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Some Christians see this verse as a blanket prohibition against all borrowing. Yet remember, the context of the verse is about paying taxes, not avoiding debt. Our taxes are a debt we are all obligated to pay. And here’s what people do – they make a huge deal out of the first half of the verse “owe no one anything,” and ignore the later half, “except to love one another.”
We are to Certainly pay what we owe, but remember our debt of love is never paid. If we love other people the way God has loved us we’ll be perpetual debtors. “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Here, Paul lists the second tablet of the Ten Commandments – how we are to treat our fellow man. Realize, the commandments and Law were given because God wanted the Hebrews to know what love looked like… But once Jesus put His love in our hearts all the written rules were obsolete. Love fulfilled the Law. Real love won’t lust after a neighbor’s wife, or kill another person, or steal, or lie. Real Love gives, not takes.
Verse 11, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” God intends for His Church – in the first century and in the 21st century – to live our lives in light of an overshadowing truth – (Jesus is coming back!) This is what Paul and the first century church believed. And this is what we should believe today.
Once a little boy heard the grandfather clock malfunction. It chimed fifteen times. The boy shouted, “Mommy, mommy, it’s later than it’s ever been before.” And that’s certainly what we can say today! We see signs of the end times all around us… a proliferation of natural disasters, the rebirth of Israel, globalism, unity in Europe, hostility toward the Jews, a desire to build a third Temple in Jerusalem, An economy that is close to going belly up, wars and rumors of wars etc. etc… But wherever we are on God’s timeline, there’s one certainty – it is later than it’s ever been before.
Look at it this way, even if you don’t believe in the soon return of the Lord Jesus, Time is running out if for no other reason than we’re getting older every single day. Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. If you’re going to make a splash for Jesus you better start now! Wait much longer and it’ll be too late! Verse 12, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.”
Let’s ask ourselves some tough heartfelt questions shall we! When Jesus returns, what do you want him to find you doing? do you want to be drunk? What if the last trumpet blows, Do you want to be found flirting with a woman who’s not your wife? Or a man who is not your husband? What if Jesus appeared while you were on the phone stirring up some juicy gossip? Beloved, it’s way past time to get serious about living for Jesus!
That’s why Paul says “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” to “put on Jesus” means to develop a new identity – a new mind-set – it’s geared around spiritual pursuits, not sinful lusts. Christianity in a nutshell is “make no provision for the flesh” – that is, cast off old habits and sinful desires – and “put on Christ” – live dead to sin and alive to God.
The day of His coming is nearer than when you first believed. Soon we’ll be out of here!
Amen
Victor Tafoya
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