Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. (9) 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.” (10) Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.
The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Romans, and in this letter he provides a proper doctrinal foundation for Christian faith. In today’s verses Paul is writing of a call to commitment or service in response to divine grace. With the doctrinal foundation Paul provides in Romans, the commitment he urges should not be emotional – a Christian’s service involves both mind and body. Believing that God loves us and through Christ Jesus has pardoned us and offered justification to those who have faith, results in reconciliation with God – all at the initiation of God, not man.
Love as expressed by Paul in today’s verses is not a feeling but is a command to be obeyed. The cross was the ultimate demonstration of this love. Sin damaged man’s relationship with God and because of indwelling sin our default mode is to be selfish. It is a life long battle of loving God and others more and more – our sincere love for God becomes a sincere love for others. This is the message of the New Testament.
Transformed living is a result of true Christian belief – transformed daily living with our neighbors. God has given us the indwelling Holy Spirit to enable us to conform to the image of Christ. Biblical love must be holy – it is discerning. It hates what is evil, clings to what is good. This implies an objective knowable standard of what is evil and what is good – neither of which is relative or cultural. We are not commanded to like everyone but – being wise and discerning – we are to love our neighbor. Our motive is to help a person to grow in Godliness. Transformed living is a result of true Christian belief and because of the mercies of God our minds are renewed and we will become – remember this is a process – proof in practice of God’s good, acceptable and perfect will.