Romans 13:8
Romans 13:8
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Despite following a command to pay taxes and pay off debts to others (Romans 13:6-7), Paul is not primarily concerned with money here. When Christ died on the cross for our sins, He paid the price for our sins in full. He shows us through His life, death, and resurrection what love is. We are permanently in debt to Christ for the lavish love and grace He has poured out on us. The only way we can even begin to repay this debt is by showing the same kind of lavish love and grace to others. We live in a world filled with envy, comparison, and jealousy. We tend to focus more on how we can use others to our advantage than on how we can help others. We try to earn more money not because we want to make this world a better place but because we want to surpass our neighbors and friends. Love, empathy, and compassion have disappeared. Do you have some additional time, and is your friend having an especially hard week? Offer to babysit their kids or drop off some dinner. All of us tend to get busy and pray general obligatory prayers. Every day, set aside some time for focused, purposeful prayer. Pray fervently and effectively for the specific circumstances faced by your family, friends, and enemies, too.
1 John 4:16
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Ephesians 3:17
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Hebrews 2:4
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.