Romans 13:8-14

New King James Version

Love Your Neighbor

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,” [a]“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.

Put on Christ

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. 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. 13 Let us walk [b]properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

 

Happy Monday!

I am still reading in Romans and it never ceases to amaze me how the Word of God, from so very long ago, could and should shape and change our lives completely!

As we look around us today and see so much division and hate, just look at how verses 8 through 10 could totally change everything!  Verse 9 says “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”.    This is saying, first off, that we need to love ourselves.  Sometimes, we forget how many people do not love themselves.

There is no doubt in my mind that there are many reasons for this.  The big one though, that probably encompasses all the others, is they have never known the love of Jesus Christ.  If you truly know the love of Jesus, it takes you right back to verses 8 through 10 and culminates in verse 10.  Once you understand you are a child of the one true, most high God, everything changes!

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

 For me, Verses 11 through 14 serve as a reminder.  A reminder that we are loved by God, and we should love like God.  If we finally realize that we don’t have to live any other way, outside His love, then we can finally begin to live in love.  If we have been made new and are living sacrifices, then God’s love should pour from us!

God is love and the spirit of the living God is within us!  Shine your light for the world to see in whatever way God has called us to!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois