Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. (ESV)

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. (NIV)

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. (NLT)

Dive Deeper:

“Freedom is not being able to do whatever you want to do. True freedom is choosing to do what you ought to do.” - Mark Vance

A few years ago I went on a mission trip to Kenya. I was there for nearly 8 weeks living amongst college students there, sharing the gospel and getting involved with student ministries on different campuses. This trip changed my life and I will always remember it. But one of the most potent memories I have of this trip was not in Kenya at all; it was when I came home. 

I flew back in just before July 4th weekend and I remember barely being able to catch my breath before I was smacked in the face with red, white, and blue celebration. I always loved the Fourth of July but this one was different. With every American flag shirt I saw and firework that lit up the sky, all I could think of was my Kenyan friends; brothers and sisters who used buckets to bathe with; who ate once a day, twice if they were lucky; whose government is blatantly corrupt and who experience severe socioeconomic and tribal divides. I couldn’t help but be simultaneously upset with the things I take for granted in America and thankful for the good things in my life. It burdened me knowing all the freedoms I have here and the lack thereof in Kenya. 

I don’t say this to force guilt upon us who live in America. I love living here and I am really thankful for our freedoms. I say all of this to make this point: our freedom should lead to action. In America, we often talk about and even celebrate our freedom. But what are we DOING with that freedom? 

It’s easy as Christians to talk about the freedoms we have in Christ yet seldom do we promote the things we are obligated to do. We should be deeply thankful for the freedom that we have in Christ. We are set free from darkness and sin, we are no longer bound to it! But we are not free for freedom’s sake. 

Paul in our passage is encouraging the Roman church to acknowledge and submit to governing authorities and pay taxes. Immediately after, he gives us our verse: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Besides this being good financial advice to avoid debts, Paul is making the inference that we actually OWE love to others. The NIV says it like this: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” 

Christ set us free not so that we would run around jobless and sing kumbaya every day. He set us free to love others. This is not a suggestion or a nice thing to hang in our dining room. This is a command. Debts have to be paid. You are obligated by law to do so and if you don’t you will incur penalties and punishments on yourself. Loving others is not recommended for the Christian; it is required. No exceptions, no nuances. Paul says in Colossians 3:13, “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you MUST also forgive.” 

Freedom comes with an obligation to act. Freedom in Christ comes with an obligation to love. Let us be a people who always love others as if they are OWED it… because they are. 

Written by Garrett Belzer