love and the law

So love has nothing to do with the law ... right?

And, what does Romans 13 say when it says that "... owe no man any thing, but to love one another ..."

Is this a new law?

Some context please

Paul writes in Romans 13, addressing those called (ekklesia), yet living under Roman law, those Christians subject to Roman law.

Who is this?

Well, during the time this letter was written, it was everyone in Europe, the Middle-East, the East and even parts of Africa.

The Roman empire was (and is) a vast and mighty empire with little to no tolerance for any kind of transgression or rebellion against it's statutes and laws. Many Christians wondered if they, being under the Perfect-Law-of-Liberty in Christ Jesus (see here and here), should abide or put up with these harsh earthly laws that were by nature biased and highly discriminatory.

To address the question and at the same time, speaking to the dogmatic Jew-law-abiding-society, Paul wrote this monumental letter we refer to as Romans to address this and many other matters.

The Light of the world that separates you from the darkness.

Look at Him shine. It is a letter written to us for today.

A different perspective on Romans 13

I quote Romans 13:8-14 from the Mirror Bible:

Remain debt free; the only thing we owe the world is our love. This is the essence of the law.

Love makes it impossible for you to commit adultery, or to kill someone, or to steal from someone, speak evil of anyone, or to covet anything that belongs to someone else. Your only option is to esteem a fellow human with equal value to yourself.

Everything love does is to the advantage of another; therefore, love is the most complete expression of what the law requires.

You must understand the urgency and context of time; it is most certainly now the hour to wake up at once out of the hypnotic state of slumber and unbelief. Salvation has come. It was night for long enough; the day has arrived. Cease immediately with any action associated with the darkness of ignorance. Clothe yourself in the radiance of light as a soldier would wear his full weaponry. (The night is far spent, 1, as a smith forges a piece of metal until he has hammered it into its maximum length.)

Our lives exhibit the kind of conduct consistent with the day, in contrast to the parade of the night of intoxicated licentiousness and lust, with all the quarrels and jealousy it ignites. (The word, 1, refers to a nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honor of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends; hence used generally to describe feasts and drinking parties that are protracted late into the night and indulge in revelry.)

By being fully clothed in Christ makes it impossible for the flesh to even imagine to find any further expression or fulfillment in lust. Jesus is Lord of your life. (, fully immersed in the consciousness of the Christ-life, as defining you.)

It is all about fulfillment

The original text says that Love is the fulfillment (plēroō) of the law.

Plēroō is the Greek word used for fulfillment. Strong's Concordance gives the meaning of the word to mean: to make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.: - accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.

Take a minute ... think about it ...

Contentment is found only in Jesus!

Fulfillment makes transgressing impossible

Love is the fulfillment of the law. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law.

If we have Jesus, we have the fulfillment of the law. If we have Jesus, we do not need the law.

The law will name and shame you. It pronounces you guilty and convicts you.

Jesus inscribes your name on His heart and esteems you. He pronounces you innocent and sets you free.

Jesus is better than the law, because He has attributes that the law does not have - mercy and grace and love and salvation and honour and healing and provision and security and no-more-shame and no-more-spot-or-blemish and consecration and each-and-every-good-and-perfect-gift and perfect-peace ...

Not only does He completely fulfill the law, but He goes way beyond the law.

Why?

For the joy set before Him ... you! Heb 12:2

What does Paul say about earthly laws then?

He says don't fret yourself with the cares and thorns an thistles of this world. Abide to the laws of this world and do whatever they require of you, however unfair and discriminatory they may be ... because you have already received the fulfillment of what is right and wrong - you have Jesus!

Behold and be at peace!