“Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:7-10
Paul did not want God’s people to be burdened with debt. There were certain behaviors owed because of civic duty, but those in the church were to incur no outstanding debts that would beholden them to others or hinder their ministry. To show respect and pay obligations were expected, but among their brothers and sisters in Christ no debt was to be ongoing save that to love one another. (Proverbs 22:7)
Any debt is a weight, causing compulsion to pay in a way that never ends. Jesus came to take on our greatest burden and pay it in our stead so we can be free to live and serve and love, under no condemnation. The love we owe others issues from Christ’s ongoing love to us. In the mystery of divine economy, though we owe nothing for salvation, we owe Him everything- obedience, love, joyful submission. As we understand the debt He incurred on our behalf, we will desire to repay Him, in gratitude for His priceless gift, with our all. (Mark 14:3-9; Romans 8:1)
“What gift of love could I offer to a King
What weight or worth could be held within my offering
When He alone is worthy
A glory song is inscribed upon my heart
This treasure held in an alabaster jar I break
To bring Him all the glory
What sacrifice could be equal to His own
The cross of Christ has declared that there is nought I owe
Yet I know I owe Him all.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below.” ~Chris Davenport, Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood (2019)
What worldly debts that hinder my ability to serve and love well is the Lord calling me to resolve? How can I increase my love to others by care, tenderness, compassion, generosity? What measure of gratitude to Christ will I pay forward to another, in His love, today?
“I hear the Savior say,
‘Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.’
Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.
For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.
And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
‘Jesus died my soul to save,’
My lips shall still repeat.
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.” ~Elivina Hall (1865)
Lord, may I ever love you, and others, by Your grace and in Your fulness.
As the rain and snow 