Romans 13:8-10 - The Centrality of Love

Romans 13:8-10 

8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGBOR AS YOURSELF." 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Message: The Centrality of Love

Time: Paul route to Rome, the city has never visited, from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57. The rights to a church that he believes needed to hear basic Gospel doctrine. The city was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idolatry. 

What the Lord is Saying:

September 7 

Love is the central focus of the believer in Christ. Jesus when asked as to the greatest commandment stated to love God and love your neighbor. It was not to love self but God and others. (Matthew 22:34-40). This is a somewhat simple practice or simple thing to do in our life each day. 

As in everything in our life — our definitions must come from God. Unfortunately, even love can be miss guided in our world today. A Muslim thinks to love God is to blow oneself up. Love often is sleeping with whoever you want or living together without making a covenant of marriage. People think there is love in preserving the happiness and well-being of the mother and yet killing an unwanted child (abortion). There is also the thought that love is ending life because of suffering or unwelcome situations (assisted suicide). 

But love must start and end with God and like everything in life God and his word must define our life. As we trust in God our Savior and commit our way to him, love manifests itself in us. 

Promise: Love and the law go hand in hand. We do not belong to God unless we love our neighbor, and we cannot love our neighbor without knowing and doing God‘s law and loving him.

Prayer: O God -let me always remember love and how I am to practices each day in the relationships that you provide to my life. And help me always to have a practice in me to love you and thank you for the gift of life that you’ve given me. Thank you for the love of God that reminds me how much I need you and how I am in capable of loving you and loving others apart from you. Without you I can do nothing. Keep teaching me love. Forgive me for my selfish ways. Make my motives pure.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of July is about the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God.

Bringing me to Christ

The Restraint of the Law - the law is given for lawless, unholy, disobedient people, to restrain us from acting on our sinful thoughts. Restraint and Guilt - the law is meant to restrain Christians and non-Christians alike; so that others may see Christ. The Law's Revelation of Sin - The Law reveals sin, at times making it more desirable, and show the sin which people commit and the complete standard it expects. The Law and Our Powerlessness - We are powerless over the Law and Sin revealed. It is in Christ that we receive forgiveness and the power to resist sin. The Law our Guardian - The law is not a tool of justifying me, but rather it is an instrument to bring me to Christ and show me my need for Him. 

Guiding our Lives

The Guidance of the Law - The Law is a guide in our lives for what pleases God and what it looks like to walk in holiness. The Antinomian Error - We were slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to obedience and righteousness. Judaizing Legalism - The error of Judaizing Legalism is the idea that obedience brings about God's acceptance of us for salvation. The Deadliest Form of Legalism - This legalism is that one would get too focused on external practices instead of focusing on the heart.