Indebted to Love

Romans 13:8 

⁸ Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

As of 2017 the average American is approximately $280,000 in debt including mortgages, credit cards auto loans and student loans.  That is a staggering number!  It seems Americans have become accustom to owing other people a lot of money.  Debt has become the American way of life and unfortunately this is no different in the Church either.  Actually, Christians are just as eager to go into debt in order to acquire the glint of yet another earthly treasure as anyone else.  This is just another symptom of a greater problem within the Church…we have our priorities mixed up (in more ways than just one).  Romans 13:8 tells us that the only debt we should carry should be the debt to constantly love one another.  Yet it seems it seems Christians are eager to carry any and all sorts of debts except the debt of love.  Do you truly love your neighbor?  If your neighbor is an unbeliever the greatest act of love you can show them is by sharing the truth of the Gospel with them.  If you are unwilling to share the gospel with them, then you do not love them (inviting them to church, saying “Jesus loves you”, or being nice to them IS NOT the Gospel).  Who else is your neighbor?  Your neighbor is a friend who has offended you.  If you are unwilling to forgive them and reconcile then you do not love them.  Your neighbor is a Christian who is in need.  If you are unwilling to help them you do not love them.  Your neighbor is your spouse who has messed up for the hundredth time.  If you keep a record of wrongs then you do not love them.  The truth is, your neighbor is every person you come in contact with, not just those whom you are comfortable being around.  It is time for professing Christians to love the way God has called us to.  To be a bold witness for Christ, to stand up for truth in a depraved society, to forgive and reconcile, to resist the temptation to divorce, to be patient, kind and merciful even when we don’t think others deserve it.  If you are a professing Christian and you do not love the way God has called you to, or even know how God has called you to love, then you are not who you claim to be.  God is love, and His children will take in the characteristics of their heavenly Father.  Do you look like the Father?

Yours in Christ,

Pastor John