Only Love is Enough

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

If we really loved one another, we could forget all the other commandments. For, indeed, love fulfills the law.

Love is a moral principle. A principle covers all the world’s moral activity. There are a few other moral principles, such as be holy, do justice, do no harm, and so on. These principles ­apply in all times and places. We can never say, “No, I don’t have to love here,” or “I don’t have to do justice there.” In all cases moral principles apply.

When we love someone, we should not need to be reminded not to steal from them, or lie about them, or cheat them. Such reminders are almost impertinent for someone who loves another. Paul says, “Love does no harm to a neighbor.” But doing no harm, or merely observing the law, is not enough. Only the perfect love that Christ showed when he gave his life for ours is sufficient to fulfill the law. Christ removed the curse of lawlessness and has given us everlasting life.

To love as Jesus did means that we incorporate God’s self-sacrificing love into our hearts. In Christ, God showed us not only perfect obedience to the law but perfect love.

And only Christ fully lives out that perfect love. We who live in this hostile world still struggle with desires to make gains for ourselves or to harm ­others. Since we still live with this tension, we still need the law.

God, forgive us when we harm our neighbor. Help us to truly love you and others, guiding us by your own perfect love shown to us through Christ, our Lord. Amen.