This Debt I Owe

I know I've read Romans. I know I have, and yet I cannot recall ever reading this verse. Okay, I did a bit of translation comparison and I do recall it in the KJV but somehow it doesn't quite speak to me the way the NIV does on this verse. "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.", Romans 13:8

"except the continuing debt to love one another", has to be one of the coolest statements of all time. I've always been of the mindset that I get to choose who I will love. On one hand, that is correct. I do get to choose, in the same way I get to choose whether or not I'm going to be obedient. What I don't get to choose, however, is my obligation to love you. It is a debt I owe you, to love you.

The writer of Romans tells us not to owe anyone anything, except to love them. In the same way that I am obliged to pay my taxes, I am obliged to love those around me. The big difference is that each year I clean up the slate the government holds and I don't continue in that debt. When it comes to love, I can never fulfill my obligation, never pay off the debt I owe.

For some reason, I find this exilharating. Not only am I called to love others, even commanded to love others, but I owe it to them. They are right in having a legal expectation that I will love them. This truth rings the death knell to so many of the enemies lies. "That person is unloveable", "That person does not deserve love", "oh what a wonderful person you are to love that person". Lies, lies, lies. First the enemy would have us feel justified in not loving those around us. If he fails in convincing us that God's commands don't apply in the situation, he turns and tells us how "wonderful" we are, that we would love the unloveable.

If he is unable to conquer me with the lie of rebellion, he comes to me with the lie of religion. If he can't convince me that obedience to God can be overlooked due to the circumstances, he tries to convince me what a wonderful person I must be for loving the unlovable. Both are lies. Both are put to death with this truth, "the continuing debt to love one another". As a debt I owe, neither is payment optional nor am I to be commended for making payment on the debt.

Definitely one for me to remember and chew on for a while. This debt I owe, to love others.