WHERE OUR DEBTS REALLY LIE
Just to get us thinking …. What sorts of actions communicate love to you?
Romans 13:8-9 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
I WE ARE COMMANDED TO OWE NO MAN ANYTHING – VERSE 8
A To have no debt remaining or outstanding
1 Do not keep on owing
2 Aquitting ourselves of obligations
3 No debt that cannot be paid
B Believers are to be the example in this area
1 Purchase what is needed
2 Debt should not interfere with charity
3 Meet the obligations of our purchase – we owe it when it is due
C Believers have an obligation to the testimony of Christ
1 World judges by, “how well off you are”.
2 By not meeting our obligations we are considered:
a Unethical
b Dishonest
c Crooked
d Thieves
3 We have been deceptive when we have convinced someone we could pay for something when we actually could not
TO OWE IS TO DAMAGE THE NAME OF CHRIST
Proverbs 16:8
Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
II WE ARE TO OWE MEN “LOVE” – VERSE 9
A Love demonstrates what we can be
B Love fulfills the commands of God regarding our fellow man
1 Love forbids adultery – sex outside of marriage
a Most intimate and private part of our life
b Lowers our level
c Corrupts God’s Temple
d Treats others as objects and not people
2 Love forbids murder
a Life is to be respected and cherished
b Key to solving the murder problem is to solve the anger problem
1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
3 Love forbids stealing
a Taking something belonging or possessed by someone else
b Hoarding or keeping more than you actually need
Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
Luke 3:13 "Don’t collect any more than you are required to," he told them.
c Extravagant living
Matthew 25:23 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
4 Love forbids false witness
a Slander
b Rumor
c Suggestive Hints
d Accepting falsehood as true
e Exaggeration
5 Love forbids covetousness
a Desire
b Focus on the person – not their stuff
LOVE SUMS IT ALL UP!
