Introduction
Having just instructed believers to submit to governing authorities, Paul now refocuses on a greater and more enduring obligation—the debt of love. Earthly obligations come and go, but love is a debt we never finish paying. In Romans 13:8–14, Paul combines the themes of love, law, and the return of Christ into a powerful exhortation: live purely, love faithfully, and wake up—because the day of salvation is near.
Exposition and Key Themes
1. Love Fulfills the Law (Romans 13:8–10)
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
Paul isn’t forbidding all borrowing, but rather teaching that the only debt a Christian should carry perpetually is the debt of love. Love is the fulfillment of the law because it inherently does no harm to its neighbor. Where there is true love, God’s moral law is not violated, but fulfilled.
- Commandments summarized: do not commit adultery, murder, steal, covet—all these are “summed up in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
2. Wake Up—The Day is Near (Romans 13:11–12)
“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.”
Paul issues a spiritual wake-up call. The time for passivity is past. The return of Christ draws closer every day. We are to live with urgency, expectation, and spiritual clarity.
- Night is far gone: our old life in darkness is fading away.
- Day is at hand: the reign of Christ is drawing near.
- Therefore: cast off works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
3. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:13–14)
“Let us walk properly as in the daytime… not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ…”
Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the armor of light. He names specific sins that marked the Roman world—and sadly, still mark ours today: sexual immorality, drunkenness, and strife.
To “put on Christ” means to clothe ourselves in His character, to walk in His righteousness, and to live every day in the awareness of His presence.
Life Application
- Am I loving others as Christ loves me?
Love is not just a feeling—it’s a daily choice to serve, honor, and forgive. - Do I live like time is short?
Are you spiritually awake, or are you drifting in a moral fog? - Have I put off the works of darkness?
Are there old habits still clinging to your life that must be cast off? - Have I put on Christ?
Is Jesus the garment people see when they look at your life?
Conclusion
Romans 13:8–14 calls us to live in the light of eternity. We are citizens of another kingdom, clothed in Christ, and called to love in a world of selfishness. As the darkness deepens, may our light shine brighter. The night is nearly over. The day is at hand. So love boldly, walk purely, and live as if Jesus could return today—because one day, He will.