Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
The commandments are from the second table of the Ten Commandments, which focus on love of neighbor. Paul doesn’t say that love replaces these commandments, but that the commandments are summed up in the world “love.”
CEB Study Bible, 296 NT
Jesus made it clear that love for God is demonstrated in loving one’s neighbor as oneself, that love is the point of all of Scripture, the point of it all (Matthew 22:34-40, etc.). That is the summation of how we’re to live. No one can rightfully claim that they love God who does not practice love of neighbor.
Love of neighbor as an expression of love for God is what should drive and motivate us. Too often commandments in Scripture seem to be considered as ends in themselves. For example, the commandment not to commit adultery. And then those who don’t or who imagine they’re pure that way look down on or think they’re somehow superior to others who have failed by falling into the act itself.
But what would love for God look like? It certainly wouldn’t mean a liaison with someone other than one’s spouse. It includes directions, laws, commandments. But it sees love as underlying all of that, so that the point of all such is nothing more than love for the “neighbor” in the love of God. We owe that to everyone.
Something to keep in mind, in heart, and to hang our hats on.
Jesus community 