The Blog

We know the law in verses nine and ten Jesus gives us the two main commandments that covers the entirety of the law. Christians must obey the law of love, which supersedes both religious and civil laws. But Jesus does not leave loopholes in the laws of love. Whenever love demands it, we are to go beyond human legal requirements and imitate the God of love. In verse twelve, the “night” refers to the present evil time. The “day” refers to the time of Christ’s return. Like Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, Paul considers attitudes as important as actions. Just as hatred leads to murder, so jealousy leads to strife and lust to adultery. When Christ returns, he wants to find his people clean on the inside as well as on the outside.

Romans 13:10-14
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.[a]