During family scripture study this week, I came across Romans 13:8:
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
I found this verse intriguing for a couple of reasons.
First, I liked the idea of not owing anyone anything other than loving them. This is interesting to me because it shows that we actually owe others our love, and it also shows that material things don’t matter as much as love does.
The second reason is I like the idea of each of us fulfilling the Law of Moses through loving others. Consider Matt. 22:37–40:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Even Jesus got behind the idea of loving others supersedes all other commandments.
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:17), Jesus taught us that he came to fulfill the Law of Moses:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
The fact that all he did was motivated by love, it seems to bring a new meaning to trying to be like Jesus.
A couple things strike me about this post. We should love God first and love our fellow man like ourselves second. It is not hard for me to think that Jesus loved His Father. What is amazing to me is that He loved us too.
The second thing is while it is admirable to love our fellow men many of us struggle to love God. This is a shame. Many are either angry or disappointed with God. Can you do one without the other?
Third, I think comes from the Book of Mormon. Mosiah 28:3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.
I do not love my fellow man this much. I think my attitude would be: As long as I am saved I am not too concerned with my brother! How did the Sons of Mosiah gain this love and empathy? (charity)
Fourthly, love is not limited to the righteous. Even as people rebel against God, or us, we can still love them. We don’t love our brother because he deserves it; we love him because he is our brother.
Fifth, I think the thing many of us today struggle with is loving ourselves. That seems as important as loving God or our fellow man.
Sixth. I think I had similar thoughts and feelings as you express as I listened to Elder Eyring speak of the fast in April 2015 General Conference. That is an easy way for me to begin to show love to others. I feel I can do better.
Seventh, the gospel is often referred to as the Higher Law compared to the Law of Moses. Is love what makes this law higher and fulfilled? You ask an interesting question.
Great thoughts. I particularly like your last thought, about love making the gospel higher. Technically speaking, the gospel is the good news that Jesus suffered for sins and freed us from death. That, I think, is a supreme act of love. After all, no greater love has a man then to lay down his life for his friends.