Every one of us knows what it feels like to owe something. Whether it’s a mortgage, a student loan, or even a borrowed tool from a neighbor, that unsettled feeling of debt weighs on us until it’s made right. Paul says in Romans 13 there’s one debt you’ll never pay off—not because you’re failing, but because it’s designed never to end: the debt of love. Love isn’t seasonal, it isn’t optional, and it isn’t something we ever get to check off our list. It is the permanent obligation of every Christian, the “currency” of the Kingdom of God.
And this obligation isn’t a burden—it’s a wake-up call.
The night is nearly over, the day is almost here, and Paul reminds us that what we wear, how we live, and how we treat others must reflect the One we belong to. Romans 13 is a summons: to love deeply, to live alertly, to step out of the darkness, and to put on Christ.
In Romans 12–13, Paul shows us what transformed living looks like—first in how we respond to others (12:9–21), then in how we relate to authorities (13:1–7).
Now he turns to the heart of Christian citizenship: love. And he reminds us that time is short, so we must live awake and ready for Christ.
Romans 13:8–10
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For 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.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
I. The Debt of Love
A. Love is our only lasting obligation
(v. 8) Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Paul is not forbidding all borrowing here;
- He’s teaching that the Christian should live in such a way that debts are not left unpaid
- Except for one debt that is never discharged: the debt of love.
- Taxes can be settled, respect can be shown, honor can be given—but love remains an ongoing, permanent obligation.
- Every day we awaken with the same “balance due.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 — “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Unlike money or honor, love is not diminished by continual payment. The more we love, the more we are able to love. This is not a burden, but a calling that enriches us and those around us.
B. Love fulfills the law
(vv. 9–10)
For 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.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Matthew 22:37–40 — Jesus said all the Law and Prophets hang on love.
Paul ties love directly to the commandments. The prohibitions against adultery, murder, stealing, and coveting all protect relationships.
Love is the positive force that does not harm but instead seeks the good of the other.
Galatians 5:14 — “The whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
James 2:8 — calls this the “royal law.”
When we choose love, we are not sidestepping the commandments but fulfilling their deepest intent.
Think about a mortgage. Most of us long for the day when that final payment is made and the bank no longer owns part of our home. But the debt of love works differently. It’s like a mortgage that never ends—yet instead of draining us, every payment enriches us and blesses those around us. The “interest” compounds in joy, peace, and stronger relationships. And unlike a financial debt that enslaves, this debt sets us free to live as Christ intended.
In 2018, a man named James Harrison in Australia became known as “the man with the golden arm.” For decades, every week, he gave blood plasma because doctors discovered his blood contained a rare antibody that could prevent a deadly disease in newborns called Rhesus disease. By the time he retired at age 81, Harrison had donated more than 1,100 times, helping to save over 2 million babies’ lives.
What’s remarkable is that Harrison didn’t stop after the first donation, or the tenth, or the hundredth. He saw his life as carrying an ongoing obligation—to keep giving, to keep loving. He could never “pay off” that debt, and he didn’t want to.
That’s the kind of debt Paul is talking about. Love is not a one-time act or a seasonal commitment; it’s a lifelong obligation. Like Harrison’s faithful generosity, our daily “payments” of love ripple out to bless countless lives we may never even meet.
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. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
II. A Wake up Call
A: Time is Short
Paul reminds believers that salvation is closer now than when they first believed.
- He’s not doubting their present salvation but pointing to the future fullness of salvation—the day when Christ returns and all things are made new.
- Every sunrise brings us one step nearer to that moment.
The clock of history is winding down, and the church is called to live with a sense of urgency.
B: The Night Is Fading, the Day Is Coming
Paul paints a vivid picture: the night of sin and brokenness is nearly over, and the dawn of Christ’s kingdom is breaking in.
- This demands spiritual alertness. Christians cannot afford to live drowsy, lulled by comfort or distracted by sin.
Wake up calls are all over Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 5:5–6
For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
Mark 13:35–37 — Jesus’ warning: “Stay awake… lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.”
Ephesians 5:14 — “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
To be awake spiritually is to live in the light of Christ’s imminent return.
Do you live like the alarm clock has already gone off?
Many Christians keep hitting “snooze” spiritually—living distracted, entangled, or complacent.
Paul is urging us: It’s time to get up.
- For some, this means shaking off spiritual laziness.
- For others, it means turning away from hidden sin.
- For all, it means living as if Christ could return today.
Imagine if we approached each day with the urgency of someone catching their final flight home. That’s the readiness Paul is calling for.
In 1981, a Northwest Airlines flight ran out of fuel in midair and crash-landed because the crew failed to notice a critical warning light. Investigators discovered that fatigue and distraction had dulled their alertness. They were so used to routine that they ignored the urgency of the moment—until it was too late.
Spiritually, that’s what Paul warns against. We cannot afford to sleepwalk through life.
Like travelers rushing for a flight at dawn—or a crew scanning the sky for danger—we are called to be awake, alert, and moving, because the “day” of Christ’s return is coming soon.
Romans 13:12-13
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
III. Step Out of the Darkness (v. 12b–13)
Paul lists behaviors that belong to the “nighttime” — shameful, hidden, destructive sins.
- These include not only obvious excesses like drunkenness and immorality but also relational sins like quarreling and jealousy.
Darkness is not just about scandalous actions; it’s also about hidden attitudes that corrode the soul.
Colossians 3:8–9 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”
Casting off darkness is not a one-time event but a daily choice to reject what no longer fits our new identity in Christ.
Romans 13:14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
IV. Dress for Success (v. 14)
A. Put On the Lord Jesus Christ
Paul ends with the most important command: not just to take off the old, but to put on Christ Himself.
Our identity is not defined merely by what we reject, but by whom we reflect.
To “put on Christ” means to be clothed in His character, His purity, His humility, and His love. It is to step out each day consciously representing Him.
When you put on Christ, people should see less of you and more of Him in your words, attitudes, and actions.
B. Make No Provision for the Flesh
Paul adds a warning: “make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
The image is of cutting off supplies to an enemy army.
- Don’t stock the pantry of temptation; starve it instead.
- Temptation grows when we feed it, but it withers when we deny it fuel.
1 Peter 2:11 “Abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”
This is not passive—it’s intentional.
We guard our eyes, our minds, and our hearts by making no room for sin to set up shop.
Who are we “wearing”? Are our lives clothed in Christ’s humility, compassion, and purity—or in the old rags of selfishness and sin?
Each morning, ask: What would it mean to wear Christ into my workplace, my home, my community today?
When you get dressed in the morning, let that physical act be a spiritual reminder—“Today I am clothing myself with Christ.”
Conclusion
In 2010, a young man named Derek Redmond, a British Olympic runner, was remembered not for winning gold, but for what happened after he tore his hamstring during the 400-meter semifinal in Barcelona. Writhing in pain, he tried to finish the race anyway. His father, Jim Redmond, broke through security and came onto the track, wrapping his son’s arm around his shoulder and helping him hobble to the finish line.
What stood out to millions wasn’t Derek’s injury but the image of a father and son, arm in arm, finishing together. Derek’s running uniform identified him as an athlete — but in that moment, the world saw something even greater: the character of a father’s love on display.
That’s what it means to “put on Christ.” Clothing isn’t just fabric; it’s identity. When we wear Christ, the world doesn’t just see us—they see the Father’s love, His character, His presence carrying us forward.
Tomorrow morning, when you pull on your clothes, let it remind you of something greater.
Just as you wouldn’t leave the house unclothed, don’t step into the world without putting on Christ.
- Wear His humility.
- Wear His purity.
- Wear His love.
And let the world see not just you, but the Savior who has clothed you in His grace. That’s what it means to truly “dress for success.”
The only debt we never finish paying is love—and the only way to truly live is to put on Christ.
