Romans 13:8-10
“All you need is love” by the Beatles, spent a week at #1 in the billboard chart in the US. This song became the anthem for the summer of love (1967), the hippie movement. This movement of young people was a break against mainstream society. This break was aimed at traditional Christian ethics and beliefs. The hippies, flowerchildren, and counter-culture figures like Tomothy Leary (“turn on, tune in, and drop out”) espoused sexual liberation, new age spirituality, drugs and communal living. The “summer of love” hippies wanted to build a utopia of love, kindness, and equality. This movement started with the summer solstice celebration and quickly faded by the end of the summer. By late summer drug issues, homelessness, crime and exploitation made this utopia into a nightmare. The “summer of love” came and went quickly, but the effects of that movement are still being felt today.
The hippies wanted a utopia (Heaven on earth) without God. It was a selfish, me-centered, I don’t need God movement. They wanted to abolish God’s laws and live outside accountability. Look at Verse 8 - “for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law but fulfill the law. Jesus loved us and sacrificed Himself for us, so we could mend our relationship with God. I couldn’t fulfill the requirements of the law with efforts of my own and needed a savior. The hippies believed “all you need is love” rather than laws and structure in their lives. This is the way many of our unsaved family and friends live. They live as if God’s commands are suggestions, because God is love and therefore everything will turn out fine. The reality is God has a standard, a moral code, which makes love possible. God’s commands give guard rails to love. Without these standards love isn’t love by God’s definition because it allows selfish desires and actions be the motivating factors. The sexual revolution boasted about free love and the chaos that was caused in our society is seen and felt even today. It has caused poverty, broken families, abused and exploited women, and children amongst other ills of society. Love without God’s moral standard is a black hole of despair and pain.
For the commandments, …. are summed up in this word: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” verse 9. I am to pursue a Christ like lifestyle so I can show genuine love to people. I can look to God’s Word as a playbook for my life. In doing that I can express godly love in a way that will draw them closer to you but more importantly draw them closer to Jesus. Verse 10 says “Love does no wrong to a neighbor.” Is God’s love evident in your daily life? Are you treating other people graciously? Are you able to forgive those that have wronged you? When I do as God asks, my love is the fulfillment of the Law. Shall we love our family and friends like Jesus?
The hippies wanted a utopia (Heaven on earth) without God. It was a selfish, me-centered, I don’t need God movement. They wanted to abolish God’s laws and live outside accountability. Look at Verse 8 - “for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law but fulfill the law. Jesus loved us and sacrificed Himself for us, so we could mend our relationship with God. I couldn’t fulfill the requirements of the law with efforts of my own and needed a savior. The hippies believed “all you need is love” rather than laws and structure in their lives. This is the way many of our unsaved family and friends live. They live as if God’s commands are suggestions, because God is love and therefore everything will turn out fine. The reality is God has a standard, a moral code, which makes love possible. God’s commands give guard rails to love. Without these standards love isn’t love by God’s definition because it allows selfish desires and actions be the motivating factors. The sexual revolution boasted about free love and the chaos that was caused in our society is seen and felt even today. It has caused poverty, broken families, abused and exploited women, and children amongst other ills of society. Love without God’s moral standard is a black hole of despair and pain.
For the commandments, …. are summed up in this word: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” verse 9. I am to pursue a Christ like lifestyle so I can show genuine love to people. I can look to God’s Word as a playbook for my life. In doing that I can express godly love in a way that will draw them closer to you but more importantly draw them closer to Jesus. Verse 10 says “Love does no wrong to a neighbor.” Is God’s love evident in your daily life? Are you treating other people graciously? Are you able to forgive those that have wronged you? When I do as God asks, my love is the fulfillment of the Law. Shall we love our family and friends like Jesus?
Posted in Devotional