Day 49 "Love: The Fulfillment of the Law" (Romans: Chapter Thirteen)

Without appearing repetitious, may I invite you back to look at day 12, "The Law of the Land," before reading today's blog.

It is still the same great truth: love fulfills God's ways and purifies the root of our motives so as to interact with one another is the best possible ways.

I recently came across an article that was written by Melinda Penner entitled "The Witness of Christian Compassion" published on 8/28/2014. With the Coronavirus advancing all around us, I thought we could glean some helpful perspectives. I have incorporated some of her writings below:

Ancient societies and religion were not known for their care for the sick and dying.

Christians who often risked their lives to care even for non-Christians represented a

radical difference in the values taught by the Bible than anything else known at that time. It was common in ancient societies, including Rome, which saw the inception and rise of Christianity, to abandon the sick and dying. Roman religion did not teach followers to care for the helpless.

Destitute families lacking any resources to help sometimes even abandoned the chronically ill to die. In Rome, sick or elderly slaves were routinely left to waste away on Tiber Island. Unwanted children were often left to die of exposure. If a father decided that the family couldn’t afford to feed another child, that child would be abandoned on the steps of a temple or in the public square. Almost without exception defective newborns were exposed in this way. (Christian History Magazine)

In ancient Greek religion, the god Asclepius was sought for healing, but there was no ethic of caring for the sick and dying that this god encouraged. Against this backdrop, Christianity was a distinct contrast. The Bible teaches the intrinsic value of every human being, and this is what motivated early Christians to begin caring for their ailing. Church leaders followed the biblical admonition to visit the sick. Congregations and communities set up formal practices for care. And as this became common among Christians, they were challenged to care for non-Christians, as well.

In the third century AD, an epidemic swept across Northern Africa, Italy, and the western empire. As many as 5000 people a day were dying in Rome. The sick were abandoned in the streets and the dead left unburied. In Carthage, the Christians were blamed for the disease, and the emperor ordered Christians to sacrifice to their gods to end it. Carthage's bishop, Cyprian, encouraged Christians to care for the sick and dying. They buried the dead and risked getting sick by taking in the sick. This was repeated other times in the early centuries of the church during epidemics. Christians introduced a new concern and standard of care for sick people.

Rodney Stark, author of The Rise of Christianity, argues that some of the marked growth of the church in the early centuries can be attributed to care and compassion Christians showed for the sick. He tracks increased conversion rates during three plagues: the Antonine plague (2nd c.), the Cyprian plague (3rd c.), and the Justinian plague (6th c.). Christians demonstrated their love for God and biblical values, and they offered a very attractive witness.

Today, we take for granted the responsibility to care for the sick regardless of religious convictions. It was Christians practicing what the Bible taught them that began caring for those in need.

Today, our generation faces our own pandemic- the Coronavirus. Medical experts conclude that things will get much worse before it begins to get better. With items flying off the grocery store shelves at alarming rates, young people flaunting self-indulgence, it easy to see many examples around us of the "Me First" attitude. When fear really begins to rule our land and protective measures are put into place to help us, we may face one of our greatest opportunities for helping one another. What will guide us and give us the heart of compassion during these perilous times? I believe it will be our eternal focus in all that we do and our capacity to understand love and incorporate it moment by moment into our daily lives. So, it is with great joy that I encourage you to read the thirteenth chapter of Romans. May God stir the Spirit within you to grasp what real love is all about.

Verse 5: "Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment, but also because of conscience."

Verse 7: "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

Verse 11: "And do this, understanding the present time."

Verse 12: "So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."

Verse 14: "Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

Key verses for me:

Verse 8: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves has fellowman has fulfilled the law."

Verse 9: "The commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not covet, and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: Love your neighbor as yourself."

Verse 10: "Love does not harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

Someone once made the remark that one of the greatest sins is to do the right thing but for the wrong reason. As an example, trying to manipulate someone else into doing something for you by having them think they are doing something else. Putting the interests of others first, is a great way for making sure your motives are pure. The days ahead loom with much anxiety and uncertainty. The only way to move forward is on a moment by moment basis. Although everything around you is temporary, this is a time to reframe our lives within the context of our hope and faith which believes that there is an eternal kingdom ahead awaiting for us. With that hope ahead, let us live fully in the moment aware of the times in which we are living and look for ways to help others and put our faith into real action.

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"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Love is not so much what we do, but how we do it. Wishing you well. Until tomorrow...