The Embodiment of Love

Near the end of Romans 13, Paul makes the case that people fulfill the law by living in such a way that they literally embody a commitment to the well-being of the individual humans who come into their circle (Romans 13:8-10). In other words, Paul is saying that people who demonstrate love by committing themselves to the well-being of others through their physical choices are a fulfillment of the Old Testament law. I am using the word embody for a reason. We are made to be the image of God, and God is love, and God embodied the Old Testament law – quite literally – in the person of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:4, Matthew 5:17, 1 John 4:8b). Jesus is the supreme embodiment of sacrificial love (John 15:13). As his followers, and as his image in this world, we should aspire to that same sacrificial embodiment (Philippians 2:5-7, Romans 8:29, 1 Peter 2:21, 2 Corinthians 3:18, John 13:34, 1 John 2:6, Ephesians 5:1-2). Our goal is to be like Christ – in our minds, our spirits, and our bodies. Considering that goal, Paul urges us to be aware that time is short, and that our salvation is closer than when we first believed, so we must wake up and live our lives in the daylight (Romans 13:11). The time to love others divinely is closing and we cannot let our awareness be lulled into stupor and sleep by the darkness of the age.

What Paul means is that we should don ourselves with an armor of goodness and light and throw off any of the works of darkness (Romans 13:12-13). The picture he paints in his argument is clear and vivid. He says the day has come and the night is far gone, so we should walk in the light of day so that everyone can see the divine love that is in us. This is not to flaunt any "holiness," but to express in truth a real love for others as we glorify God by loving like him (Matthew 5:14-16). When our genuine behaviors embody the love of God, then we are armored against the sins that so easily beset us and keep us from being a fulfillment of the law (Hebrews 12:1). We should avoid those things that we would only do surreptitiously in the dark, knowing that God would not approve. Those things that we might do in the dark do not meet the goal of embodying love. In fact, those sins we chase in the dark only elevate a fallen animal nature that holds no earnest regard for anyone. That fallen nature certainly has no regard for God. Those things that occur in the dark and are hidden by it – orgies, sensuality, drunkenness, quarreling and jealousy, etc  – are the opposite of love. They are rooted in sinful, fallen, selfishness. They are actually an embodiment of evil and a hatred of what is good.  An animalistic godless nature uses people and cares about them only insofar as its pleasures are fed by them. Love cares about people even when they are not worthy of it, and even when it hurts, and even when there may be no return on the investment of the love (Romans 5:8). Be an embodiment of love, Paul says.

He tells us exactly how to do that. We do it by embodying the character of Christ (Romans 13:14a, Galatians 2:20). Interestingly, he also tells us that we do it by making no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14b). If you were going on a journey with your family next week, you’d make provisions for each member. You’d even make provision for your pet. Each person would have enough food and supplies to keep them alive on the journey. Paul says to make no provision for your selfish nature. None. Deny it any supply. Either leave that nature behind, or starve it to death on the journey. The only thing such a nature does is corrupt your ability to embody the love you are intended to personify.