Audio commentary on this verse

Note 1 at Rom.13:8: In context, Paul is speaking about paying our taxes, respect, and honor (v. 7). However, this principle holds true in every area of our lives. We are to pay our bills.

Some people have interpreted this verse as forbidding a Christian to go in debt. It can be shown in scripture that purchasing on credit is not a blessing but a curse (Dt. 28:12, 44); therefore, it is not God's best. However, it is not a sin to borrow money. Many scriptures speak of lending money and place restrictions on who we should lend to. The Lord would not have us help someone sin.

Therefore, being in debt is not a sin. But failure to pay our bills or payments on loans that we have given our word on, is wrong.

Note 2 at Rom. 13:8: Notice that Paul speaks of love for our fellow man as a debt. This is not optional. We are commanded to love one another. Indeed, this is the royal law of God (Jas. 2:8).

Note 3 at Rom. 13:8: Mankind as a whole had misunderstood the purpose of the law. They thought that God was giving us a list of what we must do to be accepted by Him. But the law was given to convince man that he didn't have a chance of saving himself; he needed a Savior (see note 4 at Rom. 3:19, p. 757).

However, the law was accurate, and a perfect description of what God created man to be. The law portrayed what a person who was walking in God's kind of love would do. We still can't keep the law perfectly in our flesh (see note 9 at Rom. 8:4, p. 793) but the New Testament believer can now fulfill the spirit of the Old Testament law as an Old Testament man never could.