‘Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.’

Romans 13:8

There is no list of fruits for keeping the law only death. The demands of the law were fulfilled by God’s great love for humanity demonstrated, by the cross.

Romans 13:8 states, “Owe (or defraud) no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” The pinnacle of the work of the cross is love, and it was Christ’s great love (Ephesians 2:4) for humanity that led Him to the cross. Therefore, love is the ultimate fulfillment and culmination of the law. Take a look at Ephesians 2:4;

‘But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ‘

Under grace and with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it is love that fulfills the demands of the law in this age of grace. When you truly love someone, you won’t want to commit adultery, steal, kill, bear false witness, or covet. If you love your neighbor, you won’t steal from them. If you love your wife, you won’t cheat on her. Love is the foundation for godly behavior and obedience to God’s commandments. Read Galatians 5:13-14;

‘For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”’

While the Ten Commandments are still the criteria for behavior for the unsaved world (because without the power of condemnation that the law brings this world would be in utter chaos), they mean nothing for believers because the Law has been crucified (Colossians 2:14; Romans 8:3-5; Romans 6:14). This doesn’t mean that believers can do as they please, for Grace is not a license to sin. But instead of having the heavy hand and constant condemnation of the Law keeping them from sin, believers have the indwelling Holy Spirit (Read Galatians 5:22-25 below), who will never tell them to break one of the commandments and Who will empower us to fulfill the law through love.

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ‘

Galatians 5:22-25

In summary, love fulfills the law under grace, and when you love someone, you will not break any of God’s commandments. Love is the foundation for godly behavior and obedience to God’s will.

Additional Reading:

‘But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ‘

Romans 8:9-16