Putting On Christ, Living Out Love

When the world feels divided and headlines are filled with anger, fear, and confusion, Romans 13:8–14 shines with urgent clarity: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
Paul doesn’t leave love in the realm of sentiment. He roots it in action. To love is to prove we belong to Christ. It is the ongoing “debt” we never pay off. Unlike financial debts, this one grows as we give it away. The more we love, the more we reveal that salvation has truly taken root in our lives.
Jesus Himself declared, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). Notice—peacemakers, not peacekeepers. Peacemakers take the risk of stepping into conflict with a Christlike heart, building bridges where others would burn them. That kind of love isn’t weakness; it is proof of divine strength at work in us.

As a black man, I wrestle with this truth in real time. I carry pride in my family’s story and in the history of my people. I also hold strong opinions about what I see in the world. God’s Word doesn’t dismiss those thoughts or experiences as if they aren’t real. But what it does is call me to lay them against the truth of Scripture. And that’s not always easy. Sometimes my instinct is to react in pride or frustration. Yet Christ calls me to something higher—to be renewed in Him, to measure my opinions against His Word, and to engage with brothers and sisters in Christ, even those from different backgrounds, so that together we can live out Romans 13.
Paul also reminds us of the urgency of this love: “The hour has come… the night is far gone; the day is at hand.” We don’t have unlimited time. Every act of love, every moment of forgiveness, every effort to live at peace is part of the “armor of light” we are called to wear.
This is especially vital today. As our culture grows more polarized and suspicious, the Christian witness must not be reduced to arguments or moral superiority. Our witness is love. That is how neighbors see Christ in us, how families are healed, and how communities are strengthened.
Now more than ever, love is not optional. It is the mark of the saved.