"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."
Romans 13:8 (NKJV)
To fulfill, in the sense of a contract or obligation, means to meet all of the necessary requirements. If you signed a contract to rent an apartment for a year, to fulfill that contract you would then need to rent the apartment for a year. If you were obligated in that rental contract to pay the rent by the first day of each month, then doing that is what would be necessary in order to fulfill that obligation. If you did not meet the requirements, or did not do what was necessary, you would not have fulfilled the contract or obligation.
In what we call the Old Testament, God gave the Law to Israel to show them what He required from them as His people, to live the life that they should live. No person was able to fulfill the Law, until Jesus came and fulfilled it for us. Today, as New Testament believers, we are not under the Law or the requirements of the Law. But, the principles of what is found in the Law are still valid for us today. The New Testament says that if we are led by the Holy Spirit we are not under the Law and that by walking in love we fulfill the Law.
While we no longer live under the Law, we still want to do what is right and not violate any of God's Commandments that were given to show us the right way to live, and we can do this by walking in love. If we live a life demonstrating the love of God, if we are walking in love towards others, and we always respond with the love of God, we will never violate any of God's commandments. Love never fails, and living a life of walking in the love of God not only fulfills the requirements of the Law, but it is the best way to live.
Romans 13:8 (NKJV)
To fulfill, in the sense of a contract or obligation, means to meet all of the necessary requirements. If you signed a contract to rent an apartment for a year, to fulfill that contract you would then need to rent the apartment for a year. If you were obligated in that rental contract to pay the rent by the first day of each month, then doing that is what would be necessary in order to fulfill that obligation. If you did not meet the requirements, or did not do what was necessary, you would not have fulfilled the contract or obligation.
In what we call the Old Testament, God gave the Law to Israel to show them what He required from them as His people, to live the life that they should live. No person was able to fulfill the Law, until Jesus came and fulfilled it for us. Today, as New Testament believers, we are not under the Law or the requirements of the Law. But, the principles of what is found in the Law are still valid for us today. The New Testament says that if we are led by the Holy Spirit we are not under the Law and that by walking in love we fulfill the Law.
While we no longer live under the Law, we still want to do what is right and not violate any of God's Commandments that were given to show us the right way to live, and we can do this by walking in love. If we live a life demonstrating the love of God, if we are walking in love towards others, and we always respond with the love of God, we will never violate any of God's commandments. Love never fails, and living a life of walking in the love of God not only fulfills the requirements of the Law, but it is the best way to live.
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