People of Faith: Did you catch Romans 13:8 on debt & agape?

Paul’s Letter to the Romans, in a discussion of money in chapter 13, reads:

μηδενὶ μηδὲν ὀφείλετε

Owe nothing to anyone

And then makes one exception:

εἰ μὴ τὸ ἀλλήλους ἀγαπᾶν.

except to love one another.

Put it together: Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.

The text envisions a free people. No car loans. No student debt. Nothing owed.

We assume we’re talking about money, and we are, but the text broadens the scope of the conversation by mention of ἀγαπᾶν, agapan, to love. Not just any love, but the agape kind. Not just friendship. Not just affection. And certainly not random acts of kindness.

(Ugh, convenient love on my terms? How loving is that?)

Agape is intentional selfless beneficence.

In the divine economy we are called to debt-freedom so that we are free to agapan. We are free and in our freedom we love.

Where does debt-freedom and agape love fit into your financial plan?