Love and Perspective | Jason Ricafranca | Romans 13:8-14

In the movie adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ book, The Count of Monte Cristo, there’s this

scene where the main character, Edmond Dantes, has to fight to the death against another man

named Jacopo. Both of these men are prisoners and only one is supposed to survive.

During the epic battle, Dantes bests Jacopo, but instead of taking his life he shows mercy and

persuades the captain to spare both of them. The captain agrees and Jacopo, upon realizing

that he has been set free, offers his life to serve Edmond. In a beautiful exchange, Jacopo

whispers to Dantes, “I swear on my dead relatives – and even the ones who are not feeling to

good – I am your man forever!”

I love this line! Throughout the course of the movie, you see just how loyal and loving of a

friend Jacopo is to Edmond as he offers advice, adopts a role as caretaker, and even protects

Edmond’s family from danger!

Jacopo (a really fun name to pronounce) realized what he had been freed from, and even

though he was free to do whatever he wanted – he committed his life to serving Edmond…

This Sunday we will be looking at Romans 13:8-14 and we’ll be making the connection that you

and I are in a similar situation – we have been freed from the penalty of sin and death, and

Paul’s imperative from Romans is powerful… “Owe no one anything, except to love each other,

for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” – How do we go about doing this? Join us

this Sunday to dive deeper into this passage!

See you soon!

- Pastor Jason


Romans 13:8-14

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.