Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.--Romans 12:9
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
Romans 12...one of the most practical chapters in the Bible. Verses 9 through 21 are filled with practical exhortations that touch all areas of life and can be used to guide us in our moment by moment journey through life. Paul begins in Romans 12:9 with an exhortation to let love be without hypocrisy. We will not get to the other two in the triplet for this study...abhor what is evil and cling to what is good. Starting here with love makes so much sense to me. It all flows from love. Christians are to live lives of love. They are to owe no one anything but love and are to put on love. The first fruit of the Spirit is love and all the rest follow. When we love, the bible says, we fulfill the law. We know we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. Paul tells us in Corinthians that love is the more excellent way and if we do not have love we are a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. He goes on to say even if we have faith enough to move mountains but have not love we are nothing. Peter tells us we are to love one another fervently. Christians are to abound in love. Are you getting the picture? Loving is basic to our Christian walk. Love is the greatest thing. Our genuine love for one another will draw others to Jesus.
The Bible tells us clearly how we are to love. Our love is to be self-sacrificing....Jesus Christ Himself being our prime example. It is not to be phony, feigned or pretended. Our love for others is to be genuine, free from flattery and deceit and without any hidden motive. Our words and deeds should match. We are to meet others at the point of their need in love and service.
1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
I love this verse because it really gives me no excuse not to love and it is very clear on what is required. Here is what John MacArthur has to say regarding this verse:
"Fervent means to be stretched to be strained. It is used of a runner who is moving at maximum output with taut muscles straining and stretching to the limit. This kind of love requires the Christian to put another's spiritual good ahead of his own desires in spite of being treated unkindly, ungraciously, or even with hostility. Moving on to the next part of the verse "for love will cover a multitude of sins"...is quoted from Proverbs 10:12. It is the nature of true spiritual love, whether from God to man or Christian to Christian to cover sins. This teaching does not preclude the discipline of a sinning, unrepentant church member. It means, specifically that a Christian should overlook sins against him if possible and always be ready to forgive insults and unkindness."
Wow...think how we would look as a body if we all loved one another fervently and covered sin. Think how many marriages would not end in divorce if one of the partners did not take offense and instead responded in love. Think of the examples that we would set for our children.
1 John 3:18-20 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
Genuine love displays itself not in empty words but in deeds. Genuine love is patient, kind, without envy and not showy or boastful. Genuine love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Genuine love bears all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Genuine love never fails....it always has an effect. Put your name in the place of "genuine love" and see how far you fall short. Now put Jesus' name there. God is love...His name alone fits.
"True love leaves the stage and walks the path of real life."---Dr. Donald Barnhouse I love that...
James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
Love meets another at the point of their need.
Insincere love...hypocritical love is the opposite of genuine love. It is ugly and destructive. It takes something precious and uses it for its own evil, destructive purposes. John MacArthur says this about hypocritical love.
"The greatest sinner who ever lived because of the profound depth of his hypocrisy was Judas. Hypocrisy is the most distasteful and ugly of all sins for it feigns affection and is filled with hate. No sin is worse than hypocrisy. No vice is more destructive than hypocrisy. And no virtue is more wonderful than love. So hypocritical love is an unbelievable combination of which the theologian John Murray says, "If love is the sum of virtue and hypocrisy is the epitome of vice, what a contradiction to bring the two together." Christians are commanded to live a pure, true, genuine love."
Here are some examples of hypocritical love in Scripture...see the contradiction and betrayal wrought when hypocrisy and feigned love are brought together...
2 Samuel 20:9-10 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Are you in health, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died.
Joab drew Amasa close feigning a brotherly kiss but instead he twisted a knife into his gut.
Proverbs 26:25 When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart;
Psalm 55:21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
People who flatter and deceive for their own gain whose motives are deadly.
Ezekiel 33:31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
They speak the right words but their hearts are not loyal and are far from you.
Matthew 26:47-49 And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
Diabolical....
Love
Mom
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