“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” (Romans 12:9, ESV) In Romans Chapter 12, God’s Word to us starts off telling us that we should give ourselves fully to the Lord; and, that we should not be shaped by the world but be changed (transformed) by the renewing of our minds in Christ Jesus through the Word of God as we are led by the Holy Spirit of God. (Romans 12:1-2) Then he gives us a series of short, pointed, Christ honoring commands and those begin with our verse: “Let love be genuine…” Genuine love is the love God demonstrates toward us. It is pure and it is not hypocritical in any way. It is a simple genuine love that seeks God’s honor and the good of the person who is the object of our love. Love here has nothing to do with emotion, nothing to do with the ‘worthiness’ of the recipient. It is a commitment to loving as Jesus loves – all in! “Abhor (hate) what is evil;..” Not about hating anybody but it is completely about hating / despising / seeking to avoid / being repulsed by evil (evil itself and its manifesting actions). Refusing to embrace evil. Then, when we realize we have been caught in anything evil, to repent (turn around / change our mind) confess and come back to the path God has for us. “…hold fast to what is good.” Being stuck like glue to the good things: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control… Holding tightly to the things of God and turning away from the evil things of the world. These are the marks of a Christ follower. Amen.
