Love Must Be Sincere

Romans 12:9

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good”

Recently, I did a study on Romans 12:9. A deeper dive than I usually do.

On the day to day, it’s easy to just read a scripture and think about it briefly.

Life gets busy and I don’t take time to truly study the word by breaking it down and understand what each word is saying.

I often wonder which filter I am using when contemplating these words, more of a worldly/selfish view or am I using a godly view?

Take the word, love for instance. The world has given many uses for the word love.

Definition of Love

The webster definition states: Love is, unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.

Verses for Love

Now, looking at what God says, I gathered some bible verses about love. These verses seemed infinite and overwhelming. They all stated about the same thing too; to love God, love people, love is ultimate, God IS love.

Enjoy reading the following verses and allow certain ones to soak in and permeate your thoughts.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 ESV If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Peter 4:8 ESV Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Colossians 3:14 ESV And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

John 13:34-35 ESV A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Proverbs 10:12 ESV Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

1 John 4:18 ESV There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

1 John 4:7 ESV Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Matthew 22:36-40 ESV “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Ephesians 5:25 ESV Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 4:2 ESV With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Proverbs 17:17 ESV A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

1 John 3:1 ESV See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Romans 13:8 ESV Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

1 John 4:16 ESV So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Romans 13:10 ESV Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1 John 3:18 ESV Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 John 4:7-8 ESV Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John 15:12 ESV “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV Let all that you do be done in love.

1 John 4:8 ESV Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:19 ESV We love because he first loved us.

Mark 12:29-31 ESV Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

John 14:15 ESV“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Thoughts

To have an unselfish love that is focused on God’s love by putting his will first in our hearts and minds.  Not allowing our selfish desires or personal hurt take over our relationships with others.

Today’s Examples

When someone says unkind words to us or has a desire to hurt us, it is so easily accepted in today’s society to retaliate with the same vengeance. Yet we are called to respond with love. True love for the other person.  God’s love and desire for their heart to draw closer to him.  Take a moment and contemplate how we can retaliate in a way that will make them question, “who is that person? why are they being so nice to me?” and maybe cause them to see their ways of folly and repent.

Definition for Sincere

The webster definition states: Sincere is to be honest, pure and true.

Verse for Sincere

1 Peter 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from a pure heart… “.

Thoughts

I read that the word sincere in greek translated in greek, means without hypocrisy. Pretending to be someone your not.

So for our love to be sincere we must not have an ulterior motive. We should truly want the best for them and to put them above ourselves. To put their interest in front of our interest.

Today Examples

Today’s examples of how one can show sincerity may look like:

• Speak well of someone in front of them and when they’re not around.
• Tell someone we will pray for them and intend on praying for them; possibly even at that very moment.
• Truly listen to others

Definition for Hate and Evil

The Webster definition for Hate: a: intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury b: extreme dislike or disgust

Now, the Webster definition for evil is a: morally reprehensible : SINFUL, WICKED an evil impulse, arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct, causing discomfort or repulsion, DISAGREEABLE, causing harm : PERNICIOUS

1 Peter 3:9- 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Thes 5:22- 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil. (talking about the Day of the Lord)

2 Tim 2:22- 22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Isaiah 5:20– Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.

Prov 3:7- Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

Prov 8:13– To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Ephesians 6:12-20 NIV 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Thoughts

What is considered Evil behavior?

Col 3: 5-11: 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

How can we steer clear of evil?

Col 3: 12-17: 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Full armor of God:

• belt of truth
• breastplate of righteousness
• feet fitted with the readiness
• shield of faith
• the helmet of salvation
• sword of the Spirit
• And prayer in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Today’s Example

Prov. 3:7 talks about being wise in our own eyes. Our own wisdom? If you’ve read Job you know that his friends try to find wisdom in why he is being treated the way he is.

How often do we try and find a solution for our friends. Trying to fix the problem and not allowing God’s wisdom to penetrate our minds and overcome our thoughts? Or just allowing God HIS space to “be” and not having an answer.

Definition of Cling

The Webster definition of Cling is 1 a: to hold together
b: to adhere as if glued firmly
c: to hold or hold on tightly or tenaciously
2a: to have a strong emotional attachment or dependence
b: to remain or linger as if resisting complete spreading or scattering

Definition of Good:

The Webster Definition of Good is, 2a(1): VIRTUOUS, RIGHT, COMMENDABLE a good person
(2): KIND, BENEVOLENT good intentions
d(1): LOYAL a good friend
b(1): something conforming to the moral order of the universe
(2): praiseworthy character : GOODNESS
(5): that can be relied on
(2): WHOLESOME
(2): TRUE
(3): deserving of respect : HONORABLE

Matt 19:17– ESV And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”

Luke 18:19 ESV And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

Micah 6:8 ESV He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Colossians 3:1-5 ESV If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. …

Proverbs 11:27 ESV Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it.

Psalm 1:1-6 ESV Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; …

Thoughts

Hold tight to the things that are good.  Take care of them, nourish them, don’t take them for granted.

Today’s Examples

Some ideas on how to cling to what is good, continuing to fellowship with God’s people.  Encourage one another, build and lift one another up.  Family, marriage, children, friendships, blessings, outreach, etc.

Head over to the comment section and list some more!  I’d love to hear from you!

I hope you gained a deeper understanding of this verse or gave you more to think about as you enter this coming week.

If you can, try and memorize this verse or write it down and hang it up somewhere where you will see it daily.  If you head over to our Instagram this week you will find a wallpaper for your phone with the verse on it.

Thank you for stopping by.