Romans 12:9

Romans 12:9-21 is a passage of scripture that has been coming up in sermons, teaching, readings, etc. a great deal in the past month. So I decided to spend some time digging in to it.. chewing on it a bit.. learning from it and hopefully I will be transformed.. changed.. by what I learn.

I am reading and praying through the entire passage during the week, but taking it apart one verse at a time.  And it all starts... with Love.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9 NIV

Love must be sincere (NIV)

Let love be without hypocrisy (NASB)

Love must be without hypocrisy (HCSB)

Let love be genuine (ESV)

Don't just preten to love others, really love them (NASB)

Let your love be sincere, a real thing (AMP)

Let love be without dissimulation (KJV)

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it (MSG)

This Love is AGAPE love... benevolent love.. unselfish love... love which considers what is best for the person loved.. this is how God loves us and how we are to love others, but we cannot do it in our natural state.. it is the Love we receive as part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Hate what is evil (NIV)

Hate what is evil, loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness (AMP)

Run for dear life from evil (MSG)

Hate what is wrong (NLT)

Abhor what is evil (ESV  NASB)

Detest evil (HCSB)

Abhor that which is evil (KJV)

To Abhor is to detest utterly, to shudder with horror.

Evil is wicked, lewd, malicious, grievous.. evil in a moral and spiritual sense.. perverseness.. Satan is the author of these acts, thoughts etc.

I abhor the obvious evils... rape, child abuse, human trafficking, .. but what about the evils that the world accepts.. abortion, homosexuality, adultery, fornication, lying, mocking God... really? Do I abhor them? I am sure I speak my opinion on them.. share scripture.. say they are wrong.. but then I will watch a TV show or Movie that includes glorification of evil and overlook it.  Is that abhorring? If I truly hate it shouldn't it repulse me.. make me shudder with horror? What does this say about my heart and conforming to the world?

Cling to what is good (NIV, HCSB, NASB)

Hold tightly to what is good (NLT)

Hold on for dear life to good (MSG)

Cleave to that which is good (KJV)

To Cleave is to join oneself, keep company

Good is benefit, well, benevolent, profitable, useful

This, for me, seems to be an indictment on how I spend my time. Am I "keeping company" with those things that benefit me and my family.. that are profitable for my spiritual growth and for the Kingdom?

This verse has 3 exhortation.. Love as God loves.. sincere.. real.. not fake

Hate / Detest that which is evil, wicked, ultimately of satan

Clint to, hold on to that which is good, beneficial, right

So HOW do I do this?

I can only love with AGAPE love when I allow God to fill me with His Spirit and let His love flow through me.  I must have His heart for others.. must love Him with all my being before I can love others as He would have me love them.

If I am to hate evil and cling to good, that will require action on my part.  This is not about hating people.. never that.. but I must consider who I spend my time with and what I spend it doing..reading, watching, etc.

Psalm 1:1-3 comes to mind...

Blessed is the man
    who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
    or sit in the seat of mockers.

2 

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
    Whatever he does prospers.

This cannot be accomplished in and of myself -- My sinful self cannot love this way, resist temptation and conformity to the world (which does not hate evil).. hold only to what is good, which means letting go of some things. I can only do this through Christ living in me which turns me back to Romans 12:1... offering myself as a living sacrifice.. dying to self.. DAILY.

Lord, today help me to love sincerely, not fake, not pretend, real.. just as You love me.  Pour me out and fill every bit of me with Your Holy Spirit and let the Fruit of the Spirit be evident in my life. Give me a distaste -- a hate -- a disgust for anything evil or wicked. Change my heart, my nature.. conform it to your. Help me to see past the trappings of the world to the truth.  Show me evil in my life that needs to go.. bad I need to let go of... and show me the good here I need to hold on to with all my might.  I can do all thing through Christ who lives in me!  Thank You, Lord!  Amen!