“…graven with an iron pen and lead…” Job 19:24
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
God & Country
Three Principles of Christian Living
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Romans 12:9 “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
SHOW GENUINE LOVE
“Let love be without dissimulation…”
The word translated love is agape. Agape love indicates a choice of the will to find one’s joy in something or someone. It also includes a genuine, unselfish love and concern that shows itself in actions.
Dissimulation is a word that we seldom use. Today we would use the word deception or pretending. That’s exactly what dissimilation means. To state it positively, love is to be genuine! D. L. Moody said of professing Christians who talked love but did not back it up with actions – “They are talking cream and living skimmed milk.” As believers our love is to be genuine.
How can believers obey Paul’s instruction? I believe the Apostle John gives us some real help in this area. He wrote, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18. Genuine love is MORE than words! It includes loving actions.
HATE EVIL
“…Abhor that which is evil…”
The word abhor is a very strong word which means the greatest aversion and hatred imaginable. It denotes a turning away from it, as something that is the most loathsome, detestable, and abominable. In this case, what is detestable, loathsome and hated is evil or wickedness. The psalmist put it this way, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil…” Psalms 97:10. Believers need to hate sin.
But, Christians are not to be satisfied with just hating evil and abstaining from it. We are to go a step further.
BE GLUED TO GOOD
“…cleave to that which is good.”
The word translated cleave means to glue together, cement, fasten together firmly, to be joined to or to join one’s self to. As believers, we are to be inseparably joined to good. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Without a doubt, the believer’s life is to show a “pattern of good works.” Titus 2:7