Love without Dissimulation Romans 12:9

Paul the apostle told the believers in Rome, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teaches, on teaching, or he that exhorts, on exhortation: he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness”, and in chapter twelve and verse nine of Romans, Paul told the believers in Rome, “let love be without dissimulation” where we read:

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

The verse begins, “Let love be without dissimulation.” Paul began with the word, “let” which means “allow and permit” “love” or “affection, good will, love, benevolence and unconditional love” “be without dissimulation” which means “be unfeigned, undisguised and sincere”. Paul desired for his readers to have “sincere and unfeigned” “agape'” “love” toward one another.

The verse continues, “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”. Paul added the words, “abhor” which means “dislike and have a horror for” “that which is evil” or “labors, annoyances, hardships, toils and peril which are of a bad nature or condition”; “cleave” which means “glue together, cement and fasten firmly together” “to that which is good” or “of useful, salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent and distinguished nature”. Paul exhorted his believing readers to
“have a horror for things of bad nature and condition” and rather to “be glued to” things which are of a “joyful, happy and excellent nature”.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we understand how believers in Jesus are to “love” in “sincerity”, and also realize the world contains both “evil” and “good” venues. They are to “hate and despise” things which are “wicked and evil”, and they are to “cling to” things which are “happy and excellent”. When a person receives Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they turn from “evil ways” and toward “the good”. God desires for every person to accept His Son Jesus into their lives, and when they become familiar with the ways of God, they “cling” to “good things” and “resist vehemently” the “evil ones”.

Next time Paul tells his believing readers in Rome, “be kindly affectioned one to another”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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