Romans 12:9–13
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving
preference to one another;
11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
Followers of Christ love. Loves sincerely. Loves without pretense. The
follower of Christ does not just say, “I love you” but truly loves. The
Christian’s love does not seek to gain anything from love. The love of the
believer is completely without selfish motives.
The follower of Christ hates evil with a passion. Christian love desires the
very best for others. Believers in Christ work to destroy hunger and poverty,
hurt, drunkenness and drugs, bitterness, improper behavior, and anything
that would keep another from accepting Christ.
It is not that a Christian must love but because the love of Christ dwells in
the life of the follower of Christ it is naturally demonstrated in his life.
Followers of Christ join together in love. There is no envy in love.
Paul is writing to the church about the church. We are to love one another as
Christ has loved us. My mother continually said, “Love begins at home.”
Christian love begins in the church. Jesus said in John 13:34–35, “A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved
you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
And in Philippians 2:1-2, “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if
any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and
mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of
one accord, of one mind.”
We as believers in Christ are to give preference to other believers. (I have to
admit this is sometimes difficult.) We as followers of Christ are to lead by
example. What would the church be like if the members actually esteemed
and expressed respect for others?