Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Romans 12:9
We often judge people wrongly. We often believe what is said by people rather than being patient and observing the fruit of their actions. We ‘love’ out of our own strength rather than from the Spirit of God that is supposed to dwell within us. We wear all sorts of ‘masks’ because of our inner need to be ‘liked’ rather than being genuine knowing deeply our identity in Christ and what God says who we are. How do we love truly genuinely, without any other agenda? Real genuine love is described in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, it is the ‘agape’ love of God, not human love. So often we give non-genuine love so that we are seen as ‘nice’, but it is just a mask and doesn’t really display what is in our hearts. Why? Because we don’t really do the second piece of advice here, “abhor what is evil”. If we really knew how much many of our real motivations are evil rather than coming from the heart of God, we would truly be more humble and contrite before God and in our prayer to Him. This is the work of the Holy Spirit within us — to reveal the real person that we are and our need for Him to change us into the likeness of Jesus. What is evil? That which is in direct opposition to God. I think we’d all be surprised by what God sees as opposition to Him (sin).
What is really ‘good’? That which God has ordained as ‘good’. Have you ever researched what God says is good? It certainly isn’t what we naturally think is ‘good’. When God ordains something good we should HOLD FAST to it. That means to not allow the enemies of God to deceive you about it, and spread lies about it. The words ‘hold fast’ come from the Greek word kolláō (from kólla, “glue”) –and means to bond (cleave), adhere to (literally, “glued together”); to cleave, join to; (figuratively) intimately connected in a soul-knit friendship. Kolláō is used “frequently in ancient medical language of the uniting of wounds” (Biblehub) From this explanation I get the feeling that we have to ‘work’ at being ‘connected’ to God ordained ‘good’.
How do we really be genuine, and then be genuine in love? First – we have to be honest with ourselves, and agree with the Holy Spirit with what He is revealing about us. At ALL times we should strive to be truthful and honest. This is becoming much more difficult in the culture and world today. The cultural norm now is to lie. Those is the highest offices of the land are lying all the time now with impunity, only the common person is punished for lying whereas the ruling authorities are not. The examples surrounding us in everyday life is to lie. Thus everyone has grown highly skeptical of everyone else, and when you do find the someone telling the truth it is becoming increasingly rare. People now have to be ‘forced’ to tell the truth, rather than it be seen as something that is filled with love and joy and regarded with honor. In all things speak the truth, and if you can’t present it correctly through the Holy Spirit – wait till He gives you the correct wording so that you can speak it with His fruit surrounding the words.
Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to counsel you in what He wants you to be working on in your character? Are you asking Him what Jesus is really like and pursuing a life to be like Jesus in everything? Let us strive to love genuinely and know what God says is evil and stay away from it and attempt to stay in the center if everything God says is ‘good’.