Romans 12:9

‘Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cleave to what is good.'

As befits a depiction of the teaching of Jesus the list commences with the requirement to love truly. We are called on to reveal love in our lives, love for our fellow-Christians, and love for our fellowman, a love that is genuine and true. Note that he assumes that the Christian will ‘love'. It is so basic to being a Christian that it does not have to be ‘required' of them. Rather his emphasis is on what kind of love it should be. It is not to be like the love of an actor playing a part. It is to be genuine and from the heart. Such love was at the very heart of the teaching of Jesus. For with regard to our fellow-Christians Jesus said, ‘this I command you, that you love one another as I have loved you' (John 15:12). ‘In this will all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for the other' (John 13:35). It is a self-giving love. We are thus to love with a love like the love that Jesus has for us, a love which is sure, pure and permanent, a love which never fails. A good description of this love is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4, a passage which we should retain in our hearts. And towards all men we are to be ‘perfect in love', even towards our enemies (Matthew 5:43). We are to love our neighbour, and the stranger who is among us, in the same way as we love ourselves (Leviticus 19:18; Leviticus 19:34).

This love will be revealed in our hating of what is evil or injurious, and our clinging firmly to what is good or helpful. This is an important point. Love is concerned always to root out evil, not by being judgmental, but by its own example and purity and determination. It ever strives for the highest good. Thus in Amos 5:15 we are told to ‘hate the evil and love the good', words which parallel this verse. Compare also Psalms 97:10. Love does not compromise with what is evil or injurious. Rather it hates it because of the harm it does. So what is evil is firmly to be put aside, it is to be abhorred. But in contrast we are to stick firmly to what is good like glue. It is a life choice. We must hate all that causes harm to others. Our whole lives must be directed towards what is good, and honourable, and true. See Philippians 4:8.