Romans 12:9

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

'Let' -we have control over this.

'without hypocrisy' -'Your love must be genuine' (Gspd) 1 Corinthians 13:1 teaches us something about love. 'There's nothing sentimental about it for "sentiment" costs nothing and leads to no commitment. We are not to feign love so as to gain advantage. We are not to profess what isn't our heart. "Give us some love with skin on it!" said. black man who lived in the mud as he heard another glib mouthful of "syrup"' (McGuiggan p. 367)

Apparently, the First Century Church also had problems with 'pretended love' (1 John 3:18; 1 Peter 1:22). Many young people need to read this verse often. Don't tell someone you 'love them', when you don't, and don't use 'I love you', to gain. selfish and sinful pleasure. Such love is hypocritical, and we all know where the hypocrites are headed!

'Abhor' -655. apostugeo ap-os-toog-eh'-o: from 575 and the base of 4767; to detest utterly: -abhor. 'An intense sentiment is meant: loathing.' (Vincent p. 158) 'Regard evil with horror' (Wey) 'Abhor comes from. word which means "to shudder from". It isn't often we come across people who shudder at evil.' (McGuiggan p. 367)

Points to Note:

1. The love under consideration, real and genuine love doesn't wink at sin. 'It must not countenance moral weakness or allow mutual indulgence.' (Erdman p. 148)

2. Our love is not up to the required standard, unless it moves us to abhor evil (Ephesians 5:11) And not just our favorite 'evil' that we like to pick on, but ALL FORMS OF EVIL! (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 13:6).

'Love is not. principle of mutual indulgence; in the Gospel it is. moral principle, and like Christ Who is the only perfect example of love, it has always something inexorable about it. He never condoned evil.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 691) (Hebrews 1:9)

'cleave to that which is good' -There is such. thing as 'good and evil'.. Only the believer can consistently speak of good and evil.' (McGuiggan p. 367)

'cleave' -glued or joined firmly to. 'Cling to the right' (TCNT)

'But to abhor evil does no good if one does not cleave or hold fast to that which is good.'