Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
—Romans 12:9-10
If there’s anything the church of Jesus Christ needs today, it’s a good dose of reality, real Christians who are authentic, genuine saints living in a real world. With all the criticism and skepticism aimed at churches and ministries, it’s time the world took notice of believers who are committed to Christ in truth, obedience, integrity, and honesty.
And in these verses Paul tells us how. The very first mark of an authentic Christian is this: “Let love be genuine.” The word means without hypocrisy. You probably know that “hypocrite” comes from the ancient stage, where actors wore masks to play their parts. So genuine love is love with the mask off, not pretended, not phony, not manipulative, not put on for show. It’s real, and it’s transparent.
The Bible’s most vivid picture of love with a mask on is Judas, who betrayed the Lord with a kiss, feigned affection covering a treacherous heart. God help us never to love like that. The word Paul uses here is agape, the sacrificial love of the cross, the love that is not self-interested but others-focused.
But genuine love is not soft and sentimental. “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Real love is tough. It does not wink at sin or excuse bad behavior. “You who love the Lord, hate evil,” the psalmist says. When you truly love God, you will detest what destroys the people He loves, and cling to what is good, cherishing it.
And then love is tender: “Love one another with brotherly affection.” Paul is talking now about God’s own family. We are His people, brothers and sisters, and He wants us deeply devoted to one another, living in warmth and harmony. If you’ve ever watched how gently a grandparent handles a grandchild, you’ve seen the tenderness this verse calls for. Tough on the outside when it comes to what’s right and true, but tender on the inside toward people.
Finally, love is thoughtful: “Outdo one another in showing honor.” Imagine that, a holy competition, not to be honored, but to honor others first. Not fawning flattery, but truly esteeming others, putting them ahead of ourselves. In a culture obsessed with self-promotion, the church is called to a beautiful contest of preferring one another.
So, let me ask you: what does your love look like today? Is it genuine, mask off, no pretending? Is it tough, hating evil, clinging to good? Is it tender, warm and affectionate toward God’s people? Is it thoughtful, quick to honor others before yourself?
Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The watching, skeptical world is looking for something real. Let your life answer them. Take off the mask, abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good, and love, genuinely, tenaciously, tenderly, every single day.
LET LOVE BE GENUINE, TAKE OFF THE MASK AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER IN TRUTH, TOUGHNESS, TENDERNESS, AND HONOR.
