Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Romans 12:9

In the next section of Romans 12, Paul describes the characteristics of the life of a follower of Christ.

It is not by accident that he begins this list with love. Notice that Paul isn’t speaking of some kind of emotional response instead, he describes love as an action, a way of being that is marked most of all by sincerity. Some want you to feel loved and others love you. You can recognize the difference between sincere love and a hypocritical self-serving kind of attention, can’t you?

Sincere love is free of deceit, free of hypocrisy. Sincere love is marked by a sense of genuineness. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-7)

Next, Paul contrasts how we should respond to good and evil. There is evil in our world and we should be opposed to all that is evil and at the same time we are to cling to all that is good.

You know how to recognize the difference. Cling to the good, avoid evil.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:8