Romans 12:9-13
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling
to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly
love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in
diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in
hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”
Michael continues that Verse
13 says, contribute to the necessity of the saints financially. It doesn't say
give them everything, but contribute to the spiritual necessity of the
church. The biblical command is that we give. You cannot love God and
mammon (aka “wealth” regarded as an evil influence or false object of worship
and devotion. The Christian church in Jerusalem was suffering since they
were persecuted by the Jews. The Jewish rulers and the Jewish majority in
Jerusalem ostracized the followers of Christ and they were not allowed to
work. They were banned from the marketplace and could not buy and sell.
The Christian churches in other cities and communities collected money to
contribute to the necessity of the saints in Jerusalem. The impoverished
churches gave even more than the wealthy churches as is often the case. The
Lord Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he
will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Love by giving hospitality.
This means to feed others and treat them well, especially strangers,
demonstrating the love of Christ. In ancient times strangers were often the
enemy. Aliens were always considered enemies. There's a risk in taking in
strangers. However, hospitality overcomes the tension between strangers
and makes them your friend. As President Abraham Lincoln said, the best way to
defeat your enemy is to make him your friend. Even you who were sometimes
aliens and foreigners He has welcomed into the body of Christ. Love goes
way beyond our differences socio-economically, ethnically, and
politically. Hospitality stomps on the divisions and factions that the
world uses to separate us.
The love for Christ should
have depth: not slothful in business, fervent (white hot) in spirit ... not
slothful in zeal. Previously, the Apostle Paul had said that the young
believers had the zeal but no knowledge. “Not slothful in business” means that
we don't just give lip service. Instead, we do what needs to be done, motivated
by genuine love. It means that we should actively stoke our passion for
love and service. Rejoicing in hope is a command. It's not something that
we acquire passively but we have to deliberately, intentionally and
passionately rejoice in the hope of the return of Christ. Our joy and
rejoicing in the world is not because of our circumstances but because of the
hope that we have in the promise of Christ's imminent return. Be patient in
tribulation as we rejoice in hope according to Romans 5:1. Hope cheers you on
to the finish line, even when we think we have already given everything we
have. Be constant in prayer. Prayer is also an active choice. We actively
choose to prioritize our relationship with Him.
The challenges for those of
us who surrendered to Jesus and proclaim salvation is to honor God with our
whole life for who He is. The command is to love God and one another
according to the standard of love defined by the Word of God. Everyone
wants to be loved. However the greater desire is to love regardless of the
response of the other person. Actively choosing to love is a deliberate,
intentional, purposeful, and active effort. God made us to love Him. This
is the nature of Christ in us, the hope of glory. It's not about me or you,
it's about Him. The first step of love is when we confessed with our mouth
the Lord Jesus and believed in our hearts that God has raised Him from the
dead. Upon confession of the Savior from sin, we receive the Spirit of
Christ, which gives us the capacity to love.
Marriage is a relationship
where each spouse wants to love the other. This is the way God created us
to live to bless the other. It's not that we've got to but that we get
to. Learning to live and love
like Jesus is to love with the heart of Christ in us. Genuinely, without guile
or dissimulation, with purposeful zeal and in honor, preferring one another
according to the Spirit of Christ's heart behind our hearts.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
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