Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• v9-10
• Many people show kindness, good and love
• What is Christian love?
• Book: The secret thoughts of an unlikely convert
• Her initial view of Christianity was negative
• A letter from Pastor Ken
• Over time she came to believe that the Bible was true and Jesus Christ was Lord
• She became a real Christian
• She came to see her real heart
• "Let love be without hypocrisy" (v9)
• The love of God is different to the world's love
• The worlds love is to 'get'
• A series of moral injunctions
• Abhor what is evil - loving what God loves and having the fear of God
• Prayer (v12), serving the Lord (v11)
• By the mercies of God (v1)
• 1 Cor 12:31 - desire the best gift / a more excellent way - love
• Brief Explanation
• Rom 12:4-8 – different gifts
• But concentrate on character (v9-21)
• There are connections: v9-10 is an outworking of v1-2
• v1 - a living sacrifice
• Love without hypocrisy (v9)
• Do not retaliate (v19)
• Live in peace (v18)
• Overcoming evil (v21)
• v2 - be renewed in your mind (v2)
• God will repay (v19)
• Love your enemy
• Remember the context
• Overview:
• Genuine love
• The fear of God

Genuine love

• There is lots of fake love in the world
• Examples
• "Let love be without hypocrisy" - Agape love (v9a)
• Unconditional, selfless, sacrificial, free
• Does God need to love us?
• God loves us unconditionally
• Christ died for us whilst we were sinners and enemies
• God gave His only begotten Son
• Love with agape love
• Love is practical
• 1 John 3:16-18
• 1 John 4:7 - this love can only come from God
• 1 John 4:8-11 - God's love is a free and full love with no limits
• Obey His commandments
• No deceit, no pretense, no falsehood
• Not like the Pharisees
• No pride (v3)
• Example of Hittaphel and Judas
• "Love one another in the church" (v10a)
• There should be warmth
• Remember who we are and who our brother and sister is
• A true child of God
• We are bound together in family
• We need to see Christ in one another
• "Give preference to one another" (v10b)
• Do not push yourselves forward
• Be willing to come last
• Do not press your personal views on others
• Consider what is best for the church
• (It does not mean to be unnatural)
• Be a servant

The fear of God

• "Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." (v9b)
• Strong words
• Abhor is stronger than hate
• Sin is so abhorrent that God will not even look at it
• Cleave to what is good
• Abhor what is evil
• 2 Tim 2:19
• Leave sin behind
• Ps 34:14
• Think of Noah
• Prov 6:17-19
• The proud look
• The lying tongue
• The false witness
• Hands that shed innocent blood
• A heart that devises wicked plans
• One who sows discord in the Church
• Cling to what is good
• Think on noble things and live a life that pleases God
• Rejoice in the truth
• Rom 16:19 - be wise in what is good and innocent concerning evil
• There is a big contrast between good and evil in the bible
• Examples
• There is victory
• Rom 2:6-9
• May it be that we live a life seeking to please God
• Quote from Lloyd Jones (v9 - sums up the whole of the Bible)