Give
It’s easy to say we believe in love. But when life gets hard, people get difficult, and emotions run high—what does love really look like?
In Romans 12:9–21, the Apostle Paul gives a picture of what genuine, Christ-like love looks like in action. And spoiler alert: it’s not just a feeling. It’s not something that floats down from the sky like a Hallmark movie. Real love is something we do.
Paul opens with this statement: “Love must be sincere.” In other words, not fake. Not for show. Not something we say but don’t live. And then he gives a rapid-fire list—around 30 examples—of what that kind of love looks like.
But here’s something fascinating. In the original Greek, these aren’t a bunch of disconnected commands. They’re participles—descriptions of how sincere love behaves. Literally, it would read something like: “Let love be genuine, hating what is evil, clinging to what is good, being devoted to one another in love…”
In other words, Paul isn’t just handing us a to-do list. He’s painting a picture of a life transformed by Jesus. A life that reflects God’s love in every relationship.
Jesus didn’t just talk about love—He lived it. He hated what was evil. He clung to what was good. He laid down His life for His enemies. He washed His disciples’ feet—even Judas’s. His love wasn’t based on what He received in return. He loved freely, fully, and sacrificially.
That’s the kind of love Paul is talking about. A love that serves. A love that suffers. A love that stays.
It’s the kind of love that says:
This kind of love is not natural—it’s supernatural. It flows from being filled with the love of God. Paul would say in another letter, “The love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
And here’s where it gets even harder: this love extends to everyone.
Paul writes, “Bless those who persecute you.” Not just tolerate them. Bless them.
That’s radical love. That’s not normal. And that’s the point.
When we love like this, we become walking billboards for the grace of Jesus. Our enemies may never understand why we would choose compassion over revenge. But in doing so, we reflect the heart of the God who loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).
And isn’t that the good news? That God didn’t wait for us to clean up our act before loving us? He loved first. And His love changes everything.
Paul ends this section with one powerful sentence: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
That’s what Jesus did for us. He absorbed our sin and gave us grace. He overcame the darkest evil with the brightest love.
So the question today is simple: Does the love we show reflect the love we’ve received?
Whether you’re brand new to faith or still figuring out what you believe, know this—God loves you sincerely. Without hypocrisy. And He’s inviting you to not only receive that love, but reflect it.
Wherever you go, let love lead.
🎥 Want to dig deeper into this message?
Watch the full sermon from our Romans series and explore other messages on our Spring Lake Church YouTube channel.
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You are always welcome here.
