“Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good”

Article for August 30, 2026

Romans 12:9–10 9Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Do you understand loving one another apart from the world view?  The world thinks love is an act of condoning one’s actions or beliefs.  This is not love, it’s actually closer to hate.  If you love someone, would you allow them to go down the wrong path?  Or would you try to prove to them, they are going down the wrong path?  Would be your hope to turn them towards Jesus Christ which leads to salvation.

Some condone others’ bad actions thinking this will keep that person loving them.  Some fear losing the love of another if they disagree with them, so they try to tolerate the bad actions, this is not love, this is self-pity and self-greed.  We need to know what love is according to the will of God so that our love is a true love.

God does not condone sin, nor does He accept it as being something to tolerate.  God has named sin and His is the only rule we should abide by.  God gave us the Ten Commandments; these are His laws of loving one another and loving Him.  If you follow these commands, you show your love for God and for one another.

It’s a shame we take these commands so lightly as we think nothing about taking the Lord’s name in vain, worshiping idles, and not keeping the Sabbath day holy.  Not to mention the other seven which we also do not keep very well.  Oh, you do not kill?  Do you try to kill anyone’s well being or reputation?  You do not steal? Are you one who barrows without returning or take just a little thing that you have justified as being unimportant or steals the truth with a lie?

Romans 12:11–13 11Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Some have zeal for our Lord, and some have more zeal for our Lord.  Remember what He has done for us and remember what He has given us.  Stop living your life for the earthly gains and start living your life in the spirit of joyful thanksgiving.  Our thanks should not be just words but in our actions of serving our Lord.  We have a loving Lord and one who genuinely cares for us every day.

Though sometimes we look for a Lord to clean up after us.  We should rejoice in that our Lord died to forgive us. We should also rejoice that He was resurrected to give us salvation.  Is it not enough that our Lord gets us through our trials and tribulations.  Is it not enough that our Lord listens to our prayers and answers them.  Even our Lord tells us to pray unceasingly.  Praying is part of the action of love for our Lord. 

Alas we should always show our thankfulness by what we give and the ministries we participate in to help those less fortunate.  The less fortunate hold a special place in the heart of our Lord and should hold a special place in ours.  Not all needy are there because of their own fault, but even if they are to blame for their poverty, we should joyfully help them recover into a respectful life.

Romans 12:14–16 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited.

Our God through humility came down to live as we live.  Our God came down to be among us as one who could see our suffering firsthand.  This one we call Lord is Jesus Christ and this Jesus Christ came to show He could empathize with us.  And Jesus Christ has sympathy for us as He sees and feels our needs through our poverty of spirit and faith.

Jesus walked this earth to show us the way, and this way is a better way that many do not see.  But our Christ in His care opens our eyes to hope, and the hope He gives us is the sure hope of salvation with eternal life and relationship with Him.  This Jesus Christ came to share in our sorrow as He showed us that even God can weep.  This Jesus Christ showed us that with Him and each other we can rejoice.  So together, let us rejoice in our Lord and live in harmony with one another.

As we look at our Resurrected Lord who humbled Himself to walk with us, we too should walk humbly with one another.  We are all the lowly, we all can find ourselves in poverty, and this is more likely closer to us than we might think.  We have no real reason to be haughty towards our neighbor or conceited in what we have.  For we all should boast in our Lord Jesus Christ and thank our God for all that we have.

Romans 12:17–19 17Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Our God is here for us and that He is for us He will take care of those who are against us.  We have no need to deal with each other with evil towards anyone, but that does not mean you should not protect yourself or your loved ones.  We need to remember that as good as we try to behave there is always our sinful nature that will betray us.  This is not an excuse to deal evil with evil even when we are protecting our own loved ones.  It is not that we should get even or seek revenge, for our Lord will do this of His will to protect His creation He loves.

Romans 12:20–21 20To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Jesus did not curse anyone on the way to His cross of crucifixion.  Jesus did not return to seek revenge on those who put Him on that cross.  What Jesus did was to forgive and show us that a resurrected life does not carry the burden of this sinful world.  Jesus Christ died to forgive us and was resurrected to show us the way of salvation.  Believe this is most certainly true.  Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis A. May