“Living Out Christ’s Love Without Hypocrisy”
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
-Romans 12:9 (KJV)
As Christians, we are called to love like Christ. Throughout the Bible, Jesus displayed love in everything He did. As the scripture reads, God is love!
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
-1 John 4:16 (KJV)
God defines love, and when you define love, then you display it at all times. There’s no hidden agenda; it is just pure love. We are commanded to let love be without dissimulation.
The definition of dissimulation: refers to the act of concealing one’s true motives, thoughts, or feelings by pretense or deceit.
The world will love those who love them and hate those that hate them. The love of Christ is the only thing that can change such hypocrisy.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
– 1 John 4:20 (KJV)
The love of Christ can overpower the greatest hate. His love has no end and is without measure. The only way we can experience His love is to have a relationship with Him. That starts by seeking Him and seeking forgiveness by His name. His forgiveness defines His love, and when you experience this yourself, you know that you’ve never known love until you have known Jesus Christ.
We love Him, because He first loved us.
-1 John 4:19 (KJV)
The more that you get to know Him, the more you will love. Even your worst enemy, you will love. His love will consume you if you allow it to. Then, once it has consumed you, you too will display love at all times. It will be impossible for you to love one person and hate another. The only thing you will hate is sin, which you are commanded to. As the verse says,
Abhor that which is evil;
The definition of abhor is loath – hate.
You are to loathe – hate evil.
That is the only time God has ever told us to hate. Whatever is evil, reject it and cleave to the good.
The definition of cleave is: “cleave” means to stick closely, be joined, or hold fast.
If it is good, stick to it, become part of it, and never let go of it. Throughout life, you will experience good and evil, both in people, places, and things. However, we should not hate the ungodly but pray for them. Chase after the good, catch it, and don’t let it go, and display love at all times.
Reflective Questions:
1. Where in my life might I be showing love with dissimulation (hidden motives or pretense)? How can I align my actions with Christ’s pure love?
2. Who in my life is hardest for me to love right now? How might Christ’s love for me help me extend love to them?
3. What evil am I tolerating instead of abhorring? What steps can I take to reject it and cleave to what is good?
4. How have I experienced God’s love and forgiveness in my own life? How can that shape the way I treat others?
5. What good in my life—relationships, habits, or opportunities—should I cling to more tightly? How can I pursue it intentionally?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,Thank You for Your boundless love, a love so pure and true that it defines who You are. Thank You for loving me first, for forgiving me through Your Son, Jesus Christ, and for showing me what love without dissimulation looks like. Lord, I ask You to search my heart. Reveal any hypocrisy or hidden motives in my love, and help me to love others as You do—without pretense, without measure, even those who are hard to love. Give me strength to abhor what is evil, to reject sin in my life, and to cleave to what is good. Fill me with Your Spirit, that Your love might consume me and flow through me to others. Teach me to pray for the ungodly rather than hate them, and to chase after the good You place in my path. May my life reflect Your love at all times, to Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you for reading. God bless you!
If the love of God dwells in you, it will flow from you.
All Scripture in Steps Towards Eternity Daily Devotional is from the King James Bible. (KJV)
Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION (KJV): KING JAMES VERSION, public domain in The United States. Pathway365 is based in the United States and is governed by its laws. Outside of the United States, you’ll need to check the copyright laws in your country before use.
Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press