#16: Sincere Love (Romans 12:9)

They say, "Where is the love? How can these conservative Christians be so unloving? Where is the love of Jesus in their harsh words?"

How do you love?

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9

Did you notice that? Love does not contrast with hate. The Bible exhorts us to love and hate and cling, all in the same verse. But we are specifically told what we are to hate.

Hate evil.
Cling to Good.

It is not the conservatives who do not love. In fact, it is the libertines who cannot love. If you hate good and cling to what is evil, you cannot love.

But hating evil, calling it what it is, clinging to good and exhorting others to the same, that is when you are able to express true brotherly love.

If you hate Narcan (for example), but cling to Heroin, how can you love the addict?

If you hate heroin, and cling to Narcan, then you can love the addict.

If you hate homosexuality, and stick to faithfulness and chastity, then you can love the homosexual.

#10: What is Love Anyway?

That guy sang that song in the eighties, "What is low-ow-ow-wuv, anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd3liL13CgM&feature=related

The answer is something about a second hand emotion. Was that Tina Turner who sang that? No it was the 100 revs. This is what they say,

Indeed the church has often been profoundly unloving toward the GLBT community.

The 100 revs don't want love they want a second hand emotion. Acceptance, approval, something like that. How exactly do they think the church has been unloving? By not allowing practicing homosexuals to worship freely in our congregations? By standing up against the gay lobby? By refusing to allow homosexuality to be delisted as a sin because our deeply troubled society has allowed the homosexual lobby to redefine homosexuality as normal and happy? By insisting any person who comes to church be challenged about their sin whatever form it may take?

Love does what's best for someone. Even when they don't like it.

Why does a parent discipline a child?
Why does a friend pour an alcoholic's grog down the sink?
Why does a mate tell you to pull your head in at a party?
Why does the church correct homosexuals?

LOVE.