DEVOTIONALS

September 2008

Rom. 12:9-10 | Love and Honor

By Andrew Johnson

Love without hypocrisy. Literally, "Love is without hypocrisy, hating evil, clinging to what is good." Love is without pretense; ESV translates this "Let love be genuine." Indeed, love that is not genuine, or is "pretend" love, is no love at all; it is certainly not agape. Love hates evil and clings to what is good. In a familiar passage Paul wrote about agape, "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Cor. 13:4-7 NASB) The Greek term agape is often considered to be speaking of God's love and indeed it does; yet in Romans 12:9 and 1 Corinthians 13 agape is to characterize the love of believers towards one another.

Be devoted to one another. While our primary devotion is most certainly to God, in that devotion to God we should also be devoted to one another as fellow members of God’s household, as fellow-heirs. In this devotion we "give preference to one another in honor" or as ESV renders it, "Outdo one another in showing honor." When we consider the adjective form of the word for "honor" (Gk. time), we see how believers are to regard one another, as the idea of honor carries such lofty terms as precious, of great worth, highly respected.

I remember reading this passage in the ESV and coming upon that phrase, "Outdo one another in showing honor." Immediately I had to ask the question, do we go out of our way to "outdo" one another in showing honor? What would the modern Christian community look like if we did? Upon further reflection I have come to realize that Western Christians live in a culture where honor is not highly valued, at least not true honor. We live in a culture where people seek to honor themselves rather than others. They want accolades and rewards; but how much do they really value others?

We should expect so much from the world, but what of the Christian community? What about our churches? Do we value our brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we honor our own family members in our households? Do we truly love fellow believers, seeking their good above our own? These questions are of course a challenge to myself as much as anyone. Indeed this passage continues to challenge the way I regard my fellow believers, both in my home and at my church and Bible college.

We certainly are called to love those who are out in the world and without Christ. However, we are called to have a special, brotherly affection for one another as believers and members of God's household. John’s first letter makes strong emphasis on the imperative nature of this love. "For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another…We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know no murderer has eternal life in him." (1 John 3:11, 14-15 ESV) There is no such thing as a loveless Christian; love for the family of God is the mark of one who has eternal life while the one who does not love the brethren, indeed hates them, is called a murderer and does not have eternal life!

Let us examine our hearts in light of these words from Paul and John. Let us consider how we might honor one another, showing genuine love and regarding each other higher than ourselves. May God grant us the grace and courage to "lead the way" in showing honor towards our brothers and sisters in the faith.

Have a Devotional to Share?

Students, staff and faculty are all welcome to submit a devotional for posting on this page, just e-mail your devotional (either as an attachment or in the body of the e-mail) to the webmaster (click here) for consideration. Please indicate any which Bible translation you use for any Scripture quotation. Also, if you quote another author please, include a reference (i.e. author, title of work cited, publication info [city, publisher and date or web address if Internet source is being cited] and page number[s]).

NOTE: The views expressed in the devotional matieral are those of the author and not necessarily those of Trinity Life Bible College, as students and faculty at TLBC come from a number of theological backgrounds. In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity. Please click here for our doctrinal statement.