Living A LIFESTYLE Of LOVE, Pt.1

BEING A BELIEVER EVERYDAY

Rom 12:9-13; Selected Scriptures
By
D.Z. Cofield, Th. M., D. Min.
August 8 , 2021

Scripture Reading:

Romans 12:9-13 (NLT2) – Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate
what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,
and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the
Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep
on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager
to practice hospitality.

1. You must make sure your LOVE is REAL.

Romans 12:9 (ESV) – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is
good.

Love –

Genuine –

1 John 3:17-18 (ESV) – But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in
need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little
children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 Timothy 1:5 (ESV) – The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and
a good conscience and a sincere faith.

1 Peter 1:22-23 (ESV) – Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a
sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have
been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and
abiding word of God; Bible Exposition Commentary – Be Right (Romans).

A. Your LOVE is REAL when you hate EVIL.

Romans 12:9 (ESV) – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is
good.

Abhor –

1 Thessalonians 5:22 (NLT2) – Stay away from every kind of evil.

1 Peter 3:11 (NLT2) – Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work
to maintain it.

B. Your LOVE is REAL when you COMMIT to ALWAYS doing what is GOOD.

Romans 12:9 (ESV) – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is
good.

Hold fast –

Luke 6:35-36 (ESV) – But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting
nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most
High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is
merciful.

C. Your LOVE is REAL when you love in a PRACTICAL way.
Romans 12:9-10 (ESV) – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is
good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing
honor.

Love one another –

2 Peter 1:5-8 (ESV) – For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith
with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and selfcontrol
with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with
brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours
and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 3:14 (ESV) – We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we
love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.

D. Your LOVE is REAL when your love INITIATES showing HONOR to OTHERS.

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

Outdo –

Honor –

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV) – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility
count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his
own interests, but also to the interests of others.

1 Corinthians 10:24 (ESV) – Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his
neighbor.

1 Peter 2:17 (ESV) – Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the
emperor.

L.I.F.E. Group Questions

1. What are some of the differences between real gold jewelry and costume
jewelry?
2. When is it more important for your jewelry to be real instead of fake?
3. What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word love?
4. What does it mean to have and express real, genuine love?
5. Is it important to know you can love in a way that’s not real or genuine? Explain
6. Why is hating evil important to show that you have real love?
7. What can you do to learn to hate evil?
8. How can you hate evil and not hate the person who does the evil?
9. What is the relationship between real love and always doing what is good?
10. How can you show the realness of your love in 3 practical ways?
11. What does it mean to honor one another?
12. What can you do this week to initiate showing honor to someone?