Be Authentic

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good.    – Romans 12:9

The display at the state fair included trays of glittering jewelry, sparkling under bright lights, and shimmering their “buy me” invitation. The hawker called out, “Get your diamonds here. Get your genuine simulated diamonds here.” Glittering, man-made gems may look like the real thing to some, but they are far from it. Extreme heat and pressure on carbon atoms are what create diamonds… pressure about 50,000 times the air pressure on the surface of the earth and temperatures of about 1200 degrees Celsius over a long period of time will result in a diamond. 

“Genuine, man-made“ Christians are what Paul warns about in today’s verse. A simulated Christian is one who is not authentic. The apostle advocates for the real thing. The Greek lexicon says the word he used means hypocrisy. The love generated from genuine faith accentuates the positive and abhors evil or, as Webster would say, treats evil with repugnance. The Romans 12 passage goes on to say that true love from a genuine faith is devoted and loyal to others in the family of God, never gives up, and meets the needs of others.   

Believers with a true faith in Jesus Christ are different. They think positively, they stand for the truth and expose evil. The atmosphere of their homes and families are different, as are their relationships with others. Some have been tested under heat and pressure, for long periods of time. The Holy Spirit provides the power and ability to walk out the kind of love God calls you to have—genuine, authentic, actual, and real. The first of the fruits of the Spirit is love. If you struggle with loving as God directs you to, ask, and He will surely help you. Pray that the faith and love of those serving in government who call themselves Christians would be genuine.