Rom 12:9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
Attitude drives how we approach these 3 areas of our lives in dealing with the gifts of grace.
1.”Let love be genuine”, Paul begins with “love” explained in the next vs. “10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor“. Love cements saints with bond of affection. Without love, all the gifts men proves nothing. 1Co 16:14, “Let all that you do be done in love.” When all fails, love fails not. 1Co 13:7-8, “7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends…“
2.”Abhor what is evil“, meaning in vs. “11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” John Calvin comments, “Every work, however splendid and excellent in appearance, is counted as sin, except it be founded on a right conscience; for God regards not the outward display, but the inward obedience of the heart.” Evil wants us to hate our brothers. We are urged to hate evil instead and with diligence give genuine love and have no place to laziness.
3.“…hold fast to what is good.” expounded in vs. “12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” The things we struggle to hold tight are joy, patience and prayer. Prayer that strengthens faith births hope (expectation of good) and lifts it up into an assured and joyful expectancy. Since our patience in tribulation is empowered by grace, it will be seen that all depends on our “perseverance in prayer.” Heb 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”