Love is not toleration of evil. Love is good. It is not amoral. True love does not blur the eternal distinctions of right and wrong. It is not a feeling indifferent to goodness and evil. Love rejoices and love discriminates; it is the object of love’s delight that determines the moral goodness and purity of that love.

In a world where might makes right, righteousness is corrupted. Where good is called evil and evil is called good, love is perverted. Christians are called to love with authentic love, which is from God (1 John 4:7). Therefore, we are exhorted: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Rom 12:9).

Since God is love (1 John 4:8) and all true love is from God, love will never contradict or blaspheme God. Love “does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor 13:6). True love is married to truth, which cannot be divorced from moral standards and concerns.

Since God is light (1 John 1:5) and altogether holy, His love is in perfect harmony with many of the things that people assume are opposite God’s love; and it is in utter opposition to many of the things that people assume are agreeable to it. Love hates evil because it is good (Psalm 97:10).

Love is not a sentimental idea. Love is not some indulgence of happiness over holiness. Love is good, which opposes evil. Love cannot be a license to sin when its perfect source is propitiation for sin (1 John 4:10). Through the personal sacrifice of the holy Christ, love covers a multitude of sins but does not condone them; it expiates, but does not excuse.

Christians must be overtly sensitive as to how we discern and exercise this truth in our expressions toward others. Just as others may not dismiss holiness in the name of love, so we may not dismiss love in the name of holiness. There is an unloving way to love others.

Love is always good. Little children, let us love like Christ.

-Pastor Manny

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