Romans 12:9

Love (Greek: agape) (see on Matthew 5:44; 1 Corinthians 13:1). From his discussion of the right use of special gifts, Paul now passes on to instruct believers in the exercise of the greatest gift of all and the basic principle of all true Christianity—love. As in 1 Corinthians 12; 13 Paul follows his discussion of spiritual gifts by a reference to love. The virtues that he lists in Romans 12:9-21 are but the outworking of genuine Christian love.

Without dissimulation (Greek: anupokritos), “without hypocrisy,” “unfeigned,” “genuine,” “sincere,” “real,” “true.” Only that love is genuine which hates what is evil and holds fast to what is good (see 1 Corinthians 13:6).

Abhor (Greek: apostugeo), occurring only here in the New Testament, implies loathing something so much that one keeps oneself away from it. Sincere love cannot condone evil in another, no matter how greatly beloved. Its aim will ever be to combat what is evil and confirm what is good. The love of Eli for his rebellious sons did not reveal these marks of genuineness. Had his love been true, he would have corrected the evil tendencies of his sons. But the Scriptures record the disastrous results of blind indulgence instead of true love (see Leviticus 10:1, 2; Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 360, 361; 1 Samuel 3:13; 4:11, 18-22; Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 575-579).

Cleave (Greek: kollaō), literally, “to glue [or “cement”] together,” hence, “to join oneself” to something (see Matthew 19:5; Acts 8:29).