With Love, Part 1

Romans 12:9-10
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Today we are looking at the biblical concept of overcoming evil with good, guided by the profound wisdom in Romans chapter 12. Surprisingly, scripture emphasises that the journey to overcoming evil begins not with grand gestures, but with genuine love. Love might not top the list of strategies we’d instinctively think of—many might opt for prayer or leadership as key—but today we explore why authentic, sincere love is the foundation. Join us as we uncover how love not only transforms our personal walk but also enables us to genuinely engage with the world, even in challenging times.

100:00:00,360 –> 00:00:03,360Christian odds?200:00:03,560 –> 00:00:08,600Christians loving each other would not have been at the top of my list,300:00:08,800 –> 00:00:12,280not at the top of my list of strategies for overcoming evil.400:00:12,480 –> 00:00:14,360So it is very, very striking to me that500:00:14,560 –> 00:00:18,160when God speaks about those things that lead to overcoming evil600:00:18,360 –> 00:00:22,000with good, the very first thing that God says,700:00:22,200 –> 00:00:24,000that love be genuine.800:00:24,200 –> 00:00:26,879Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith900:00:27,620 –> 00:00:29,240I’m glad you could be with us today.1000:00:29,440 –> 00:00:32,040And Colin, if love wouldn’t have been at the top1100:00:32,240 –> 00:00:34,799of your list, what would have been at the top?1200:00:35,000 –> 00:00:36,320Oh, I think probably prayer.1300:00:36,320 –> 00:00:38,080I think a lot of Christians would say,1400:00:38,279 –> 00:00:42,119if asked the question what do we have to do in seeking to overcome1500:00:42,320 –> 00:00:45,840evil in this very, very divided time in which we find ourselves living,1600:00:46,040 –> 00:00:47,439a lot of people would say prayer.1700:00:47,639 –> 00:00:51,680I would say prayer and prayer is in the list in Romans and Chapter 12.1800:00:51,759 –> 00:00:53,119Let’s be very clear about that.1900:00:53,360 –> 00:00:57,279What was striking to me was that the first thing is love.2000:00:57,480 –> 00:01:00,000That it begins with Christians who love2100:01:00,200 –> 00:01:03,080one another and learn to reach out to others in love.2200:01:03,259 –> 00:01:05,199And prayer comes out of that love.2300:01:05,320 –> 00:01:06,599I mean, it’s not an artificial thing.2400:01:06,680 –> 00:01:08,720How can you pray for those that you don’t love?2500:01:08,760 –> 00:01:12,440So if we are wanting to make a difference in this world in which we live,2600:01:12,639 –> 00:01:16,199the first thing we’re called to is let love be genuine.2700:01:16,400 –> 00:01:18,199And indeed, we’re looking at that today2800:01:18,199 –> 00:01:23,599in Romans chapter 12 as we begin the message, overcoming evil with love.2900:01:23,800 –> 00:01:24,639Here is Colin.3000:01:24,839 –> 00:01:29,959The Apostle Paul says, in Romans 12 verse 21 that we looked at last week,3100:01:30,160 –> 00:01:33,919do not be overcome by evil.3200:01:34,120 –> 00:01:37,160But overcome evil3300:01:37,360 –> 00:01:39,320with good.3400:01:39,519 –> 00:01:43,239And we saw what good news this is that God is saying to us,3500:01:43,440 –> 00:01:48,639you do not need to be overcome by the evil that is around you3600:01:48,839 –> 00:01:53,239or indeed the evil that may have happened to you.3700:01:53,440 –> 00:01:58,320Anyone who has suffered a great evil in life knows how easy it is for that evil3800:01:58,519 –> 00:02:01,639to overcome you, to dominate you, to become the biggest thing in your life.3900:02:01,839 –> 00:02:06,599To be like a cloud that casts a shadow over everything else in subsequent years4000:02:06,800 –> 00:02:11,320and therefore becomes determining of the way that your life is.4100:02:11,559 –> 00:02:14,119And God says to those who are in Jesus Christ,4200:02:14,320 –> 00:02:16,440now don’t let that happen to you.4300:02:16,639 –> 00:02:19,559No, don’t be overcome by evil4400:02:19,759 –> 00:02:21,880you are in Jesus Christ.4500:02:22,080 –> 00:02:25,360Something better is possible for you.4600:02:25,559 –> 00:02:27,960Don’t be overcome by evil.4700:02:28,160 –> 00:02:33,000You be the one who overcomes evil with good.4800:02:33,199 –> 00:02:35,119Now, that’s where we began our series4900:02:35,320 –> 00:02:38,479with the very last verse of Romans and chapter twelve.5000:02:38,479 –> 00:02:39,639And we’re going to be focusing5100:02:39,679 –> 00:02:41,600in these weeks on everything that leads5200:02:41,800 –> 00:02:46,279up to Romans, chapter twelve and verse 21.5300:02:46,479 –> 00:02:49,199And we will be picking up at various points in the series,5400:02:49,399 –> 00:02:52,000including today, the story of the church,5500:02:52,199 –> 00:02:54,720which gives remarkable testimony5600:02:54,919 –> 00:02:57,279to how what God said to His people5700:02:57,479 –> 00:02:59,800in Rome in the first century really5800:03:00,000 –> 00:03:01,759worked out in practice.5900:03:01,960 –> 00:03:04,320It is simply a matter of history and6000:03:04,520 –> 00:03:07,360we must recall this for our encouragement.6100:03:07,600 –> 00:03:10,479It is a matter of history that in the years6200:03:10,679 –> 00:03:13,000following the writing of Romans around6300:03:13,199 –> 00:03:16,399A.D. 56, 57,6400:03:16,600 –> 00:03:18,839that the light of the gospel did shine6500:03:19,039 –> 00:03:21,240in the dark days of the Roman empire6600:03:21,440 –> 00:03:23,839and that the darkness did not overcome the light.6700:03:24,039 –> 00:03:26,960And here we are sitting here today, folks.6800:03:27,160 –> 00:03:29,399More than two thousand years6900:03:29,600 –> 00:03:32,720after the book of Romans was written7000:03:32,919 –> 00:03:35,240and the Roman Empire is long7100:03:35,279 –> 00:03:37,639since dead and gone7200:03:37,839 –> 00:03:39,960and the Church of Jesus Christ is alive7300:03:40,160 –> 00:03:42,279and well on planet earth.7400:03:42,479 –> 00:03:44,520The light did shine in the darkness7500:03:44,720 –> 00:03:47,479and the darkness — great as it was —7600:03:47,679 –> 00:03:51,000did not overcome it.7700:03:51,199 –> 00:03:53,360Do not be overcome by evil, God says.7800:03:53,559 –> 00:03:57,160But overcome evil with good!7900:03:58,160 –> 00:04:00,360Now we are going to look then in these weeks at everything8000:04:00,559 –> 00:04:03,160that leads up to overcoming evil with good.8100:04:03,320 –> 00:04:04,199That’s where we’re headed.8200:04:04,399 –> 00:04:06,479That’s what we want to see happen.8300:04:06,679 –> 00:04:07,919What gets us there?8400:04:08,119 –> 00:04:11,279And we begin in verses 9 and 108500:04:11,479 –> 00:04:13,880today, which really tell us8600:04:14,080 –> 00:04:16,679the first step, as it were, of moving8700:04:16,880 –> 00:04:19,160towards overcoming evil8800:04:19,359 –> 00:04:20,880with good.8900:04:21,079 –> 00:04:23,679But before I read these two verses, I want you to imagine9000:04:23,880 –> 00:04:26,279for a moment that you were chosen9100:04:26,480 –> 00:04:30,000to serve on a focus group9200:04:30,200 –> 00:04:31,839of first century Christians.9300:04:32,160 –> 00:04:34,600I’m not even sure that they had focused groups in the first9400:04:34,799 –> 00:04:35,799century. You understand.9500:04:36,000 –> 00:04:39,239But let’s just let that one go and use your imagination.9600:04:39,440 –> 00:04:41,799So here you are and you are in a room with these 129700:04:42,000 –> 00:04:44,399people who are serving with you on this group.9800:04:44,600 –> 00:04:47,160And the facilitator comes in and she says,9900:04:47,359 –> 00:04:50,000now, look, folks, the challenge that we’re facing10000:04:50,200 –> 00:04:52,320here today is that10100:04:52,519 –> 00:04:55,920there is obviously a growing tide of evil all around us.10200:04:56,119 –> 00:04:58,839And here we are, Christian people.10300:04:59,040 –> 00:05:01,559Let’s face it. There isn’t one of us in this room who would have10400:05:01,679 –> 00:05:04,920chosen to of Nero as our emperor.10500:05:05,119 –> 00:05:07,920But the reality is that’s what we’re facing.10600:05:08,119 –> 00:05:10,640And so the task that we have in this group is10700:05:10,839 –> 00:05:14,519I want us to work together to come up with some strategies10800:05:14,720 –> 00:05:17,480for overcoming the ever increasing evil that10900:05:17,679 –> 00:05:20,239is clearly all around us.11000:05:20,440 –> 00:05:23,040Now says the facilitator, all of you have a pad of paper11100:05:23,239 –> 00:05:24,640and none of you have a pencil.11200:05:24,839 –> 00:05:27,119I want you to take five minutes11300:05:27,320 –> 00:05:29,720to write down the top five strategies11400:05:29,799 –> 00:05:32,679that you think we as Christians should pursue in these dark11500:05:32,880 –> 00:05:36,160and difficult days in order that we may overcome11600:05:36,359 –> 00:05:38,640the evil that is increasingly around us.11700:05:38,839 –> 00:05:41,760What would be on your list?11800:05:42,000 –> 00:05:43,480Now, I took some time to think about it.11900:05:43,679 –> 00:05:44,679What would I write down?12000:05:44,880 –> 00:05:47,359And I’ve actually asked several people12100:05:47,559 –> 00:05:49,880in the course of this week just to check, you know,12200:05:50,079 –> 00:05:51,160what would you put on your list?12300:05:51,160 –> 00:05:52,640If you were asked that question.12400:05:52,839 –> 00:05:55,160Everyone came up with the same thing as I12500:05:55,359 –> 00:05:57,679came up with for the top of the list.12600:05:57,839 –> 00:05:59,920I would put, well, we have to pray.12700:06:00,119 –> 00:06:01,600How many of you would have said the same thing?12800:06:01,799 –> 00:06:03,720Everyone I asked said, that’s what I put top of my list.12900:06:03,920 –> 00:06:05,440We’ve got to pray.13000:06:05,640 –> 00:06:08,040What else would you put on your list?13100:06:08,239 –> 00:06:09,440Well, here’s some things I wrote down.13200:06:09,640 –> 00:06:11,799We need to raise up Godly leaders in every13300:06:12,000 –> 00:06:14,559sphere of life, the schools, business arts13400:06:14,760 –> 00:06:17,160and politics.13500:06:17,359 –> 00:06:19,679We need to teach our children the difference between13600:06:19,880 –> 00:06:20,519right and wrong.13700:06:20,720 –> 00:06:23,079We need to thoroughly ground a new generation13800:06:23,279 –> 00:06:26,399in a knowledge of the truth.13900:06:26,600 –> 00:06:29,160We need a new surge of evangelism.14000:06:29,359 –> 00:06:31,679We need a new surge of church planting.14100:06:31,880 –> 00:06:34,279I wonder what else you would put down on your14200:06:34,480 –> 00:06:38,559list of five strategies.14300:06:38,760 –> 00:06:41,200Now here is what has been most striking to me14400:06:41,399 –> 00:06:42,880as I’ve reflected on this.14500:06:43,079 –> 00:06:45,519Obviously all of these things are14600:06:45,720 –> 00:06:49,079good and necessary things.14700:06:49,279 –> 00:06:53,279But none of them is what God says here.14800:06:53,480 –> 00:06:55,839Where do you begin14900:06:56,119 –> 00:06:58,640if you are to overcome evil with good?15000:06:58,839 –> 00:07:01,079Here’s the first step that’s going to get us to Romans Chapter15100:07:01,279 –> 00:07:03,92012 in verse 21 what is it?15200:07:04,119 –> 00:07:08,239Let love be genuine, verse 9.15300:07:08,440 –> 00:07:11,720Let love be genuine.15400:07:11,920 –> 00:07:14,799Abhor what is evil.15500:07:15,279 –> 00:07:18,519Hold fast to what is good.15600:07:18,720 –> 00:07:21,880Love one another15700:07:22,079 –> 00:07:24,880with brotherly affection and15800:07:25,160 –> 00:07:27,720outdo one another in15900:07:27,920 –> 00:07:30,720showing honor.’16000:07:30,920 –> 00:07:33,640So that gave me pause.16100:07:33,839 –> 00:07:36,119Christians loving each other would not have been16200:07:36,320 –> 00:07:39,480at the top of my list.16300:07:39,679 –> 00:07:42,880Not at the top of my list of strategies for overcoming evil.16400:07:43,079 –> 00:07:45,640So it is very, very striking to me that when God16500:07:45,839 –> 00:07:48,480speaks about those things that lead to overcoming16600:07:48,679 –> 00:07:53,679evil with good, the very first thing that God says16700:07:53,839 –> 00:07:56,279let love be genuine.16800:07:56,480 –> 00:07:58,799If you want to overcome evil with good, if you want to get16900:07:59,000 –> 00:08:01,600to Romans chapter 12 and verse 21, this is17000:08:01,799 –> 00:08:06,079where you must begin.17100:08:06,279 –> 00:08:09,200Let love be genuine.’17200:08:09,399 –> 00:08:13,160Now another way to say that would be let love be sincere17300:08:13,359 –> 00:08:17,600or of course the word that we use today is the word authentic.17400:08:17,799 –> 00:08:19,399There must be no pretense.17500:08:19,600 –> 00:08:22,079There must be no play acting about this, nothing fake,17600:08:22,279 –> 00:08:23,359nothing false.17700:08:23,559 –> 00:08:29,880Let your love God says be the real deal.17800:08:30,079 –> 00:08:32,640Now here obviously is something that is immensely attractive.17900:08:32,840 –> 00:08:34,799Something surely that all of us are drawn to.18000:08:35,000 –> 00:08:36,159All of us are drawn to love.18100:08:36,359 –> 00:08:37,520We all want to be authentic.18200:08:37,719 –> 00:08:40,239No one wants to be false, live behind a mask18300:08:40,440 –> 00:08:43,320or be a play actor.18400:08:43,520 –> 00:08:46,119For the millennial generation the two words love18500:08:46,320 –> 00:08:49,039and authentic are probably the banner words18600:08:49,359 –> 00:08:53,239for an entire generation and culture.18700:08:53,440 –> 00:08:58,440Let love be genuine, authentic.18800:08:58,640 –> 00:09:01,000Now the plane implication of these words let love18900:09:01,200 –> 00:09:03,760be genuine is that we may discover in the course19000:09:03,960 –> 00:09:06,320of our lives something that looks19100:09:06,520 –> 00:09:08,960and sounds like love but19200:09:09,159 –> 00:09:13,479proves not to be the real deal.19300:09:13,679 –> 00:09:17,320So what does genuine love look like?19400:09:17,520 –> 00:09:20,000Well if you ask that question our culture has a very clear19500:09:20,200 –> 00:09:21,799answer.19600:09:22,000 –> 00:09:23,640What does genuine love look like?19700:09:23,840 –> 00:09:27,000Our culture says Well it’s acceptance19800:09:27,200 –> 00:09:29,880and it is affirmation.19900:09:30,080 –> 00:09:33,200And this is all around us, Love20000:09:33,400 –> 00:09:35,760the culture says is acceptance and20100:09:35,960 –> 00:09:36,599affirmation.20200:09:36,799 –> 00:09:39,479So if you really love me20300:09:39,679 –> 00:09:42,039then you must accept me and you must affirm20400:09:42,239 –> 00:09:44,799me as I am.20500:09:45,000 –> 00:09:47,400And don’t attempt to change me because20600:09:47,599 –> 00:09:49,880if in any way you attempt to change me then20700:09:50,080 –> 00:09:52,200you are not really accepting me and that’s20800:09:52,400 –> 00:09:56,359if that’s the case you are not really loving me.20900:09:56,559 –> 00:09:58,799Now when we hear that love is acceptance21000:09:59,000 –> 00:10:01,159and affirmation this is so widely21100:10:01,359 –> 00:10:03,559perceived around us in the culture that I21200:10:03,760 –> 00:10:05,840think that many people would have as a natural21300:10:06,039 –> 00:10:08,119reaction to say well of course of course I mean21400:10:08,320 –> 00:10:10,880what else would love be but we accept and affirm21500:10:11,080 –> 00:10:12,599a person as they are.21600:10:12,599 –> 00:10:15,200Love Is acceptance and affirmation is21700:10:15,400 –> 00:10:17,400it not.21800:10:17,799 –> 00:10:21,559Well let’s think about that just for a moment.21900:10:21,760 –> 00:10:23,679If we were all little22000:10:23,880 –> 00:10:26,440peregrines of virtue22100:10:26,640 –> 00:10:28,679quietly fulfilling everything that God22200:10:28,880 –> 00:10:31,479calls us to do then22300:10:31,679 –> 00:10:34,200a love that is acceptance and affirmation22400:10:34,400 –> 00:10:37,200would be entirely appropriate.22500:10:37,400 –> 00:10:39,719But surely the state of the world today makes22600:10:39,919 –> 00:10:42,119it very clear to all of us as we observe it22700:10:42,340 –> 00:10:44,880that the world is not filled22800:10:45,080 –> 00:10:47,200with little peregrines of virtue who are quietly22900:10:47,400 –> 00:10:50,640doing everything that God calls us to do.23000:10:50,840 –> 00:10:53,039Now the reality of our position and the Bible makes this23100:10:53,239 –> 00:10:56,280very clear is quite different.23200:10:56,479 –> 00:11:00,119The way God says it is this all have sinned23300:11:00,320 –> 00:11:02,919and fall short of the glory23400:11:03,119 –> 00:11:05,239of God.23500:11:05,440 –> 00:11:07,640So when Jesus came into the world he23600:11:07,840 –> 00:11:10,080was very clear about our23700:11:10,320 –> 00:11:12,000position.23800:11:12,200 –> 00:11:14,960He used many analogies to make it clear.23900:11:15,159 –> 00:11:17,559He said this is the reality of our lives we’re24000:11:17,760 –> 00:11:20,840like sheep who are lost.24100:11:21,039 –> 00:11:24,799We are like patients who are sick.24200:11:25,000 –> 00:11:27,559We are like captives who24300:11:27,760 –> 00:11:30,919are bound the power of sin.24400:11:31,119 –> 00:11:33,520And we are like offenders who are24500:11:33,719 –> 00:11:38,200under a sentence of condemnation.24600:11:38,440 –> 00:11:40,719Now think this through with me for a moment if24700:11:40,919 –> 00:11:43,520Jesus had embraced24800:11:43,719 –> 00:11:47,559our culture’s definition of love.24900:11:47,760 –> 00:11:50,119He would have come into the world and25000:11:50,320 –> 00:11:52,359would have said something like this.25100:11:52,559 –> 00:11:57,000Well note the truth about you is that you are lost25200:11:57,200 –> 00:12:01,919and I accept this and I have come to affirm it25300:12:02,119 –> 00:12:05,919the reality of your condition is that you are sick.25400:12:06,080 –> 00:12:08,559And since that’s what you are far be it25500:12:08,760 –> 00:12:11,200from me to change it.25600:12:11,400 –> 00:12:14,000The explanation of your experience of life25700:12:14,200 –> 00:12:18,799and all the conflict that you find is that you have been taken captive.25800:12:19,000 –> 00:12:21,599I want you to know that but is certainly25900:12:21,799 –> 00:12:25,479not for me to interfere.26000:12:25,679 –> 00:12:29,359I want you to know that you are under condemnation26100:12:29,559 –> 00:12:33,559and I simply want to affirm you in it.26200:12:33,599 –> 00:12:35,679You see your laugh, but26300:12:35,880 –> 00:12:40,239don’t you thank God with me today that Jesus Christ did not embrace26400:12:40,440 –> 00:12:43,400our cultures definition of life.26500:12:43,840 –> 00:12:47,719Jesus Christ did not come into the world and say, I come to affirm the lost.26600:12:47,919 –> 00:12:52,080He said, I’ve come to save the lost, that’s very different.26700:12:52,280 –> 00:12:54,919He didn’t come into the world to affirm our sickness.26800:12:55,119 –> 00:12:57,359He came to heal it.26900:12:57,559 –> 00:13:00,400He did not come into the world to affirm our captivity.27000:13:00,599 –> 00:13:03,080He came into the world, he says, to set us free.27100:13:03,200 –> 00:13:06,760He did not come into the world to affirm our condemnation.27200:13:06,960 –> 00:13:09,320He came into the world to take it away.27300:13:09,520 –> 00:13:12,400God did not send his Son into the world27400:13:12,599 –> 00:13:17,799to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.27500:13:18,000 –> 00:13:21,679So you see, Jesus Christ came into the world to change something that was terribly27600:13:21,880 –> 00:13:25,799wrong in us and to put it right.27700:13:26,000 –> 00:13:28,039That’s what the love of God does.27800:13:28,239 –> 00:13:30,919And so clearly the biblical understanding27900:13:31,119 –> 00:13:35,679of love is very, very different from our culture’s understanding of love.28000:13:35,880 –> 00:13:37,799What does genuine love look like?28100:13:38,000 –> 00:13:41,880The culture says its acceptance and affirmation.28200:13:42,080 –> 00:13:47,479The Bible says it’s acceptance and transformation.28300:13:47,679 –> 00:13:48,520What does that mean?28400:13:48,719 –> 00:13:51,159God accepts us as we are.28500:13:51,359 –> 00:13:55,640We come to him in all of our lostness and all of our sin and in all of our need.28600:13:55,840 –> 00:13:57,760He embraces us as we are.28700:13:57,760 –> 00:14:00,359He doesn’t say clean yourself up before you come.28800:14:00,479 –> 00:14:01,919He says, come to Me.28900:14:02,119 –> 00:14:03,960He accepts us as we are.29000:14:04,159 –> 00:14:08,039But He does not, thank God, leave us as we are.29100:14:08,239 –> 00:14:10,080And leave us in our lostness and then29200:14:10,280 –> 00:14:14,000our sickness and in our condemnation,29300:14:14,200 –> 00:14:17,640a love that accepts and a love that transforms,29400:14:17,840 –> 00:14:21,880a love in which the lost are found, a love in which the sick are made well,29500:14:22,080 –> 00:14:25,760a love in which the captives are set free, a love in which there is no29600:14:25,919 –> 00:14:32,080condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.29700:14:32,280 –> 00:14:34,440Let love be genuine.29800:14:34,640 –> 00:14:36,119And here’s what it looks like29900:14:36,320 –> 00:14:43,919as you have learned it and received it from your father himself in Jesus Christ.30000:14:44,119 –> 00:14:45,760You’re listening to Open the Bible with30100:14:45,960 –> 00:14:50,320Pastor Colin Smith and the message called Overcoming Evil with Love.30200:14:50,520 –> 00:14:53,880It’s part of our series simply called Overcoming Evil.30300:14:54,039 –> 00:14:55,799Our Love needs to be genuine,30400:14:56,000 –> 00:14:58,719but what does genuine love look like?30500:14:58,919 –> 00:15:01,520We’ll come back shortly to answer that question.30600:15:01,719 –> 00:15:05,200If you ever miss any of the series or if you want to go back and listen again,30700:15:05,400 –> 00:15:10,239you can do that by coming online to our website OpenTheBible.org.uk30800:15:10,479 –> 00:15:13,640and there you’ll find all the messages that have already gone out on air.30900:15:13,840 –> 00:15:15,760You can also find us as a podcast,31000:15:15,880 –> 00:15:19,760and those are available on all the main podcast sites by searching for Open31100:15:19,799 –> 00:15:21,400The Bible UK.31200:15:21,599 –> 00:15:24,479Back to the message, now we’re in Romans, Chapter 12.31300:15:24,679 –> 00:15:26,159Here’s Colin.31400:15:26,359 –> 00:15:28,559Now, let me simply make three observations31500:15:28,760 –> 00:15:35,679about this genuine love from these verses today as we try to apply them together.31600:15:35,880 –> 00:15:38,320The first is that quite clearly,31700:15:38,520 –> 00:15:42,320genuine love hates what is evil.31800:15:42,320 –> 00:15:44,760Notice verse 9.31900:15:45,000 –> 00:15:50,080Let love be genuine, abhor what is evil.32000:15:50,280 –> 00:15:53,200Hold fast to what is good.32100:15:53,400 –> 00:15:56,000Isn’t that very striking that love and an32200:15:56,159 –> 00:15:58,840abhorrence of evil are put right side by side.32300:15:58,840 –> 00:15:59,760You wouldn’t expect that,32400:15:59,760 –> 00:16:01,640but that’s what it’s here in the Bible.32500:16:01,840 –> 00:16:03,400And that teaches us something.32600:16:03,599 –> 00:16:08,640To abhor of course, is to have a horror of something.32700:16:08,840 –> 00:16:11,799And of course, when you think about it, if you love what is good,32800:16:11,799 –> 00:16:15,200you have a horror of that which would destroy the good.32900:16:15,400 –> 00:16:18,440If you love truth, you’re going to hate lies.33000:16:18,640 –> 00:16:22,080If you love peace, you’re going to hate war.33100:16:22,280 –> 00:16:25,559To abhor what is evil, to have a horror of what is evil,33200:16:25,760 –> 00:16:30,080is part of loving what is good.33300:16:30,280 –> 00:16:31,840Now, here’s something very important in33400:16:32,039 –> 00:16:34,880this verse that’s open in front of us, friends.33500:16:35,080 –> 00:16:39,400Notice that God says abhor what?33600:16:39,599 –> 00:16:41,520is evil.33700:16:42,039 –> 00:16:43,679What?33800:16:43,960 –> 00:16:47,239Not who.33900:16:48,039 –> 00:16:50,520Peter Kreeft, who is a Catholic writer34000:16:50,719 –> 00:16:54,000that I find very, very helpful in many places,34100:16:54,200 –> 00:16:57,520and I’m summarizing what he says here, he lists34200:16:57,719 –> 00:17:00,320folks that Christians have often34300:17:00,520 –> 00:17:04,359identified as the enemy, and he says this,34400:17:04,560 –> 00:17:07,280abortionists, homosexual34500:17:07,479 –> 00:17:10,160activists, pornographers, school34600:17:10,280 –> 00:17:14,280boards, and the media are not the enemy.34700:17:14,479 –> 00:17:17,280They are the victims of34800:17:17,479 –> 00:17:19,199our enemy.34900:17:19,400 –> 00:17:21,839And do you see the reason he says that is because of Ephesians35000:17:22,040 –> 00:17:24,520chapter six and verse 12 We35100:17:24,719 –> 00:17:28,319do not wrestle against flesh and blood.35200:17:28,520 –> 00:17:31,079Our battle is against the invisible35300:17:31,280 –> 00:17:33,760dark powers, the35400:17:33,959 –> 00:17:36,640spiritual forces of evil in heavenly35500:17:36,839 –> 00:17:38,920places.35600:17:39,319 –> 00:17:41,719Now let’s go back to the first century because sometimes it’s35700:17:41,920 –> 00:17:44,239easier to see a point from a distance than when35800:17:44,439 –> 00:17:46,680you’re right up close to it, but how35900:17:46,880 –> 00:17:49,000easy it would have been36000:17:49,199 –> 00:17:51,680for the Christians in Rome to think36100:17:51,880 –> 00:17:55,599if we could just get rid of Nero36200:17:55,800 –> 00:17:57,400he’s the worst we’ve ever had.36300:17:57,599 –> 00:18:01,479How did we get to a place where we had him as the emperor?36400:18:01,680 –> 00:18:05,280If we could just get rid of Nero.36500:18:05,479 –> 00:18:07,160That’s instinctively how we think.36600:18:07,280 –> 00:18:11,000We live in the culture of personality.36700:18:11,199 –> 00:18:13,520And of course the reality that Christians36800:18:13,719 –> 00:18:16,000in the early church understood was that36900:18:16,199 –> 00:18:19,479actually Nero was not the problem.37000:18:19,680 –> 00:18:22,280That behind Nero37100:18:22,479 –> 00:18:25,040there were dark powers37200:18:25,239 –> 00:18:27,520and that these were the powers that were at work37300:18:27,719 –> 00:18:30,239in the world that needed to be overcome and for that37400:18:30,439 –> 00:18:32,880purpose the Christians must put on the37500:18:33,079 –> 00:18:36,640whole armor of God.37600:18:36,880 –> 00:18:38,839So the song O church arise that will sing37700:18:39,040 –> 00:18:41,199at the end of the service this morning has37800:18:41,400 –> 00:18:43,880a couple of lines in it that I think are profoundly37900:18:44,079 –> 00:18:47,479helpful and very very important.38000:18:47,680 –> 00:18:50,079Our call to war.38100:18:50,280 –> 00:18:52,839What’s the fight that we’re in?38200:18:53,040 –> 00:18:55,599It is to love the38300:18:55,800 –> 00:18:58,319captive soul.38400:18:58,520 –> 00:19:03,000And to rage against the captor.38500:19:03,199 –> 00:19:05,640Here’s the great struggle in which we’re involved38600:19:05,800 –> 00:19:08,719if we’ve understood it properly we ask to love38700:19:08,920 –> 00:19:11,079the captive soul.38800:19:11,280 –> 00:19:13,560We’re not to rage against the captive soul.38900:19:13,760 –> 00:19:18,439You don’t rage against those whom Satan has taken captive.39000:19:18,640 –> 00:19:20,400You love the captive soul.39100:19:20,599 –> 00:19:21,400And where do you.39200:19:21,599 –> 00:19:22,959Where do you put your rage?39300:19:23,160 –> 00:19:24,560Where does the abhors go.39400:19:24,760 –> 00:19:28,839It goes towards Satan himself towards the evil one.39500:19:29,040 –> 00:19:31,719Towards the dark powers that are at work in the world.39600:19:31,880 –> 00:19:35,680Well, Ephesians 6 and verse 12.39700:19:35,880 –> 00:19:40,079We are not called to rage against the captive soul.39800:19:40,280 –> 00:19:43,479But to love the captive soul.39900:19:43,680 –> 00:19:47,560And to rage against the captor, let love be genuine.40000:19:47,760 –> 00:19:50,599Abhor what is evil.40100:19:50,800 –> 00:19:56,319And cling, hold fast to what is good.40200:19:56,760 –> 00:20:00,040Friends, it is very, very difficult40300:20:00,239 –> 00:20:05,359to win people to Jesus if we have branded them the enemy.40400:20:06,079 –> 00:20:09,520And our calling is to win everyone we can,40500:20:09,719 –> 00:20:13,760from every persuasion and from every walk of life and from every40600:20:13,959 –> 00:20:19,000subgroup within the culture, our calling and our task is to win40700:20:19,199 –> 00:20:21,880and to woo people40800:20:22,079 –> 00:20:24,520to Jesus Christ.40900:20:25,079 –> 00:20:27,800Now, as we think about this, we are to abhor41000:20:27,800 –> 00:20:30,160what is evil, not only in the world around us,41100:20:30,280 –> 00:20:31,880it’s always instinctive for us to think41200:20:32,079 –> 00:20:36,160about what’s out there first, but we are to abhor what is in here41300:20:36,359 –> 00:20:41,839as well that is dark, and that is evil and that is displeasing to God.41400:20:42,040 –> 00:20:43,680Martyn Lloyd-Jones says this,41500:20:43,880 –> 00:20:49,400it is possible to avoid doing things that are evil.41600:20:49,599 –> 00:20:56,199While taking pleasure in them in our mind and in our imagination.41700:20:56,400 –> 00:20:57,400And let’s face it, Friends.41800:20:57,599 –> 00:21:01,119How easy it is for us to pick on certain evils41900:21:01,319 –> 00:21:07,839which will invariably be the ones of which we are not guilty and to hate only them.42000:21:08,040 –> 00:21:13,239How easy it is for the sexually pure to hate promiscuity.42100:21:13,439 –> 00:21:18,599How easy it is for those who live simply to hate greed.42200:21:18,920 –> 00:21:23,079How easy it is to hate what we can see very, very clearly in others and to be42300:21:23,079 –> 00:21:27,800completely and utterly blind to the dark places within our own souls.42400:21:28,040 –> 00:21:34,160How do you learn to hate what is evil by seeing what it did to Jesus Christ?42500:21:34,359 –> 00:21:36,359You come and see a particular evil.42600:21:36,560 –> 00:21:39,439You say, look at what it did to him42700:21:40,079 –> 00:21:42,400and learn to hate what is evil42800:21:42,599 –> 00:21:44,319and cling42900:21:44,520 –> 00:21:46,439to what is good.43000:21:46,839 –> 00:21:48,800Pastor Colin Smith there reminding us that43100:21:49,400 –> 00:21:53,359if we regard people who don’t share our faith as our enemies,43200:21:53,599 –> 00:21:58,280we’re really not going to be effective in reaching them with the Gospel.43300:21:58,439 –> 00:21:59,920Our love has to be genuine.43400:22:00,119 –> 00:22:06,000If we love people, they will see Jesus’ love reflected in us and be drawn to Him.43500:22:06,199 –> 00:22:07,959You’re listening to Open The Bible with43600:22:08,160 –> 00:22:12,599Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Overcoming Evil with Love.43700:22:12,800 –> 00:22:15,680It’s part of our series, simply called Overcoming Evil.43800:22:15,920 –> 00:22:17,640And if you’ve missed any of the series,43900:22:17,640 –> 00:22:19,640or if you want to get back and listen again,44000:22:19,839 –> 00:22:25,079you can do that by coming online to our website, openthebible.org.uk44100:22:25,280 –> 00:22:26,839or find us as a podcast.44200:22:27,040 –> 00:22:29,119And those were on all the main podcast sites.44300:22:29,319 –> 00:22:31,680Search for Open The Bible UK44400:22:31,880 –> 00:22:35,400and you can also find a link to the podcast on our website.44500:22:35,599 –> 00:22:37,719Just a reminder that we love hearing from44600:22:37,800 –> 00:22:41,520our listeners, so if you’d like to get in touch, this is how you can do it.44700:22:41,680 –> 00:22:43,199You can write to us44800:22:51,400 –> 00:22:53,319Again, that address is44900:23:01,839 –> 00:23:05,680Open the Bible depends on the generous support of our listeners45000:23:05,880 –> 00:23:09,800and if supporting Open the Bible financially is something you’ve been45100:23:10,119 –> 00:23:12,680about we have an offer for you this month.45200:23:12,880 –> 00:23:14,800If you’re able to set up a new direct45300:23:15,000 –> 00:23:19,160debit to the work of Open the Bible in the amount of five pounds per month or45400:23:19,359 –> 00:23:24,199more or a one off gift of fifty pounds or more we’d love to say thank you by sending45500:23:24,400 –> 00:23:30,520you three copies of pastor Colin Smith’s devotional Green Pastures Still Waters.45600:23:30,719 –> 00:23:33,079Colin, why did you write this devotional?45700:23:33,280 –> 00:23:37,560This goes back to the pandemic and in these dark days,45800:23:37,760 –> 00:23:39,800I guess along with every other pastor,45900:23:40,000 –> 00:23:44,839I was asking the question what will help and encourage God’s people to get through46000:23:45,040 –> 00:23:46,079these difficult days?46100:23:46,280 –> 00:23:53,079And I turned to some twenty three and just found such joy and help in mining46200:23:53,280 –> 00:23:58,119the wonderful treasures that are in this marvellous chapter of the Bible.46300:23:58,319 –> 00:24:01,160And my colleague Tim Augustine has now46400:24:01,359 –> 00:24:05,599arranged that material in the form of a 31 day devotional.46500:24:05,800 –> 00:24:07,199And I’m just delighted that we’re46600:24:07,199 –> 00:24:13,760able to offer this looking at the Lord Jesus Christ through Psalm 23 will bring46700:24:13,959 –> 00:24:17,040strength and encouragement and peace and joy.46800:24:17,239 –> 00:24:19,359And to do that for thirty one days to46900:24:19,359 –> 00:24:22,880meditate on one of the best known and best loved chapters in all of the Bible47000:24:23,079 –> 00:24:26,000and to get our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ.47100:24:26,199 –> 00:24:28,040So if you need some encouragement,47200:24:28,239 –> 00:24:31,880green pastures, still waters is going to be a great help to you.47300:24:32,079 –> 00:24:34,239Well, we’d love to send you three copies47400:24:34,239 –> 00:24:38,199of Pastor Colin Smith’s devotional green pastures, still waters,47500:24:38,400 –> 00:24:43,359along with a special open the Bible pen and bookmark, to say thank you for setting47600:24:43,560 –> 00:24:47,599up a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible in the amount of five pounds47700:24:47,800 –> 00:24:51,599per month or more, or a one off gift of fifty pounds or more.47800:24:51,800 –> 00:24:55,640Full details, terms and conditions are on our website.47900:24:55,839 –> 00:25:01,640Open the Bible dot org dot UK for open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith.48000:25:01,839 –> 00:25:06,439I’m David Pick, and I hope you’ll join us again next time.48100:25:09,760 –> 00:25:12,280What does genuine love look like?48200:25:12,479 –> 00:25:14,839Find out next time on Open the Bible.

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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Sermons on Romans 12 You are surrounded by growing evil. Don’t quit. Don’t run away. Overcome it. Jesus was not overcome by evil. He overcame evil with good. Yes, but how did He do it? The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12. In these sermons on Romans 12, you will find out how God

Colin Smith

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