We know that the greatest commandments are about love.  A lawyer came to Jesus and asked which was the great commandment in the law.  Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”  Since we are told that love for God and love for our neighbor are the greatest commandments, we may pretend to have love for God and for our neighbor so that we can say that we are following the commands of God.  But is our love genuine?  The apostle Paul encouraged the church in Rome in Romans 12:9a “Let love be without hypocrisy.” What is hypocrisy?  It is play acting or making a pretense and not being genuine.  In the case of love, it would be pretending to love God or our neighbor when in reality we don’t. 

Let us first look at hypocrisy in our love for God.  1 John 2:4-6 “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.  He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”  If you don’t keep His commandments in your life, then your love for God is not genuine.  1 John 5:2-3 “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”  Again, if you don’t keep His commandments, your love for Him is not genuine.  1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”  Do you love the world?  Do you love the activities and entertainment and physical pleasures of the world.  Do you harbor lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or pride of life in your heart?  If so, then John says that the love of the Father is not in you.  If you hate a brother, then your love for God is not genuine.  1 John 4:20-21 “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”  You live with your Christian brother; you interact with him on a regular basis.  If you do not love your brother who you are with frequently, how can you say you love God who you cannot see?

Let us next look at hypocrisy in our love for our brother.  1 John 3:17-18 “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?  My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”  It is easy to say we love someone, but if our deeds don’t show our love, then our love is not genuine.  How can you see a brother in need and close up you heart and not help him and still say that you love him?  

Jesus gave the story of “The Good Samaritan” in Luke 10:30-35 “Then Jesus answered and said: ‘A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’” The priest and Levite who saw the injured man and passed by on the other side of the road did not have genuine love for their neighbor.  The Samaritan proved his love for his neighbor by spending time and money to care for him.  His actions demonstrated his love.  We also must demonstrate our love for our neighbors by our actions.

True love is characterized by you being patient and kind, not boastful, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, and not easily angered; you should keep no record of wrongs or delight in evil but rejoice with the truth; you should always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).  Is this how you treat your neighbor or your brother in Christ?  If not, your love may not be genuine.

I’m reminded of the story of Abner and Joab.  These were mighty men that served King David.  But Abner had killed Joab’s brother during a battle and Joab wanted revenge.  Joab sent messengers after Abner, pretending that he wanted to have a friendly conversation.  But when Abner took Joab aside privately, he killed him.  2 Samuel 3:26-27 “And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.  Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.”  Do you pretend to love your brother?  But do you figuratively stab him in the stomach by your words or your actions?  Love needs to be genuine in all of your actions and words.  Love needs to be genuine in your heart.

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  When we have genuine love for each other, it will be obvious.  Others will see our love and know that we are His disciples.

I encourage you to truly love God and your neighbor. Let your love be without hypocrisy.