Pursuing a Life of Realness
Why the Reformation’s rallying cry remains vital in a world of competing truths.
In a world obsessed with authenticity, it’s easy to equate genuineness with transparency or raw honesty. But when Scripture talks about genuine love and a sincere Christian life, it points to something much deeper a transformed heart, not just unfiltered emotions.
Francisco, a 23-year-old from Mexico City, captured the longing of many believers when he asked how to truly live out Romans 12:9–13. His desire wasn’t for mere outward conformity to Christian behavior, but for authentic affections a real and joyful obedience springing from the heart.
Here’s what Paul says in Romans 12:9–13:
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”
This isn’t just a to-do list. It’s a portrait of a person changed by the gospel.
The Call to Affectional Obedience
Remarkably, six of the thirteen commands here directly address the heart: love genuinely, abhor evil, love with affection, be fervent in spirit, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation. These are not commands for outward behavior alone they reach deeper, calling us to feel, not just to act.
In fact, the Greek word translated as “genuine” is anhypokritos, meaning “without hypocrisy.” Paul is rejecting a love that is merely performed. Instead, he calls us to love that flows from a heart changed by grace. And that’s where things get impossible at least on our own.
You can simulate a smile. You can serve in church. But you can’t fake the joy of hope. You can’t conjure genuine hatred for sin or heartfelt affection for difficult people. True transformation doesn’t start with discipline; it begins with divine mercy.
A New Heart Through a New Mind
Paul’s appeal in Romans 12:1–2 sets the stage: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God...” That “therefore” points us back to the glorious gospel truths in Romans 1–11. Justification by faith. Adoption into God’s family. Peace with God. Freedom from condemnation. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The unbreakable love of Christ.
Paul isn’t asking us to muster up emotional sincerity. He’s inviting us to gaze long and deep into the mercies of God, because only a heart overwhelmed by grace will naturally overflow with affectional obedience.
Romans 12:2 tells us how this transformation happens: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” That renewal reshapes not just how we think but what we approve what we desire, treasure, and pursue. It reorders our loves.
Research by the Barna Group has shown that only 21% of practicing Christians say they experience a "deep sense of connection with God on a daily basis." This gap between belief and transformation highlights the need for not just knowing the truth, but loving it. Transformation requires meditation, prayer, and Spirit-empowered beholding of the glory of Christ.
The Power of the Mercies
Paul’s strategy for transformation is not guilt it’s grace. He doesn’t say, “Do better.” He says, “Behold better.” Romans 8 reminds us that “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
This is why rejoicing in hope (Romans 12:12) makes sense because our hope is rooted in the unshakable promises of Romans 8. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Nothing can undo what God has done for us in Christ.
The gospel doesn’t just inform our minds it ignites our affections. It makes holiness not only possible, but desirable. And it reshapes our obedience from performance to worship.
Become What You Are
When Paul lays out the commands in Romans 12, he’s not painting an unattainable ideal. He’s describing what God is making us to be. It’s not a list of boxes to check, but a description of the Spirit-filled life: “Become what you are.”
This is echoed in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” The more we behold, the more we become.
So, if you find yourself struggling to live with genuine affection, don’t start by trying harder to love. Start by looking harder at Christ. Let the truths of Romans 1–11 soak into your soul. Meditate on His mercy. Rehearse the gospel daily. Pray that God would renew your mind and inflame your heart.
In the end, the most authentic life is one lived in awe of God's mercy, surrendered to His Spirit, and shaped by His Word. That’s not just genuine. That’s supernatural.
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