Love: The Queen of Virtues

There is perhaps no book of the Bible that is more loved that Paul’s letter to Rome. Read carefully, its rich theology leaves one profoundly impacted by the glory of the gospel—as, indeed, it left Paul when he wrote it (Romans 11:33–36).

Bible readers are familiar that Romans takes a hard turn in chapter 12 as Paul moves from his exposition of the gospel to a series of implications of the gospel. He begins by writing of how the gospel transforms the way we live and think (12:1–2) and then addresses the impact the gospel has on serving the church with the gifts God has given (12:3–9). He follows this up with a series of exhortations about true Christian living (12:9–21), which he opens with an appeal to the queen of Christian virtues: love. His brief exhortation—“Let love be genuine”—sets the tone for a list of Christian graces that flow from the supreme virtue of love, and reminds us that Christian orthodoxy must lead to orthopraxy. That is, what we believe must affect how we behave.

The New Testament consistently ties doctrine to duty. Like James (James 2:18), Paul is clear that living faith is working faith. Indeed, God has prepared beforehand the good works that will evidence the genuineness of our faith (Ephesians 2:8–10). It is no surprise, then, that Paul transition in Romans 12 from theological exposition (chapters 1–11) to ethical application (chapters 12–16). The Christian life is not just about believing truth but embodying it. We must practise what we preach.

Romans 12:1–2 provides the foundation. Paul urges believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, not conforming to the ways and the wisdom of the world but being transformed by the renewal of the mind.

Christian transformation involves restraint of the flesh (“present your bodies”), renewal of the mind (“be transformed by the renewal of your mind”), and revelation of God’s will (“that by testing you may discern what is the will of God”). The goal of grace, then, is consecration that leads to transformation and ultimately glorification (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Verses 3–8 encourage believers to function according to the gifts of grace. Everyone is called to serve the church with their God-given gifts. If we have truly presented our bodies to God, we will engage the local church with those same bodies, employing our gifts in practical ministry.

But a transformed mind not only changes the way we serve one another in the church; it also manifests itself in character that is distinctly Christian. The qualities highlighted in vv. 9–21 are non-negotiable, universal marks of true Christian discipleship. They are not the marks of leaders, teachers, or the spiritually elite but marks of every disciple of Jesus Christ.

Love—genuine love—is the mouth from which the river of virtues in vv. 9–21 flows. If vv. 1–2 offers the perspective of a surrendered life, vv. 9–21 shows the practice of that life, with love as the foundation.

This mirrors Paul’s teaching elsewhere. In 1 Corinthians 13, he calls love “a more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31), and declares that even the most impressive gifts are meaningless without love (13:1–3). He concludes: “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Love, then, is the queen of virtues.

“Genuine” speaks of something that is without hypocrisy. The underlying Greek word is translated as “sincere” in 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:5; James 3:17; and 1 Peter 1:22. The idea is that Christian love must be real, not masked or pretended.

This sincerity must mark all Christian relationships. As 1 John 3:18 says, our love must be marked not only by empty words but by actions and truth. Love that is merely verbal or sentimental is not biblical love. True love serves and sacrifices, as Jesus showed when he washed his disciples’ feet—right before giving the command to love one another (John 13:34–35).

Genuine love is not optional or abstract. It is sacrificial, relational, and actionable. It compels us to care, serve, forgive, and pursue the good of others, especially within the body of Christ.

If love is the highest virtue, hypocrisy is its most sinister counterfeit. Judas Iscariot embodied this in the most chilling way—betraying Jesus with a kiss. Hypocrisy, said John Murray, is “the contradiction of truth.” It is not just moral failure; it is spiritual perversion. Luther went so far as to say that “love is never more defiled than when it is tinged with hypocrisy.”

Christians must not fall into a worldly pattern of saying pretending to love while living in selfishness, indifference, or bitterness. Oliver Greene rightly noted that “feigned love is nothing more than disguised hate.” Our churches, homes, and communities do not need more empty declarations of love; they need the genuine article, proven by presence, action, and sacrifice.

How can we tell if our love is genuine? Paul’s imperatives throughout Romans 12 offer clear tests: Do we serve with our gifts? Do we forgive and honour others? Do we love our enemies? Do we bless those who persecute us?

Love must be more than emotional warmth—it must be expressed in action. That includes ministry involvement, fellowship with believers, outreach to the lost, and sacrificial giving. If we say we love the church, our commitment to it will evidence our claim. If we say we love the lost, it will be evident in the way we treat them—including a commitment to sharing gospel truth with them.

True Christian love requires ongoing development. Paul prayed for the Thessalonians, “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all” (1 Thessalonians 3:12). Love is both a gift and a discipline. It is Spirit-produced but must be cultivated to remain genuine. We must work at it, train ourselves in it, and pray for more of it.

This love cannot be manufactured by human effort alone. It is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and the evidence of abiding in Christ (John 15:4). Only those who have been transformed by grace (vv. 1–2) can display this grace to others (vv. 9–21).

Yet, the presence of divine grace does not eliminate human responsibility. New Testament imperatives remain imperative. We must read, react, digest, and do. We must pray for strength and resolve to obey. We cannot simply “let go and let God.” We must instead submit to God while doing what he has commanded.

Let us not be content with talking about love—let us live it. Let our love leave the stage and walk the path of real life. “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2).