It is okay to look up words in the dictionary. It is really okay to learn new words, even ones with more than three syllables. I do it quite often. I just looked up “dissimulation.”Without looking, based on “dis” and “simulate”, I thought Paul’s phrase “without dissimulation” would mean “real.” After checking, I was close, since “dissimulation” is defined as: The act of concealing the truth; hypocrisy or deception. Hiding one's feelings or purposes.
Why was I looking it up? Well, I was reading:
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. [Romans 12:9 KJV]
Later, in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul tells us what love is. Here he’s telling us what love isn’t, and it’s a very good lesson.
Love does not simulate something else. Now, we people often do – we not only conceal a truth, we create and sell lies as truth. Don’t lie to me by saying “Not me!!” We not only do it to people we say we love, we do it to ourselves. Daily.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? [1 John 4:20 KJV]
John spends a great deal of time on this subject. He is certain that when God is loved, that love is evident to everyone.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. [1 John 2:4-5 KJV]
Some of my favorite verses about God’s love is in this one book where John mentions love 33 times in 23 verses. Here are just a few:
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. [1 John 3:1 KJV]
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. [1 John 4:7-8 KJV]
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [1 John 4:10 KJV]
And his final admonition to us in this book?
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. [1 John 5:3 KJV]
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