And the greatest of these is love

I just finished reading the book of Romans, I think for the first time ever. My goal is to really know the Bible, so I have been trying to really get into the word daily. It seems like every time I read, a chapter a day, I would find a verse that I heard before, but never knew where to find it or a new one stuck out. I enjoyed the book of Romans and learned a lot. However, there is one verse that really has stuck with me because I think it is what being a follower of Christ is all about.

Romans 12:9 says, "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is evil. Hold tightly to what is good." When I think about Christ's time on earth I think about how he really loved people even when they were sinning. He hated the sin, but He still loved the people. How often, as Christians, do we say we love our brothers and sisters, but really we don't? We judge them for how they dress or look or raise their kids or for a sin they have committed. Romans 15:2 states, "Help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord". This verse is specifically taking about other believers. How can we show love to others or help others if we first can't do it with other believers? It should be easier to love believers and want to help them, but often this is not the case. From my experience, I often prefer to be with non-Christians rather than Christians. I think this goes back to not really feeling loved by other Christians or that they will judge me. One thing God has really been challenging me with is to really love people for who they are. If a person is sinning it is okay to hate the sin, but not the sinner. This can be hard to do, but I know this is what Christ did. If we are dead to our old selves when we accept Christ and now have the opportunity to be as Christ was on this earth, isn't possible to love others while hating the sin as Jesus did?

Also, I wonder where churches (the people not the building) could be if they followed Romans 12:9 and really loved others. I am sure there are some churches who may be following this verse, but I would say the majority are not. Perhaps if churches really loved other people then more non-believers would be interested, especially in the younger generations. They are turned off by how the church is, so what would happen if the church changed to people who really love everyone even when people are sinning and built each other up in the Lord? I imagine more people in the younger generations would see this change and want to take part.