1 Peter 4:8 - Love Covers a Multitude of Sins.
1 Peter 4:8 (NIV) Above all, love each other
deeply, because love covers over a multitude of
sins.
1 Peter 4:8 (TEV) Remember this: whoever
turns a sinner back from his wrong way will save
that sinner's soul from death, and bring about
the forgiveness of many sins.
1 Peter 4:8 (NEB) Be sure of this: any man
who brings a sinner back from his crooked ways
will be rescuing his soul from death and
cancelling innumerable sins.
1 Peter 4:8 (AMP) Above all things have
intense and unfailing love for one another, for love
covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards
the offenses of others].
1 Peter 4:8 (MSG) Most of all, love each
other as if your life depended on it. Love makes
up for practically anything.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Tomorrow is my forty-ninth wedding
anniversary. Kevin and I decided to get married on
Valentine's Day in 1975 so we could be special
valentines. Of course, our marriage hasn't been perfect.
Before you think, Wow, they need large trophies for
staying together this long, I'll tell you a secret.
I still don't understand Kevin.
God wired our brains differently, and my
husband often says things that make no sense to me.
Once as we sat on the couch and watched reruns of
The Andy Griffith Show, Kevin suddenly said, "I
think I did a good job today."
I looked at him quizzically. Where did
that come from? Kevin went on to explain that his
weekly sermon at a local nursing home had gone
well.
I asked what that had to do with Andy,
Barney, and Aunt Bee.
"They're sitting on the front porch,
singing. It reminded me of church."
I shook my head. After forty-nine years,
I decided I didn't need to identify with
Kevin's sense of logic to stay in love with him. I
suspect that Key came to that same conclusion about
me - perhaps while we were on our honeymoon! We
simply made a decision to love each other.
Jesus never needed to decide to love us
in spite of our sometimes - wacky selves. Jesus
loves us by His very nature. He is love. Even
better, Jesus understands all of us, including me.
He is the most special and perfect valentine.
Jeanette Levellie
Faith Step: Sing the childrens song
"Jesus Loves Me" and bask in His perfect love, even
when it's not Valentine's Day. [Mornings With
Jesus 2024 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
This verse, more than likely, causes most of
us to gulp hard! Too often we are not careful,
especially when it comes to judging others spiritually.
We can only guess what someone else's
motives are. But that will not always be the case.
There is coming a day when Jesus will bring to
light all that was hidden in darkness and will
expose the motives of men's hearts. Until then,
let us try to give the benefit of the doubt
where we can, and remain silent on the other
cases. Many of us have been hurt by others; many of
us have also hurt others. We need to leave the
judging to Jesus and go on as best we can in
difficult situations. This is the meaning of "love
covers a multitude of sins." When tempted to judge
to condemn someone, ask for God's special love,
and you will be strengthened. [In His Time;
Walk With Wisdom]
If a brother has done you an injury, my
Christian friend, you are not to seek revenge, nor
even to harbor a desire for retaliation; but you
should pity him; he has need of your pity. Have the
same feelings of compassion for him that you
would have others manifest for you if you were
enshrouded in darkness. Call to mind the many times
that you have erred, and made mistakes in your
life-work; and remember how hard it has been to find
the right way when you had once left it. If you
have the Spirit of Christ abiding in you, no
unkind words will fall from your lips. You will not
push your brother into greater darkness, but with
a heart full of pity you will tell him of his
danger. You will get down and pray with him, and
perhaps save his soul from death, and thus COVER a
MULTITUDE of sins. What right have you to pursue any
other course than this? If you do, you walk
contrary to the rule given by God, and grieve his
Holy Spirit. ST 01-06-87
ILLUSTRATION
Follow the way of love.
When you are troubled, share your
problems with God alone. Recently I read the personal
experience of a precious child of God. It made such an
impression on me that I would like to relate it to you
here.
"At midnight I found myself completely
unable to sleep," she wrote. "Waves of cruel
injustice were sweeping over me, and the covering of
love seemed to have been unknowingly removed from
my heart. In great agony I cried to God for the
power to obey His admonition, 'Love covers over
all wrongs.'
"Immediately His Spirit began to work the
power into me that ultimately brought about
forgetfulness. I mentally dug a grave, deliberately
throwing the dirt out until the hole was very deep.
With sorrow, I lowered the offense that had
wounded me into the grave and quickly shoveled the
soil over it. Then I carefully covered the hole
with green sod, planted beautiful white loses and
forget me nots on top, and briskly walked away
"Suddenly restful sleep came to me. And
the wound that had seemed so deadly was healed
without a scar. God's love has covered so completely
that today I cannot remember what caused my
grief." [Streams in the Desert by Cowman]
CLOSING THOUGHT
The Love That Can Heal. Only the love that
flows from the heart of Christ can heal. Only he
in whom that love flows, even as the sap in the
tree or the blood in the body, can restore the
wounded soul. Loves agencies have wonderful
power, for they are divine. The soft answer that
turneth away wrath, the love that suffereth
long, and is kind, the charity that covereth
a multitude of sins (Proverbs 15:1; 1
Corinthians 13:4, R.V.; 1 Peter 4:8, R.V.). How life
would be transformed, and the earth become a very
likeness and foretaste of heaven! Ed114
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Proverbs 10:12 - Love Conquers Sin
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2004/20040517-1046.html
James 5:20 (NIV) remember this: Whoever
turns a sinner from the error of his way will save
him from death and cover over a multitude of
sins. Devotional pending.
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
