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Love Covers All

Even in the time of Peter, Christians lived with the expectation of the soon return of Jesus and the end of this present world. We know this because in 1 Peter 4:7 he writes: “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers” (NKJV). In other words, be ready for the end. In one very real sense, too, the “end,” as far as each one of us is concerned, is never more than a moment after we die. We close our eyes in death, and-whether thousands of years pass, or just a few days-the next thing we know is the second coming of Jesus and the end of this world.

According to Peter, because the “end of all things” is at hand, how should Christians live? See 1 Pet. 4:7-11.

Besides being serious and watchful in prayer, Christians are to “maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8, NRSV).

What does that mean? How does love cover sin? A key is found in the text Peter is quoting, Proverbs 10:12, which reads: “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” (NKJV). When we love one another, we more readily and easily forgive those who hurt us, who offend us. Christ’s love leads Him to forgive us; our love should lead us to forgive others. Where love abounds, small offenses, and even some large ones, more readily are overlooked and forgotten.

Peter was certainly expressing the same idea as Jesus and Paul, who say that the whole law is summed up in the obligation to love God with our whole heart and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:34-39, Rom. 13:8-10).

Peter also urges Christians to be hospitable. The Second Coming may be near, but Christians should not withdraw from social relationships because of it. Finally, when Christians speak, they must do so as those who are speaking the words of God. In other words, the seriousness of the time calls for serious communication about spiritual truths.

“Love will cover a multitude of sins.” Who has sinned against you? How can you reveal the love needed in order to “cover” that sin? Why is it to your own advantage to do so?