Love Covers a Multitude of Sins

by Guest Author: Tecla Grazia

“Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others].” 1 Peter 4:8 AMPC.

This verse is often quoted, but have we really understood its true strength and power?

“Love covers a multitude of sins….”

Personally, I went through a very critical period in my life, where my Christian beliefs were put to the test by The LORD.

Many of these self-righteous beliefs had to fall away in order to let God really work in me.

The LORD had to tear down many of my personal stances in order to rebuild with His true righteousness.

For a long time I remained anchored to what I believed was right and just , but we know well that our own sense of justice is as a “dirty cloth”.

My advice today is to surrender totally to God and trust Him completely, because I have understood that it is “we, ourselves” who hold back God’s blessings by wanting our own way.

It’s easy to say with our mouths, “I have forgiven,” but when the work has not happened in our own heart first, then the thorn remains hidden and latent for a long time until it resurfaces, allowing the enemy of our soul to use it against us with all his power and virulence.

We can say many things with our mouths, but the only thing that truly remains at home before our Heavenly Father is what we have living in our heart.

When what we say is not aligned with what resides in our heart, it will inexorably surface.

This morning I was praying, and behold, The LORD reminded me of this verse from 1 Peter: “Love covers a multitude of sins.….”

When this love of Christ finally breaks out in our hearts, the forgiveness we have personally obtained from Christ Jesus spreads to those who have been hostile, enemies, or detractors to us… because the true love of Christ flowing through us will cover their actions toward us, just as Christ’s love has covered ours.

Forgiveness without love becomes a self-righteous, resounding cymbal. But when the love of Christ resides and abides in us, our spiritual sight and hearing are transformed; it is no longer our carnal senses that are at work, but those of the Holy Spirit.

From this heart posture we can then give true forgiveness in love.

We were drawn to God the Father through the merciful love that He showed in sending His Only Begotten Son to die for you and me, and likewise, God wants us to continue this work of salvation.

I challenge anyone to find someone who hasn’t declared that when God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit approached them, they were not overwhelmed by an intense love, one that they had sought in every way this world offers, but could not find, because it can only be found in God.

It is really true that the human heart is “shaped” for Jesus, and only He can satisfy and fill it.

Love and forgiveness go hand in hand; one cannot exclude the other.

Let us think of the woman who showed up in the house of Simon the Pharisee, who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

Simon scorned The LORD Jesus for the way that Jesus accepted and showed mercy to this woman.

The “Pharisaic Simon” represents all those who want to dissuade us from forgiving because they claim to know what our detractors think and say about us.

Forgiveness is our choice, no matter what these ones continue to say and do.

We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ. He forgave even though He knew the sins of the woman.

As Love itself, He gives that same love and forgiveness still today, and He expects us to do the same with our enemies.

Forgiveness frees the one who grants it.

It can happen that when we grant forgiveness, it is not received, and it is extended to those who are still hostile to us.

This shouldn’t matter to us, because the true love of Christ within us, covers them with a blanket of mercy, to the point that God will one day intervene in their lives, making us friends of our enemies.

Prayer

LORD, Your marvelous Grace reached us precisely when we were hostile and distant from You, but You still bent down to us.

Therefore, knowing Your profound love and holy mercy, we ask You, united in one cry:

Father, forgive those who have wronged us and who still persecute us today.

We ask You to pour out Your Grace and Mercy upon them and let Your Holy Spirit touch them and enlighten their minds and hearts.

Thank You, because we believe that we will see our enemies become our friends through the grace of Your Name.

Amen and Amen!

“So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:12-13 NKJV.

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6 NKJV.

 

~ Tecla Grazia

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Materials used by kind permission of the original author.

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