Love Covers a Multitude of Sins

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Have you ever prayed this prayer? While Christians don’t have to identify as fallen sinners (i.e., those of the world who “continue in sin” [Romans 6:1-2]) and instead get to wear the name of Jesus (Ephesians 3:14), I think every Christian with an ounce of humility and a dash of self-awareness knows that if it were not for the covering and cleansing nature of the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7), extended by God in grace (Romans 5:15), we’d be nothing but sinners, “having no hope” (Ephesians 2:12). Yet, as we remind ourselves sometimes in song, we all still feel the need to cry, “Cover me!” It’s a blessing to know that’s exactly what Jesus does.

While the covering of Jesus is all-sufficient, it remains conditional: “If we walk in the light,” John says, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son” effects its wonderous, covering work (1 John 1:7). Part of walking in the light is pursuing the continual aim God has for us “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). It stands to reason that if Jesus gave His lifeblood to cover our sins, those who seek to be conformed to His image should take a special interest in those opportunities that God grants us to cover sins. One of these opportunities is found in both the Old and New Testaments; in 1 Peter it reads, “Love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).  

Before considering Peter’s use of the phrase though, let’s go back to Proverbs where it is first found. It reads, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” (Proverbs 10:12). As with many proverbs, there are two lines of teaching that are set parallel to each other to encourage us to make a comparison. Here, it is a comparison by way of contrast. Since we know that hatred is the opposite of love, the parallel lines force us to see the two behaviors of hatred and love as opposites too; stirring up strife is the opposite of covering all sins. Though “all sins” is intentionally inclusive and universal, it is set against the particular sin of strife, which leads us to the first application of the text. We should pause and ask ourselves, “Am I someone who promotes and/or further agitates conflict situations or, seeing the sin present or potential in many conflicts, am I the kind of person who seeks to provide the protection and comfort of peace?”

It’s worth noting before leaving the Proverbs that there are a few things that the context of this phrase also teaches. Like many other readers, I don’t see a contextual flow of thought in many portions of the general section of the Proverbs, chapters 10-29. For the most part in these chapters, it seems like the Holy Spirit is intentionally forcing us to reflect on ideas two lines of parallel teaching at a time. However, that doesn’t mean that we are meant to totally ignore the context, particularly when a word or phrase is used in other Proverbs. Several thoughts can be gleaned from the context by following the word “covers” in Proverbs 10:12:

• The Hebrew word “covers” is found three other times in Proverbs 10, twice before (Proverbs 10:6, 11) and once after (Proverbs 10:18; “hides” in the NKJV). Each time, it is used in a negative sense, which reminds us that not all coverings are good.
• Proverbs 10:18 speaks of one who “hides hatred” with “lying lips.” Hiding hatred is set parallel to spreading slander in this text as a comparable behavior. While the aim of the text might therefore be to help us to see that slander is actually an action of hidden hatred, and while the Bible would in general guide people away from hating souls made in God’s image (1 John 2:9, 11; 3:15; 4:20), it stands to reason that sometimes revealing feelings of hatred is a good thing. This doesn’t mean it’s godly to say, “I hate you”; it means that sometimes we have to discuss the problems making us feel hateful in order to promote love. While these discussions often initially stir up strife, perpetually hiding hatred will never result in Biblical unity or love.
• Proverbs 11:13, 12:16, 12:23, and 17:9 all speak about times when it is good and prudent to cover or conceal (same Hebrew word) certain things you know, particularly the secrets of others.
• Proverbs 26:26 and, more to the point, Proverbs 28:13 remind us though that it is not good to cover up sins. The sin of Achan (Joshua 7) reminds us of the powerful impact that hidden sin can have on others. There is a big difference between “covering” sin and “covering up” sin.  
• When Proverbs 17:9 says, “He who covers a transgression seeks love,” we are reminded that sometimes we shouldn’t bring up a sin again. Given that sin shouldn’t be covered up, it stands to reason that these are those sins that are forgiven. When we don’t bring up sins that are forgiven, we are like God: “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34; cf. Hebrews 8:12; 10:17). When we don’t bring up sins that are not forgiven, we are unlike God: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10; cf. 1 Peter 4:5).

Since Peter is very likely quoting Proverbs 10:12 when he says, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8), all of the above lessons should be a part of our reflection on his usage of the phrase. However, it’s worth noting that Peter was not inspired to include the whole quotation. While the Proverb forces us to think about the opposite aims involved for one who “covers” compared to one who “stirs up,” Peter focuses instead on love itself. He wants to encourage his readers to love fervently, and the phrase “love covers a multitude of sins” provides the reason and rationale (“for” (NKJV) = “since” [ESV] and “because” [NASB]). This usage along with the phrases context provides even more potential points for reflection:

• If we read the text as we should, looking critically at ourselves before we look at others (Matthew 7:1-5), we recognize an important Biblical truth: the frequency and fervency of love that I give does have something to do with whether or not I stand covered before God. Many passages come to mind: “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38); “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7); “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14, 15; 18:35; Mark 11:25, 26).
• Fervent, mutual love creates an environment where people see the reality, value, and strength of discipleship (John 13:35), which leads people to seek and experience the covering power of the blood of Jesus. Love not only lets us be covered; it also sees a growing community surround us of others who are covered.
• Peter’s instruction follows a powerful warning: “The end of all things is near” (1 Peter 4:7). While this phrase could mean several things, it at the very least points to an impending “fiery trial,” a time of judgment beginning “at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:12, 17). While serious, sober, watchful prayers help to protect us in such moments (1 Peter 4:7), nothing covers and protects like the church Jesus created, provided her members love one another.
• Peter follows his quote by saying, “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). This reminds us of two things. First, in order for the covering of love to be real, it has to be really practical. Hospitality is something that culture taught them to apply to strangers (cf. Hebrews 13:2; the word literally means “love of foreigners”), but Peter tells them they have to apply it to one another. It is hard to cover someone in love who has never come under the cover of your roof or you under the cover of theirs. Second, it reminds us of the fact that choosing to cover someone in love is not always easy. In spite of this, we must do it “without grumbling.”

Clearly, there is so much to be gained if we join our God in the glorious work of covering, and so much to be lost if we don’t. When one thinks of our glorious, covering God, it’s helpful to think of Him in contrast with His enemy and ours. Satan, whose very name means adversary, is also described as “the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10). Think about that the next time you become aware of sin in someone else. Do you want to stand before God, speaking about other people’s sins in a vain attempt to lessen the reality and gravity of your own sins, rather than humbly being covered? Or do you want to join Satan in his work of talking about sin and around sin but never talking to a sinner and never trying to get him or her covered? Do you want to be more like Satan, screaming night and day about the sins of others, or more like Jesus, who with tears and blood streaming down His face said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34)?

As it was in the garden of Eden, so it will ever be: follow God, and you’ll be covered by Him (Genesis 3:21). Follow Satan, and you’ll be left naked and bare in sin, trying to cover yourself (Genesis 3:7). Keep following God though, and His love will compel you to join Him in covering others.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org