Love Conceals a Multitude of Transgressions
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May 28, 2007 |
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 "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
In the worldly sense, terms "fault" and "error" refer to one's mistake or shortcoming; spiritually, such terms, along with "transgression" or "sin," refer to the physical expression of sinful attributes embedded in one's heart. For example, a heart or thought to steal something in itself is not "transgression" but the act of stealing is "transgression." Concealing such transgression requires a loving heart and "concealing of transgressions" does not signify only hiding of one's transgression but also, in patience, praying for that person to do better, anticipate him to be transformed, and making every effort to help that person in any way possible.
For this reason, truly goodhearted people can be patient, conceal other people's transgressions, and help them tread the right path. Therefore, as God's children we are to become such goodhearted, showing and sharing love with all people.
What steps can we take to accomplish the kind of love by which we can conceal a multitude of transgressions?
Accomplishing the Kind of Love by which We Can Conceal a Multitude of Love
1. Upon recognizing the other person's transgressions, you must be able to keep quiet about them.
An excellent example of an individual with such noble characteristics from the Bible is Joseph, Jesus' fleshly father. Joseph had been engaged to Mary but one day he heard very shocking news. If he were to adhere to the law of the Old Testament, Joseph had to allow Mary to be stoned to death.
Joseph, however, "being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly" (Matthew 1:19). He was devastated to find such transgression in Mary but he could not allow a woman he loved to be stoned to death. As Joseph was such a goodhearted man, God told Joseph through an angel that "the Child who has been conceived in [Mary] is of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20).
At such times, we find most people jumping to conclusions, feeling betrayed, and hating the ones they love without giving them a chance to explain. Yet, many problems we face day in and day out can be easily resolved when we are ready and willing to hear others out and understand their side of the story.
Colossians 3:13-14 urge us to "[bear] with one another, and [forgive] each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love."
As we know that God is alive and almighty, even if we are falsely accused of anything we can forgive, be patient, and await God's righteousness. He asks of us this kind of love, forgiveness, perseverance, and patience.
Even if we have been in any way harmed or injured by others, instead of holding a grudge against them for it, we are to erase all the hurt from our hearts and in gratitude cling to God in prayer. He will cause all things to work together for our good, allowing us to magnify Him.
2. We must be able to conceal other people's transgressions.
From the story of Noah and his three sons featured in Genesis 9, we find a specific example of the meaning of "concealing others' transgressions."
One day, Noah drank of the wine, became drunk, and "uncovered himself" in his tent. While Noah had fallen asleep, his second oldest son Ham saw his nakedness. Now, it is the duty of a child to conceal – not expose – his father's transgression but instead of concealing it, Ham instead told about it to his two brothers.
Upon hearing this, Shem and Japheth "took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness" (Genesis 9:23). In other words, not only did Shem and Japheth try to avoid looking at their father's transgression, they also concealed it so that others would be unable to see it. Compared to the heart of Ham who exposed his father's transgression, how beautiful are the hearts of Shem and Japheth?
The first half of Proverbs 17:9 tells us that "He who conceals a transgression seeks love." Between people who love each other, transgression does not appear as transgression and even if there is transgression that is visible noticeable by the other, she becomes filled with compassion and considers the other's transgression as if it were her own.
During His time on the earth, instead of pointing out and condemning people's transgressions, the blameless and sinless Jesus first offered to forgive and heal the sick, bound the spiritual wounds, concealed the transgressions of sinners, and led people back onto the right path.
If we profess to know the love of Our Lord, we are also to possess a loving heart by which we can conceal transgressions of not only our parents, siblings, and spouses but also those of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Now, is it correct to conceal other people's transgression unconditionally? As transgression is sin and the wages of sin is death, it is not an act of love to look the other way to allow our loved ones to keep treading a path that will lead to death. It is our duty to lead them onto the right path by employing appropriate words of encouragement, discipline, and reproach of love depending on the severity of the transgression and the measure of faith of the individual.
Yes, only those who have removed logs from their eyes are qualified to point out the speck in another person's eye. However, even if one is not as thus qualified, it may be of good use for the other if the person encouraged or reproached in love. This is because an individual's heart of love by which he can readily conceal others' transgression will emanate true love, which in turn will be felt by the other person. James 5:19-20 tell us, "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." As the Scripture is evident in reminding us that enabling an individual who has strayed from the truth to turn him back is the way to "save his soul from death" and "cover a multitude of sins," each of us must be able to practice this very kind of love.
3. We must lead others to be transformed by the truth.
Rising above the level of concealing people's transgressions and understanding them, Jesus gave birth to life by binding and embracing everything in His love. Here, "life" does not refer to the life of flesh that is to pass away but the life that leads people to eternity and revives them by spirit. It also refers to the life that shines a brilliant light upon all those who find themselves in darkness.
For instance, until the impetuous and oft-erroneous Peter could be transformed into a martyr who was crucified upside down on a cross, how had Jesus led him through? At "The Last Supper" taken place the night before Jesus was crucified, when He told His disciples of the things that were to unfold, Peter seemed ready and willing to give up his life for the Lord (John 13:37; Luke 22:33).
Contradicting His disciple's confession, however, Jesus predicted, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times" (John 13:38). Precisely per Jesus' Word, Peter denied his knowledge of Jesus thrice before the rooster crowed by which time, remembering what Jesus had told him, Peter began to weep bitterly and also remembered what else Jesus had told him: "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later" (John 13:36); "When once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:32); and, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matthew 16:18).
Peter remembered the words of Jesus, who only encouraged him without any rebuke even though He was well aware of Peter's impending betrayal. When Peter came to understand all of this, he likely "wept bitterly" as his heart was moved by Jesus' love.
By assuring Peter in advance the things that were to take place later on in his life, Jesus saved him from the pit of guilt and agony that would have stemmed from his denial of Jesus. The kind of love by which one not only forgives the other's wrongdoings of the past but also prevents the person from sinning again is the love that can conceal transgressions.
What Jesus did for Peter was the epitome of the love that conceals a multitude of transgressions. Keep in mind that Jesus did this not just for Peter, but for each one of us as well.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if you discover transgressions in others, I urge you to keep quiet about them. I also exhort you to pray for that person, with a loving heart, to be transformed by the truth and move their hearts with wise and goodhearted words of encouragement or reproach.
At a time when the end of all things is near, may each of you lead that one last soul, who is more precious in God's sight than the whole universe, and become one by the unbreakable love of Jesus Christ, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I pray!
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