[Feature Story_God Is Love] Love Covers a Multitude of Transgressions
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April 27, 2014 |
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Senior Pastor of Manmin Central Church Dr. Jaerock Lee
He is God's servant of love and power who has awakened all people of all nations by spreading the core of the gospel following the Lord's way and manifesting the fiery works of the Holy Spirit.
Manmin Central Church opened with only 9 adults and 4 children in 1982. Through the works of the Holy Spirit the church has grown to become a mega-sized church with approximately 10,000 branch and associative churches. Just as Jesus preached and confirmed the word by the signs that followed His teaching, Dr. Jaerock Lee confirms that the Bible is the truth by showing the power of God.
He has conducted many overseas crusades such as in Uganda, Japan, Pakistan, Kenya, the Philippines, Honduras, India, Russia, Germany, Peru, DR Congo, the U.S., and Estonia since 2000 and showed explosive powerful works. Among them, Uganda Crusade was reported by CNN.
He also preached in the Israel United Crusade 2009 in Jerusalem. He proclaimed Jesus is the Messiah and it was broadcast live in approximately 220 countries. He is dedicated to the Word and prayer to accomplish the providence of God who desires all people of all nations to be saved at the end time by proclaiming the gospel to the end of the earth and achieving the mission of the ministry to North Korea. www.drlee.or.kr
"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
The power of love is amazingly great. Jesus was sinless yet was crucified and the crucifixion opened the way to salvation and Heaven for anyone who believes in Him. Men were destined to go the way of death by sins. However, mankind could receive forgiveness of all sins and be blessed to enjoy the authority and blessing of becoming God's children by believing the resurrected Jesus Christ.
If we possess the love of Jesus to cover a multitude of transgressions, we can comfort and encourage others. Moreover, we can enjoy true happiness. Then, what should we do to have the love to cover a multitude of transgressions?
1. The meaning of 'covering a multitude of transgressions'
Transgressions refer to sins revealed in action. Suppose one has lust in the heart to steal another's possessions. It's not transgression if it lies dormant in the heart but it becomes transgression when it is put into action by act of stealing. In order to cover this sin revealed in action, we need to have love.
To cover transgressions doesn't only mean not to reveal one's sins. But it also means being patient with everything, praying for others to be prosperous, expecting them to be changed, and trying hard to help them. That is, it is to cover transgressions of others even if it means no benefit but only loss. With such love, we can patiently endure with people, cover their sins, and guide them to the right way.
God's children should not reveal others' blemishes, and spots or wrongfully plot or slander others. His children should cast away sin and evil that God hates and by extending love to everyone we should cover 'a multitude of transgressions of others'.
2. In order to achieve love to cover a multitude of sins
Let's delve into what we should do to achieve love to cover a multitude of sins of others in three aspects.
When seeing one's fault, we should first leave him alone secretly without revealing it
The biblical example is Joseph who appears in the first chapter of Matthew.
Joseph was engaged to Mary. One day he heard astonishing news that Mary was found to be with a baby. According to the Law in the Old Testament times, it had to be made known to people and then he would have had her stoned to death. Since he was a righteous man he didn't reveal it and just planned to send her away secretly. He felt heartache over the fact that Mary had committed such a sin, but he couldn't let his beloved die. He had this much goodness. So, God allowed for him to understand through the angel of the Lord that the baby had been conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20).
In such a case as this most people might have felt betrayed. They might have condemned her without giving her any opportunity to explain about the situation and may have even hated her. There are many problems that we can solve easily as long as we try listening to others and understanding them.
Colossians 3:13-14 reads, "Bearing with one another, and forgiving 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, which is the perfect bond of unity." As said, it is better to become a victim of false accusation than being embroiled in argument, revealing sins, and being unrighteous.
As recorded in Daniel Chapter 6, Daniel was thrown into the lions' den even though he practiced only the Law of God and did no evil. Since he was loved by the King, he could have said it was a plot of evil persons, but he said nothing and quietly entrusted everything to God who is just. God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths so they couldn't harm Daniel. By surviving in the lions' den, Daniel showed God is alive and glorified Him over the King and the people of the Gentile nation.
If a person believes God is alive and almighty, he can forgive, endure, and wait for the justice of God even if he is falsely accused. God wants His children to also have such love, forgiveness, patience, and perseverance.
If you are harmed by others, you must not keep hard feelings towards them but remove the feeling from your heart. When you give thanks and pray, God who knows the depth of men's hearts will cause all things to work together for the good and allow you to give glory to God.
We should cover sins of others
Genesis Chapter 9 shows us well the meaning of covering one's transgression or shortcoming. It happened among Noah and his three sons. Noah drank wine and became drunk. He uncovered himself and was naked inside his tent. Ham, the second son of Noah, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
But 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). Shem and Japheth didn't see his father's fault but concealed it. Compared to Ham's, their hearts were beautiful.
Proverbs 17:9 says, "He who conceals a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends." For those who love each other, one's transgressions aren't seen as transgressions by the other. Even if his transgression is clear enough to be seen, the other may consider it her own transgression and feels sorry together.
Although Jesus was spotless, blameless, and flawless, He didn't point out people's shortcomings nor condemn them. He forgave them, healed the sick, and treated their trauma. He concealed sinners' transgressions and helped them turn back and go the right way. If we know the Lord's love, we should have the love to cover the sins of all people including our parents, siblings, spouses, and brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Then, do we have to conceal transgressions of others unconditionally because the Lord tells us to cover them? The wages of sin is death, so if we see others go the way of death and pretend not to know it, it is not love. Considering the gravity of the sins and their measure of faith, we should lead them to the right way with proper methods such as admonishment of love, advice, or reproach.
Only one who has taken the log from his own eye is qualified to take speck out of others' eyes. But even if you lack a little, if you admonish and rebuke with love, it could be helpful to them. This is because they may feel the true love in you if you have the love to conceal others' transgressions.
James 5:19-20 reads, "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." If you help people who have strayed from the truth to turn back, you save them from death and cover a multitude of sins. We need to practice this kind of love.
We should lead them to change by the truth
Jesus covered men's sins and understood them. Moreover, He covered everything with love and gave birth to life in them. Here, 'life' doesn't refer to physical life but to 'life' leading to eternal life and 'life' given by the Spirit. It is also 'life' to shed brilliant light upon souls in darkness.
How did Jesus lead Peter who had transgressions to change into a person who could martyr on the cross upside down? On the previous night before He was betrayed, He had the last supper with His disciples and let them know what would happen. Then, Peter had a heart to give even his life for the Lord (John 13:36; Luke 22:33).
Unexpectedly, Jesus said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times" (John 13:38).
And, Peter actually did deny Jesus three times before a rooster crowed just as Jesus had spoken. After the denials, a rooster crowed, which reminded Peter of Jesus' Word. He went out and cried in repentance. Then, he remembered what Jesus had said to him: "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later," "When once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers," and "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it."
Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him but He didn't rebuke him but gave him words of advice. It struck home with Peter. He might well have shed unceasing streams of tears thinking over the past and feeling Jesus' love.
By telling Peter what would happen, Jesus saved him from being racked by guilt of the denial and falling into worse sins. Not only when we forgive others of the sins they have already committed but also when we stop them from committing sins continually it can be called true love. This is the case when Jesus showed the greatest level of love to conceal sins. He led all people as well as His disciple Peter with such love.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the love to conceal a multitude of sins can move others' hearts in a strong and certain way and change them. If you find faults in others, you must first leave them be in secret, not revealing their faults. Then, you have to cover the fault without seeing, like Noah's two sons. Also, you have to admonish them with words of wisdom or goodness, rebuke them, touch others, and guide them to the truth.
In doing so I pray in the name of the Lord that you will lead many souls to the way of salvation with love that covers sins and comforts and encourages others.
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