We can undo our sins or prejudice, our hurtful words or actions against each other by showing deeds of love, by forgiving each other, by listening to the pain of someone who has been wronged, by standing up for truth, and by assuming the best in each other. I think Peter is saying that when we commit sins against each other – when we hurt or mistreat each other, when we hold grudges and lose trust in each other, when we tear each other down at home, work, or school on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube on our streets and in our parks – the best way to set it right is to show love, to be generous, to help a neighbor or even a stranger, to give time, to say kind words. I’m not saying that one category is better or worse than the other. In both these passages, as scholars have pointed out, the word “sin” in Hebrew and Greek refers to the sin of hurting others, not necessarily sin that contradicts God’s laws, like murder, idolatry, adultery, or blasphemy. The third one has to do with person-to-person wrongs, the things we do to hurt each other or make each other angry: hateful words, backstabbing, betrayal, mistrust, and the like. Another has to do with breaking God’s laws. One of the words has to do with rebellion against God. There are three different words for “sin” in the Bible. But what is this about love covering up sins? What does that mean? It is clear that hatred stirs up conflict, and that strife, arguing, and fighting will lead to violence and war. In the first letter of Peter 4:8, the apostle writes, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” In Proverbs 10:12 it says, “ Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” They point towards an amazing solution to all these problems. Today I want to talk about two short passages, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.
#Hate it or love it cover full#
Well, the gospel is full of hope! All of it is real and of course, the best and truest hope is having Jesus in your heart and life. Hope that all this division, strife, and worry about the future has a solution, an answer.
What we need is an infusion of hope! Real hope, not false assurances. There is so much to worry or get stressed about – a resurgence of COVID another shutdown of life as we know it sickness, either your own or in your loved ones loss of a job uncertainty about school, work, or financial security putting food on the table paying the bills not knowing how you will care for your children or your elderly parents frustration about politics, government, racism, violence, strife, and division in our country as well as between other countries.
#Hate it or love it cover how to#
And if you’re not struggling because God blessed you with an optimistic spirit, that’s great – I’m sure you’re trying to figure out how to encourage so many others who are, whether they are friends, family, students, coworkers, or casual acquaintances.
It’s easy to lose courage, to become cynical, to give up on hope for the future – but don’t do that.
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