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God's Love Protects from Sin's Damaging Effects

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ESV)

The love of God shown by His people to one another provides a protective covering from sin's damaging effects. Picture a parent with their child at the beach. It's a hot summer day and the sun is beating down on the child's fair skin. The parent reaches out and holds a large umbrella over their child to protect them from the sun's damaging rays. This parent is stretching beyond their comfort zone. It does not seem to them a burden, but a joy.

Peter says, in light of the end of time, to keep fervent or zealous in your agape love for one another. That word "zealous" literally means to be stretched. The call to love our brothers and sisters in Christ is a call to live beyond our comfort zone. Like that child being protected so tenderly by his parent. Imagine that the child has recently misbehaved or been unloving or disrespectful to their parent. That loving parent is not going to withhold their tender care and say "Well you don't deserve it. I will withhold my affections until you behave better." No, they are going to love them anyway.

Love, Peter says, God's love, covers a multitude (literally plethora) of sins. That doesn't mean that love ignores or condones or celebrates sin. It protects people. I think that's what it means. That God uses His love shown through His people to one another, to protect each another from sin's damaging effects. It's one primary way that God our loving heavenly father, our faithful Shepherd, protects His flock.

That means that we have a high calling. We will purposely be sensitive to one another's feelings, and we will think twice before blasting a brother in Christ verbally. It means that we will protect others from our sin. That we will live very carefully and circumspectly in order to show God's love most effectively. And I love how Peter says to keep showing zealous love to one another. They were already doing it and he was commanding them and telling them to keep on doing that. They were doing the right thing.

The word translated "covers" comes from a word meaning "hut" or "cabin". It's the idea of protection, shelter, covering. God wants to love His people through us, thereby providing them a refuge, a shelter, a protective covering while we live in this sin-ravaged, war-torn world. Psalm 91:1-2 says "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" It is beautifully amazing to me that God provides that shelter and refuge and rest often times through His love shown by His people to us.

This is a huge benefit to those who are in Christ. And a tremendous incentive to stay close to the Lord and His people. God is actively showing us His love by His people, providing for us a protective covering from sin's damaging effects. It's like spiritual sunscreen, only much much better.

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