Does Love Cover a Multitude of Sins?

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” 1 Peter 4:8

Love Covers a Multitude of Sins, But Not All. Love does cover a multitude of sins, but not all sins. Paul tells believers that we are to distance ourselves from those who claim to be believers yet live immoral and destructive lives (1 Corinthians 5:11). He instructs us to warn those who are lazy (1 Thessalonians 5:14), and that we ought not to participate in unfruitful deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Paul also encourages believers to restore someone who is caught in a trespass (Galatians 6:1), and James exhorts us to bring a brother back who has wandered from the truth (James 5:19). When someone deeply offends us, Jesus says we’re to go talk with them so that our relationship can be repaired (Matthew 18:15–17).

Yes, we ought to forgive and forbear, overlooking minor offenses, hoping others will do the same for us. And we are to speak up when someone’s sin is hurting them, hurting others, or hurting us.

When someone repeatedly and seriously sins against us and is not willing to look at what he’s done and is not willing to change, it is not possible to have a warm or close relationship. We’ve, at times, misrepresented unconditional love to mean unconditional relationship. Jesus’ conversations with the Pharisee’s are examples of him challenging their self-deception and pride so they would repent and experience true fellowship with him (Matthew 23). He loved them, but they did not enjoy a loving or safe relationship. Jesus never pretended otherwise. Let’s not encourage our counselee’s to pretend and placate. Jesus never did.