Love Covers All Wrongs
Solomon writes about the phrase “love covers all wrongs” in the book of Proverbs: “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs” (Proverbs 10:12). In this verse, he contrasts hate and love and teaches that hatred moves those who purposely cause trouble between others by negative words or attitudes (Jeremiah 20:10, 11).
When God forgives, He forgets. The Psalmist describes God saying, “You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins” (Psalm 85:2). In fact, God casts “our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). In like manner, love in the Christian’s heart, puts aside all the harshness that may have been caused and is ready to return good for evil (Matthew 5:9; 6:12; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 2:9–11).
Thus, love is not mere words; it must be translated into action. Therefore, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20).
Peter
The apostle Peter eludes to the phrase “love covers all wrongs” in 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Peter shows that where love is missing there is a tendency to enlarge the wrongs and shortcomings of others. But where love rules, people are ready to forgive and forget.
Also, brotherly love is sure to draw the lost to the love of God. Peter learned this lesson first hand from Jesus. For when he asked Jesus how many times should I forgive my brother? Jesus answered: “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22). If the spirit of forgiveness is in the heart, a person will be ready to forgive a repentant person as many times as needed.
Paul
The apostle Paul, in his message to the Corinthian Church, presents the same principles: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
In verse 5, Paul stresses that love “keeps no record of wrongs” explaining that the believer knows that the natural mind, is contrary to the will of God, and that having submitted to the Lord, he is dead to sin and has no reason for bitterness. Having done that, he gives everything to God, believing that he is under the care of a loving Father who works all things for his good (Romans 6:11; 8:28; 1 Peter 5:6, 7).
True Christians display the fruits of the Spirit in their lives with love as the first fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22,23). Love is the summation of God’s Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17; Luke 10:25-37).
James
The apostle James also speaks about the same truth, “My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins” (James 5:19–20).
James ends his glorious appeal to his Christian brethren with the message of the New Testament—the salvation of man from his sins and his restoration to the image of Jesus Christ. The desire to cover a multitude of wrongs and save people who would otherwise eternally be lost, caused Christ to offer His life to save humanity (John 3:16). And this same love must motivate every true Christian today.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
