1 Peter 4:8
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
Truth to Learn
Love means forgetting your own pain in order to help a brother or sister grow in grace.
Behind the Words
The expression “above all things” is translated from the Greek words pro pantōn. The word pro means “before.” It can refer to place, time, or importance. In this case, it refers to importance. The word pantōn means “all things.” Hence, Peter is literally saying “before all things,” that is, having more importance than all other things.
“Love” is translated from agapē, which in fact does mean “love.” But it is only one of several Greek words that are translated that way. The best way to describe this type of love is that it is the kind of love which is more concerned about the well being of the loved one than of self.
The word “fervent” is from the Greek word ektenēs, which literally means “stretched out.” As used here it means “continual or intense.”
The word translated “cover” is kaluptō, which means “to hide or cover.” The opposite of this is the Greek word apokaluptō, meaning “to uncover” or “to reveal” from which we get our English word apocalypse.
Meaning Explained
Since we know that our time is short, as stated in the previous verse, we need to be serious and dedicate ourselves to prayer. But, Peter tells us in this verse, of greater importance than even these things, we need to have fervent love for one another. Since Peter is writing this letter to Christians (1Peter 1:1, 2), it means that we are to love our fellow Christians with a self-sacrificing love, being more concerned for their well-being than our own. But it’s not just love, it’s “fervent love” that we are to have for one another.
Why are we commanded to have fervent love for each other? Peter says it’s because love covers (or hides) a multitude of sins. This is not to say that we are to ignore the sins of a brother or sister. It means that we are to love each other this way so that we will be gracious and forgiving of each other’s faults. We need to be more concerned about the well-being of our Christian brothers and sisters than our own selfish motives and feelings. If a brother of sister is living in sin, we have a responsibility to approach him or her in a loving (agapē) manner with his or her ultimate good in mind. It also means that when a brother or sister sins against us, we need to be more concerned for their spiritual well-being than our own bruised selfish pride. Again, it doesn’t mean that we ignore the offense; rather, it means that we approach the offender in a loving (agapē) way to let him or her know that they injured us, having already forgiven them and freed them of any blame.
Keep in mind that love is an action verb, not just a feeling. In light of what Peter just told us in the previous verse (“the end is near” and “be watchful in prayer”), we should consistently demonstrate fervent love to our Christian brothers and sisters.
Application
When we approach a Christian brother or sister who is living in sin or who has offended us, we need to do it while standing in their shoes. We need to confront them lovingly the way we would want someone to treat us if the tables were turned.
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2009 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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