Letter: Love is the answer because it is the right thing to do

During the last few weeks in light of George Floyd's death, with peaceful protests, and sometimes violent protesters, the demands seem to be about "racism," "reform" but not "reconciliation" nor "love." One of the most popular of the biblical proverbs is Proverbs 10:12, "Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs."

"Hatred" is contrasted with "love." The "stirring up" is contrasted with a "covering over." And "conflict" is what hatred is promoting, whereas love seeks to make peace by covering "all wrongs." To provide an expanded paraphrase: "Hatred looks for a fight and refuses to smooth things over, but love desires peace between warring parties and will not be involved in provoking dissension."

Love conquers all wrongs, but the wicked find motivation from hatred or spite toward others. In contrast, the righteous are motivated by love. Hatred seeks ways to cause trouble, but love looks for ways to forgive.

This same proverb is quoted in 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love conquers over a multitude of sins." In this context, the proverb emphasizes that love is expressed through forgiveness of sins.

The idea of love being associated with forgiveness is found frequently in Scripture. One important example is found in 1 John 4:10, "This is love: not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

In our own personal relationships, we also show love in our forgiveness of others. One of love's characteristics is that "it keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Corinthians 13:5). Love has no list of how or how often it has been offended. Love forgives. However, the greater context is this: John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Also, 1 John 4:17-21: "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: Because as he is, so are we in this world."

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because death hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

"We love him because he loved us first."

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen?"

"And this commandment we have from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

Our lives are to be characterized by godly love that forgives the sins of others. Our extending of forgiveness is motivated by the truth that God has forgiven our sin through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:32). How many times should we forgive? Up to seven times? That was Peter's question in Matthew 18:21. Jesus' answer: "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22). Where sin increases, grace increases all the more (Romans 5:20). Love covers a multitude of sins - and it keeps on covering.

THE REV. JOSHUA DUPREE JR.

Sumter