Fervent, Persevering, Sin-Covering Love

Peter writes to fellow believers: "Keep loving one another earnestly, for love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Pet 4.8) There is a lot said in a short amount of time when you begin to think about it. Take the little word "earnestly" for example. In the Greek it is a word that means to persevere, but also carries the implication that you don't waver in your interest or devotion while you persevere. This is perseverance that costs you something. It takes commitment, effort, and the resolution not to quit.

So we are to love one another with this love that doesn't quit. Yep, even when the other party isn't interested in returning your love. Indeed, Peter tells us to love one another fervently, earnestly, and perseveringly (is that a word?) because this type of love is a sin-covering love. It "covers a multitude of sins."

Tall order isn't it? Especially when it comes to your kids...or your spouse...or Mr. Prickly Pear cactus who always seems to drop in at the most inconvenient times. If it were easy, we wouldn't have to depend on the Holy Spirit, would we?

If Ye continue in the Flesh

Colossians 1.23 (KJV). This is the consistent biblical position on the perseverance of the saints. Paul says that Christ has reconciled believers in Colossae "to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his right: If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel."

"Continue in the faith," Paul encourages the Colossians, "be not moved away from the hope of the gospel." These are crucial words to heed.

Don't Give Up!

Paul gives us the law of the reaper in Gal 6.9. The promise is that we will reap in due time if we do not give up. It is a call to perseverance in the work of ministry, in the things that God has called us to do. John Brown commented that "Christians frequently act like children in reference to this harvest. They would sow and reap in the same day." True enough. God's way seems to be just the opposite, we do not always see the result of our ministry. God often only shows us this years down the road. Persevere. Stick with it. Don't give up.