We looked at this verse on Wed, in our through the Bible Study.
It talks about 2 kinds of people, or 2 kinds of actions, with 2 kinds of results. It speaks of love and it speaks of separation. It speaks of transgression, and it speaks of what might be done with that transgression, that is to cover it.
The wisdom of God here, tells us that the person who covers a transgression, is seeking love. To cover, means to hid, to conceal, to clothe, to spread over. Transgression, means sin, or rebellion, either against God or against people.
So, if someone sins, we don't have to go and tell anyone about it, but, we can cover it, we can conceal it, we can keep it to ourselves. And by doing so, we are seeking love. Being loving towards someone in their transgression, is exactly how the Lord is towards us. He seeks to bring His love into our lives when we have sinned. He does everything He can to cover it, to forgive it etc, etc.
On the other hand, if a person becomes aware of someone else's sin, and they repeat it, or "do it again" that is to tell it to someone else, can wind up separating the best of friends.
The meaning could also be, that if you sin, and your friend is gracious towards you, and seeks to cover your sin in love, but you continually take advantage of their graciousness, that you could lose that friendship. That's one way to separate the best of friends, by taking advantage of their love.
But, surely, the other meaning is something we see all the time in life, that someones sin gets spread around by word of mouth, and it gets back to someone, and a friendship is lost. Good friends are separated.
Lord, help us to be like You are towards sin, and towards sinners. Help us to be towards others the way that You are towards us. Full of Grace, Full of Mercy, and Full of Forgiving Love. May we make friends and not separate friends.
In Jesus name ....amen
Bob Grenier
Senior Pastor Calvary Chapel Visalia
P.S.......some practical applicational thoughts.
God has plenty of love to give us to give to others.
Others need the love of God just as much as we do.
Friends are a blessing, let's bless them, and help them be better friends.
Covering someone's transgression, can be done by just bringing it to the Lord and asking for His help.
Let's leave others transgression with the Lord, He will take care of it, and of them.
