Love Suffers Long

• 1 Peter 4:8 – And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins” (Prov 10:12 – “love covers all sins”).

– “Fervent” means stretched out, earnest or constant (cf. Acts 12:5; 26:7).

– “Love will cover…sins” or cover the faults of another (cf. Gen 9:23).

– God has done this for the Christian.

Love Suffers Long

• 1 John 4:8-11 – He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us & sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Love Suffers Long

• 1 John 4:16 – And we have known & believed the love that God has for us. God is love, & he who abides in love abides in God, & God in him.

Love Suffers Long

• “Love” is not an impulse from feelings, it does

not always run with our natural inclinations,

nor does it spend itself only upon those for

whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks

the welfare of all, & works no ill to any…”

(Vine’s).

Love Suffers Long

Fervent love can wear thin.

Paul defined God’s love as having 15 features (1 Cor 13:4-7).

Love Suffers Long

Makrothumei: makros, long, thumos, passion, ardor.

Barnes – “The word denotes slowness to anger or passion; long-suffering, patient endurance, forbearance. It is opposed to haste; to passionate expressions & thoughts, & to irritability. It denotes the state of mind, which can BEAR LONG when oppressed & provoked.”

Love Suffers Long

• The Greeks: patience is weakness.

– Aristotle: “The great Greek virtue is a refusal to tolerate any insult or injury & a readiness to strike back at any hurt.”

– Our American heroes are not known for their patience.

Love Suffers Long

• God’s men were patient; they did not have a spirit of retaliation.

– Joseph (Gen 50:19-21)

– The Lord (Luke 23:34)

– Stephen (Acts 7:60)

– Paul (2 Tim 4:16)

Love Suffers Long

• God is patient with us (2 Pet 3:9-15).

– His mercies & compassions are new every morning (Lam 3:21-23).

– But His patience has limits (Matt 18:23-35; Lk 12:42-47).

– We must exhibit His patience toward others (Eph 4:1-2; 1 Thess 5:14-15).

To allow time for improvement.

To foster God’s love in others.

Forgiveness of Sin: Salvation!

•Faith in Jesus Christ through the GospelJohn 8:24; 20:30-31; Rom 1:16; 10:9-10; Mark 16:16; Heb 11:6

•Repent or turn from sinsLuke 24:46-47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30-31

•Confess faith in ChristMatt 10:32-33; Acts 8:36-38; Rom 10:9-10

•Be immersed in waterMatt 28:19; Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom 6:3-4; 1 Pet 3:21

•Live in obedient faithHeb 5:8-9; 1 Peter 1:14; Rev 2:10