How to Handle a Multitude of Sins

[Garland-Green]

"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." (Proverbs 10:12)

There is an old familiar cliché to the effect that we should "hate the sin, but love the sinner." This may sound a bit trite because of overuse, but it is nevertheless both biblical and practical. It is easy and tempting to be critical and condemnatory toward someone who has sinned (especially if the sin has affected us directly), but such an attitude seldom, if ever, produces repentance on the part of the sinner. As the above proverb reminds us, it will more likely generate an angry, defensive response and further strife.

An attitude of loving concern, on the other hand (not of condoning the sin, but of personal understanding and sincere interest in the person) will much more likely lead to a genuine change of heart and restoration. Two New Testament writers (Peter and James) cite this Old Testament text in their own advice to Christian believers. Peter says, for example, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins" [1 Peter 4:8]. "Charity," of course, is the Greek agape, which is more often translated "love," even in the King James Version. The translators used "charity" here, no doubt, because "love" might be, in this context, misunderstood as erotic love, or even brotherly love (different Greek words), whereas "charity" (as an attitude toward others) more nearly describes the agape kind of love. Note also that this "charity" is to be fervent charity.

James, like Peter, understands "all sins" in the Proverbs text to imply "a multitude of sins," and he stresses the true goal in using this kind of love in dealing with a sinner. "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:20). HMM

icr.org  

[Aoife]

Garland-Green

"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." (Proverbs 10:12)

I love this verse. I have never been a "gossip" to speak of, but just being human...wow, sometimes I have to remind myself of this a LOT when I want to complain about something or someone and tell others about it to draw them to my side or agree with me about my hurt or my suck them into my righteous indignation...
but that would simply stir up strife. There is no point in telling or repeating to make my flesh feel better. I don't need to run to my husband or pastor or best friend to tell them about how someone said or did something not quite right. Even simply having to remind myself of this reminds me of how far I have yet to go to love perfectly as He loves us perfectly. Strife brings dis-unity and God hates it, and I want to always hate what he hates and Love what he loves, which is PEOPLE. Having relationships with them though is what makes us grow...it'd be so much easier to be "spiritual" all the time if we never had to deal with people...lol! xd  

[Aquatic_blue]

I suppose when I use, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." my interpretation of it is that we are to love the person because we are supposed to care for everybody and we are all sinners so that is everybody. At the "hate the sin" part, "sin" is a verb, an action, something one may do that isn't good. It's often an action of choice, or something stumbled in without thinking about it, or without realizing it. I often don't use "but" because that scratches out what was said in the first half of the sentence. We shouldn't love sin no matter who we are and sin is something that we are always combatin and dislike no matter if it's temptation or something else. I suppose that's how I think of that and interpret it when I say that. I guess I don't see how it could cause strife since I wouldn't be offended if someone would say that to me and some people already consider The Holy Bible or Christians themselves a personal attack on their lifestyle already. This phrase doesn't seem to make me have a change of heart for the worst, but the better since it reminds me that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I never saw the phrase as an attack on any belief system before.

Although, I can see where you're getting at if you feel people use that phrase as an excuse to hate instead of help. I believe that phrase can be used still and it all depends on how or why you are using it. If you use it as a phrase and then do nothing to help the sinner then that isn't a good thing. However, if you do help the sinner and use the phrase to refer to something in your life in order to reach understanding then it's probably fine. However, I will look into the subject matter more from different levels.

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EDIT:

Okay, considering we're only talking about the phrase, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." I have found that it's a Ghandi concept so in a sense it's considered Hindu, and that I did not know. How did that seep into Christianity anyway? o_o

Although, I suppose my interpretations of the original idea were a bit different than the original interpretation. I didn't realize that Ghandi's use of it was to bash because I interpreted it differently since we all are sinners, and we are to love everybody. I can see the confusion it would cause since it's of another. I suppose too many people have different translations for this same phrase. I can find it true in some lights if you were to be friends with a sinner, and not enjoy the sin that they bring into their lives. For example, I could be friends with someone who is gay, and trying to help them out of their lifestyle in a friendly way, but not enjoy their sinful actions. I don't even enjoy my own sinful actions. On top of that, I will still think of it some more. Although, if we said it differently - would it still be considered "wrong" to some? Like, if it was, "Love the sinner, and don't delight in any sin." or something like that?  

[Garland-Green]

Aquatic_blue

I suppose when I use, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." my interpretation of it is that we are to love the person because we are supposed to care for everybody and we are all sinners so that is everybody. At the "hate the sin" part, "sin" is a verb, an action, something one may do that isn't good. It's often an action of choice, or something stumbled in without thinking about it, or without realizing it. I often don't use "but" because that scratches out what was said in the first half of the sentence. We shouldn't love sin no matter who we are and sin is something that we are always combatin and dislike no matter if it's temptation or something else. I suppose that's how I think of that and interpret it when I say that. I guess I don't see how it could cause strife since I wouldn't be offended if someone would say that to me and some people already consider The Holy Bible or Christians themselves a personal attack on their lifestyle already. This phrase doesn't seem to make me have a change of heart for the worst, but the better since it reminds me that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I never saw the phrase as an attack on any belief system before.

Although, I can see where you're getting at if you feel people use that phrase as an excuse to hate instead of help. I believe that phrase can be used still and it all depends on how or why you are using it. If you use it as a phrase and then do nothing to help the sinner then that isn't a good thing. However, if you do help the sinner and use the phrase to refer to something in your life in order to reach understanding then it's probably fine. However, I will look into the subject matter more from different levels.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

EDIT:

Okay, considering we're only talking about the phrase, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." I have found that it's a Ghandi concept so in a sense it's considered Hindu, and that I did not know. How did that seep into Christianity anyway? o_o

Although, I suppose my interpretations of the original idea were a bit different than the original interpretation. I didn't realize that Ghandi's use of it was to bash because I interpreted it differently since we all are sinners, and we are to love everybody. I can see the confusion it would cause since it's of another. I suppose too many people have different translations for this same phrase. I can find it true in some lights if you were to be friends with a sinner, and not enjoy the sin that they bring into their lives. For example, I could be friends with someone who is gay, and trying to help them out of their lifestyle in a friendly way, but not enjoy their sinful actions. I don't even enjoy my own sinful actions. On top of that, I will still think of it some more. Although, if we said it differently - would it still be considered "wrong" to some? Like, if it was, "Love the sinner, and don't delight in any sin." or something like that?

Hmm I did not know it came from Gandhi. Things do tend to seep into Christianity from a lot of places. Think it has something to do with itch ears, and apostasy. It makes me think of the phrase differently knowing that Gandhi's idea of God was not in line with that of Christianity, and anything that comes from someone who is not a Christian should be filtered in a sense.

Mahatma Gandhi was a member of the Jain faith.
Jainism; Sanskrit: जैनधर्म Jainadharma, Tamil: சமணம் Samaṇam, Bengali: জৈনধর্ম Jainadharma, Telugu: జైనమతం Jainamataṁ, Malayalam: ജൈനമതം Jainmat, Kannada: ಜೈನ ಧರ್ಮ Jaina dharma), is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state of supreme being is called a jina ("conqueror" or "victor"). The ultimate status of these perfect souls is called siddha. Ancient texts also refer to Jainism as shramana dharma (self-reliant) or the "path of the nirganthas" (those without attachments or aversions).

So we can gather that his idea was more based on what he believed then what we believe.

How about love your Love your neighbor as yourself? This is all inclusive. We acknowledge their sinful nature, but regardless we love them and attempt to reach them and make them aware that they need forgiveness.  

[Garland-Green]

Aoife

Garland-Green

"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." (Proverbs 10:12)

I love this verse. I have never been a "gossip" to speak of, but just being human...wow, sometimes I have to remind myself of this a LOT when I want to complain about something or someone and tell others about it to draw them to my side or agree with me about my hurt or my suck them into my righteous indignation...
but that would simply stir up strife. There is no point in telling or repeating to make my flesh feel better. I don't need to run to my husband or pastor or best friend to tell them about how someone said or did something not quite right. Even simply having to remind myself of this reminds me of how far I have yet to go to love perfectly as He loves us perfectly. Strife brings dis-unity and God hates it, and I want to always hate what he hates and Love what he loves, which is PEOPLE. Having relationships with them though is what makes us grow...it'd be so much easier to be "spiritual" all the time if we never had to deal with people...lol! xd

It is easy to get carried away. 3nodding We are humans. We are imperfect, and we don't always see the whys, and the ifs.
Indignation with being treated unfairly is something God corrected me about. I've prayed to Him asking why I am not treated better by some individuals, and got in reply that I can't expect to. It seems to me like I was approaching it from the wrong angle. When I was praying for myself because of my hurt feelings, I should have been praying for them. There is obviously a reason why they act like they do. Loving people is hard. Especially hard when when there is no apparent reason to. To be like Jesus and to love like Jesus did is incredible, and something that I really wish I could.

1 Corinthians 13:8
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  

[Aquatic_blue]

Garland-Green

Aquatic_blue

I suppose when I use, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." my interpretation of it is that we are to love the person because we are supposed to care for everybody and we are all sinners so that is everybody. At the "hate the sin" part, "sin" is a verb, an action, something one may do that isn't good. It's often an action of choice, or something stumbled in without thinking about it, or without realizing it. I often don't use "but" because that scratches out what was said in the first half of the sentence. We shouldn't love sin no matter who we are and sin is something that we are always combatin and dislike no matter if it's temptation or something else. I suppose that's how I think of that and interpret it when I say that. I guess I don't see how it could cause strife since I wouldn't be offended if someone would say that to me and some people already consider The Holy Bible or Christians themselves a personal attack on their lifestyle already. This phrase doesn't seem to make me have a change of heart for the worst, but the better since it reminds me that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I never saw the phrase as an attack on any belief system before.

Although, I can see where you're getting at if you feel people use that phrase as an excuse to hate instead of help. I believe that phrase can be used still and it all depends on how or why you are using it. If you use it as a phrase and then do nothing to help the sinner then that isn't a good thing. However, if you do help the sinner and use the phrase to refer to something in your life in order to reach understanding then it's probably fine. However, I will look into the subject matter more from different levels.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

EDIT:

Okay, considering we're only talking about the phrase, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." I have found that it's a Ghandi concept so in a sense it's considered Hindu, and that I did not know. How did that seep into Christianity anyway? o_o

Although, I suppose my interpretations of the original idea were a bit different than the original interpretation. I didn't realize that Ghandi's use of it was to bash because I interpreted it differently since we all are sinners, and we are to love everybody. I can see the confusion it would cause since it's of another. I suppose too many people have different translations for this same phrase. I can find it true in some lights if you were to be friends with a sinner, and not enjoy the sin that they bring into their lives. For example, I could be friends with someone who is gay, and trying to help them out of their lifestyle in a friendly way, but not enjoy their sinful actions. I don't even enjoy my own sinful actions. On top of that, I will still think of it some more. Although, if we said it differently - would it still be considered "wrong" to some? Like, if it was, "Love the sinner, and don't delight in any sin." or something like that?

Hmm I did not know it came from Gandhi. Things do tend to seep into Christianity from a lot of places. Think it has something to do with itch ears, and apostasy. It makes me think of the phrase differently knowing that Gandhi's idea of God was not in line with that of Christianity, and anything that comes from someone who is not a Christian should be filtered in a sense.

Mahatma Gandhi was a member of the Jain faith.
Jainism; Sanskrit: जैनधर्म Jainadharma, Tamil: சமணம் Samaṇam, Bengali: জৈনধর্ম Jainadharma, Telugu: జైనమతం Jainamataṁ, Malayalam: ജൈനമതം Jainmat, Kannada: ಜೈನ ಧರ್ಮ Jaina dharma), is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state of supreme being is called a jina ("conqueror" or "victor"). The ultimate status of these perfect souls is called siddha. Ancient texts also refer to Jainism as shramana dharma (self-reliant) or the "path of the nirganthas" (those without attachments or aversions).

So we can gather that his idea was more based on what he believed then what we believe.

How about love your Love your neighbor as yourself? This is all inclusive. We acknowledge their sinful nature, but regardless we love them and attempt to reach them and make them aware that they need forgiveness.

I suppose there are a lot of theories how the phrase came about, and I came across all that when I looked from different stories. We may never know for sure.

After thinking and all that, I don't disagree with "Love the sinner, hate the sin," especially if you mention how you interpret it since there are many interpretations of it. 3nodding We are to love everybody, and not delight in sin. It seems true enough to me. Although, I understand most would disagree.