{"id":50653,"date":"2017-07-02T21:05:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-03T02:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=50653"},"modified":"2022-07-23T21:07:43","modified_gmt":"2022-07-24T02:07:43","slug":"does-i-peter-48-defend-homosexuality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-i-peter-48-defend-homosexuality\/","title":{"rendered":"Does I Peter 4:8 defend homosexuality?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

I found a verse in the Bible that can be used to defend homosexuality: “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins” (I Peter 4:8). In other words, even if it is a sin, the love of these two people for each other completely destroys any of that. In other words, sin is overruled by love.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

“Cover” translates the Greek word\u00a0kalupto<\/em>, which means to conceal or hide. Love for a brother leads you to help him out of sin, so that he may have forgiveness from God. “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins<\/em>” (James 5:19-20).<\/p>\n

Love also means you understand his embarrassment at sinning, and so you cover up the past — no longer bringing it up — so he bears up under the burden. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ<\/em>” (Galatians 6:1-2).<\/p>\n

The mistake being made is assuming that the person remains in sin, but that is not what Christianity is about. Sure, all Christians sin, but they seek to leave the sin.<\/p>\n

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous<\/em>” (I John 1:8-2:1).<\/p>\n

“No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God<\/em>” (I John 3:9).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

By “cannot sin” John is saying that he cannot remain in sin. A Christian finds sin abhorrent and will work to leave it. “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity<\/em>” (Proverbs 24:16).<\/p>\n

There is no “even if” in regard to whether homosexuality is a sin. See: What kinds of homosexuality does the Bible mention?<\/a><\/p>\n

Love does not overrule sin. It is because of God’s love that a way out of sin has been offered. True love doesn’t want sin in a loved one’s life. Love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth<\/em>” (I Corinthians 13:6).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: I found a verse in the Bible that can be used to defend homosexuality: “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins” (I Peter 4:8). In other words, even if it is a sin, the love of these two people for each other completely…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[35],"class_list":["post-50653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-homosexuality"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3944,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-does-covering-sin-mean\/","url_meta":{"origin":50653,"position":0},"title":"What does covering sin mean?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi, This may be a silly question, but I just want clarification on the difference between having a multitude of sins covered and hidden. What is the difference between \u201ccharity covering a multitude of sins\u201d (I Peter 4:8) and \u201cconverting a sinner and having a multitude of sins hidden\u201d\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39385,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/doesnt-the-bible-say-that-sins-should-not-be-hidden-but-exposed\/","url_meta":{"origin":50653,"position":1},"title":"Doesn’t the Bible say that sins should not be hidden but exposed?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 22, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Sir, This is in regards to Am I not able to get pregnant because I didn't tell my husband about my adultery years ago? My writing to you is that there is nowhere in Scripture that God encourages secrecy when it comes to sin. In fact, Scripture does the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20826,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-two-homosexuals-truly-love-each-other\/","url_meta":{"origin":50653,"position":2},"title":"Can two homosexuals truly love each other?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 10, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was wondering, can you explain loving someone as in I Corinthians 13? My friend I disagree regarding whether homosexuals love each other because the basis of their relationship is sin; there is nothing good about it. They might be nice to each other, get each other things, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41183,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-god-condemn-love-between-two-people\/","url_meta":{"origin":50653,"position":3},"title":"How can God condemn love between two people?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I might have just not read\u00a0Don't you dare change my mind, but why is homosexuality bad? carefully enough, but it seemed like the only reason why homosexual sex was a sin was that it was for pure pleasure only and without the intention of reproduction. Wouldn't that mean if\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18160,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-roman-catholic-priest-attempts-to-defend-homosexuality\/","url_meta":{"origin":50653,"position":4},"title":"A Roman Catholic priest attempts to defend homosexuality","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 18, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I found your article concerning homosexuality and the Bible, under the title \"Is homosexuality condemned in the Scriptures?\" I would like to clarify something, and perhaps provide a new perspective. You stated that \"the reason that the Bible doesn't mention \"gay love\" is that such a thing does not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36896,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-homosexuality-only-wrong-if-it-is-promiscuous\/","url_meta":{"origin":50653,"position":5},"title":"Is homosexuality only wrong if it is promiscuous?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 25, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I came to your site following a question about the word pharmakiea, or pharmakon. I had seen some claims that this was the word translated to witchcraft in the New Testament Greek, but that it had an additional meaning of using drugs. At least one source was arguing that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50653"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50653\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}