Good morning everyone,

1 Peter 4:8-Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

I admit that when I used to read in the Bible about God’s holiness and how much He hates sin, I used to wander why I don’t have the hate of sin the way God hates it. In trying to understand why we as Christians should hate sin I thought the obvious reason was because of the consequences of sin. We can see all the horrors of sin and it’s devastation to society, especially families, as well as the earth. So I thought the idea of bad consequences seemed to be enough to resist living with it in our lives, but is that enough?

The more I grow in God’s grace and see how He changes our hearts to love Jesus more and more, the reason is becoming more and more clear. My heart is beginning to see that the reason for hating sin is rooted in love, and what sin does to my love for Christ, and it’s negative effects on all my other relationships.

Fear from the consequence of being rejected is no way to live if we are in a relationship, because we are always tormented with what our constant failures may result in. But if love is the root of why we should resist sin, then we begin to look at the reason for hating sin differently. If God opens our eyes we realize that we can’t have the kind of relationship that God desires with Him or others while in sin. Sin creates a cold heart and an "aloofness" to any intimacy, not just with God. So to not have a loving devotion to God and a resistance to sin, is to jeopardize all feelings of genuine love and intimacy in all relationships. My prayer for myself and for all of you if you have struggles in your relationships, is to examine your heart towards Christ. Be honest whether sin is keeping you from His love, and the love you need to have a real intimacy and a humble Christlike love for others.

May God bless you richly to receive His love, Ld