Love Bears All . . .

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7 (KJV)

Love beareth (stego), can forbear, protects or keep by covering over with silence, hides and conceals, the errors and faults of others. It covers in order to keep off something which threatens, to bear up against or hold out against what or who would destroy, and so endure with.

“All things” (pas) could also be understood to mean “all men.” Just as the Lord opens salvation to whosoever will, so He who is Love acts as a covering for whosoever are His own. The “all” mentioned here does not include the lost as well as the saved. This can be readily seen in the remarks of C. H. Spurgeon in the record of his sermon, “Particular Redemption:.”

" the whole world has gone after him" Did all the world go after Christ? "then went all Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan." Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem, baptized in Jordan? "Ye are of God, little children," and the whole world lieth in the wicked one". Does the whole world there mean everybody? The words "world" and "all" are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture, and it is very rarely the "all" means all persons, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts --some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted His redemption to either Jew or Gentile.”

As believers in covenant with the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, Father of the redeemed in Christ, we find Love to have the desire, will and ability to bear with the weaknesses of those with whom He is in covenant. There is nothing outside of His purpose or power to forgive in the name of Jesus.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (KJV)

He hides our weaknesses and vanquishes our foes in Love.