Charity, or the love of God showing itself in the love of the brethren, is the greatest of Christian graces. And it is here particularly recommended, because it is like the love of Christ. His love covered all the sins of His people. It hid them from the justice of God and threw them into the sea of His oblivion. When they were wallowing in their sins He passed by them, pitied their case, cast His mantle over them, and said unto them ‘Live’, and they did live. True Christian charity will imitate the heavenly example. It will recover people from their sins, and by prayer, good example, and advice bring them back to the favour and friendship of God. Instead of spreading the faults and failings of the people of God it will cast a veil over them. And even should the sin be glaring and scandalous, they will do as the sons of Noah did. Instead of laughing like wicked Caanan, they will lament the fall and cover the sinner with their garment. When he sleeps they will watch over him, and when he wakens from the lethargy of sin they will tell him what he has done, and endeavour as much as in them lies to prevent a relapse. And though nothing can effectually cover sin but the garment of Christ’s righteousness, the love of the brethren will hide the sins of the brethren. If sin can be concealed without prejudice to the sinner’s soul, the Christian will do so. If our Lord exposed the sins of some of His people by recording them in His book, it was a wholesome beacon to others that they might avoid sin. But how many thousand sins did He hide, though He revealed the sins of a few individuals? If a man’s child or his friend whom he loves as his own soul falls into sin he will conceal it if consistently with duty, and so will the Christian. But if the good of a person’s soul and the good of society require it, the Christian will, though reluctantly, bring his brother to punishment. And if a man is full of love and good works, few will, perhaps, be malignant enough to expose his faults and failings. Love will hide them.
(Extract from a Sermon on 1 Peter 4:8 by the Rev. Lachlan MacKenzie, Lochcarron.)