James 5:20‏

20. "Let the [latter] one be sure that whoever turns a sinner from his evil course will save [that one's] soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins [procure the pardon of the many sins committed by the convert]."

How can we say we have God's love, and not recognize those brethren who wander from the truth... and not merely theologically, but in terms of a lifestyle in sin, and then pray for them, and lovingly try to help turn them from the error of their ways. The death James is talking about is a physical death... here on earth... death, before he or she should have. Failure of the kidneys from abuse of alcohol, dying from aids, because of immorality... the list of the sins that could bring an early death is long.

There are Christians who will be led astray by bad theology to justify living a lifestyle of sin, as it appears James and John had to deal with in their letters. As for covering a multitude of sins, Peter also mentions this in 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]." This same thought also comes from Pr 10:12, "Hatred stirs up contentions, but love covers all transgressions."

In fact, one of the main objectives of love, is to deal with sin. Notice of God's love, the bible says, "But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us." Rom 5:8. So, with the primary focus of God's love is upon dealing with our sin, then our relationships should seek to turn people from sin and reconcile them to God through Jesus Christ so they may be saved. "And He [that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world." 1 John 2:2

Certainly, it was James' love for Jesus which gave him a love for those he was writing to... But, it has been Christ's love that has spoke to us in and thru the book of James, and we have been changed for the better through this powerful teaching. Amen?

I love you.