Christian Philosophy: How Christ Fulfills Proverbs 10:12

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What painting of the Lord Jesus Christ do we have next to look at and think on in the gallery that is the Book of Proverbs? It’s Proverbs 10:12, which reads: “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” This is a simple proverb, but, like Jesus’s works in His earthly ministry, if all the things concerning Wisdom Himself in this proverb were to be written, the entire world couldn’t contain the books (John 21:25). Nevertheless, let’s attempt to unearth some of these riches!

Now, in examining this proverb, I’m going to take a different approach than usual. I’m going to start with the second clause and then consider the first clause. That’s because the second one tells us what Christ is like, while the first one tells us what Christ is not like. And, in my opinion, we’ll better appreciate what Christ is not like by understanding what He is like.

So, the second clause says: “but love covereth all sins.” 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love. And, in John 1:1-18, we learn that Jesus Christ is God. Therefore, Jesus Christ is Love. And because, while retaining His Deity, He took on human flesh (John 1:14), He is Love incarnated in human flesh. So, this clause can be phrased as “Christ covers all sin.” Now, we need to consider all of Scripture to know what this mean and what this does not mean. And, while we can’t cover all Scripture here, we’ll note two things that Scripture does say to dispel a likely, and sadly common, misunderstanding of this truth. First, this DOES NOT mean Jesus salvificly [1] forgives every single person who has ever lived, is living, and will live throughout all history, past and present and future. Because John 3:18, right in the context of John 3:16, says that the one who lacks trust in Christ is condemned already, with John 3:36 later saying that the wrath of God abides on him. Second, this DOES mean that Christ, in His love, covered ALL the sins of all His people, all those who trust Him solely. More than that, He propitiates [2] for their sins (Romans 3:25; cf. 1 John 4:10). By doing this, Christ saves His people from both their sins (Matthew 1:21) and Divine wrath against them for their sins (Romans 5:9). Though this is the greatest sense of how Christ, as Love, covers all sins, there is another sense in which He covers sin. He covers sin in that He doesn’t punish many of His creatures immediately after they sin, which is His right to do. Rather, He is patient with His creatures, giving them opportunities to repent (Romans 2:4; cf. Revelation 2:21). Other than the two Biblical texts I’ve just referenced to buttress this point, the Holy Spirit, through Peter the apostle, exhorts Christians to fervently love each other, because love covers the multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). And, since the Christian is to follow Christ as his Example (John 13:15; cf. 1 John 2:6), covering a multitude of another person’s sins by overlooking their sins and loving them in spite of their sins is a characteristic of Christ Himself. [3]

Next, the first clause tells us that hatred stirs up strifes. Now, hatred in and of itself isn’t evil, because Christ Himself hates (Proverbs 6:16). But that hatred is hatred of sin (Psalm 5:4-5), and hatred for sin is hatred for disobedience against God, for sin is disobedience (1 John 3:4). And Christians are exhorted to have this same hatred (Psalm 97:10). So, what hatred is condemned here? It is a hatred that contradicts the character and words of the Lord. That hatred brings about a multitude of divisions and conflicts (i.e., strifes) that have plagued our world ever since the introduction of sin into the world via Adam (Romans 5:12). Such a hatred Christ is the Antithesis of. Yes, He is a Source of division (Matthew 10:34-36), but that division arises, not out of any evil that Christ does (for He is sinless-Hebrews 4:15), but out of the evil disposition that all His enemies have by their very nature (John 3:18-20). They hate Him because He is good, and therefore they are at fault for the divisions they’ve erected between Goodness Himself (Mark 10:18) and themselves. And, in so doing, they themselves fulfill the first clause of this proverb. Because of their sinful hatred, they stir up strifes in their conflicts with godliness. Such truth is a strong refutation of the accusations of evil division that Christianity’s enemies charge its Founder of being guilty of through His teaching.

And, as we’ve pointed out in previous posts in this series, this proverb, being a picture of Christ, functions also as a painting of the Christian, the one who walks as Christ walked (and does so by Christ, through faith in Him, not by anything in himself). The Christian is one who, as previously pointed out, loves others, overlooking their transgressions and seeking their ultimate and eternal good in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he is not one whose hatred stirs up sinful strives among people. No, rather, he follows peace with all men, inasmuch as it’s within the power God has given him (Romans 12:17-21; cf. Hebrews 12:14). Indeed, one mark of the Christian, given by Christ Himself, is that he is a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9).

Reader, which one are you?

[1] “salvificly” is an adverb meaning "connected to salvation" [2] Appeases the wrath of God in His justice [3] My interpretation here of 1 Peter 4:8 has been influenced by this sermon (link provided): https://illbehonest.com/love-behind-church-discipline