Proverbs 16:6

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about how to avoid evil:

Proverbs 16:6

By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,

And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.

Proverbs 16:6 (ESV)

By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

Have you ever wondered how to overcome and refresh from some sin you committed or have committed against others.   Here is an incredible proverb to tell us just how to overcome iniquity.   The first line, "By lovingkindness and truth (faithfulness) iniquity is atoned for,” tells us we are to lose our personal agendas and our anger and replace them with the practice of truth (faithfulness to truth) and the expression of real love.   Love is a self-sacrificing concept.   Solomon is telling us to seek truth and pursue love, if we really have the desire to "atone" for our past.   This is exactly what Christ did for us, as the Way, the Truth and the Life.  It is Christ’s steadfast love and faithfulness that atones for sin.  But, the second line tells us, "And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil."  The problem Solomon is addressing for us in this line is how do we "atone" for sin when we are but man and we tend to "fear man" (bend toward peer pressure ... Proverbs 29:25)?   He tells us to not fear man and bend to their peer pressure but to fear the Lord and that will keep us from further sin.   As we fear the Lord we will not return to the sin we previously committed.  The reason we are often not trusted after we sin is that those we love and have hurt think we will return to that sin again.  But, if we fear the Lord we will “keep away from evil.”   Note other proverbs that say this:

Proverbs 8:13 (ESV)

The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.

Pride and arrogance and the way of evil

and perverted speech I hate.

Proverbs 14:27 (ESV)

The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,

that one may turn away from the snares of death.

What a great proverb about how to maneuver through difficult times of sin - whether we committed it or it was committed against us.   Love, truth and faithfulness to the fear of the Lord will atone for sin.   Christ did it and, through Solomon, He gave us the recipe to do it.  We have to practice love, truth and become trustworthy by the fear of the Lord, realizing that it is through Christ’s faithfulness we have atonement.