Proverbs (Part 124) - Pro 10:12

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12. Pro 10:12 – "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." A. Hatred stirreth up strifes: i. Hatred causes and exacerbates conflict. a. Hatred n. – The condition or state of relations in which one person hates another; the emotions or feeling of hate; active dislike, detestation; enmity, ill-will, malevolence. b. Hate v. – trans. To hold in very strong dislike; to detest; to bear malice to. The opposite of to love. c. Hate n. – 1. An emotion of extreme dislike or aversion; detestation, abhorrence, hatred. d. Stir v. – 1. To move, set in motion; esp. to give a slight to tremulous movement to; to move to and fro; to shake, agitate. III. 16. stir up. a. trans. To set in motion, agitate; to push or poke so as to displace, disturb, or mix the parts of. e. To excite, provoke, induce; to raise, set on foot (strife, disturbance, etc.); to arouse (feeling or emotion). e. Strife n. – 1. The action of striving together or contending in opposition; a condition of antagonism, enmity, or discord; contention, dispute. ii. Those who hate others overtly cause strife. a. Those who hate others use grievous words which stir up anger (Pro 15:1). b. Hateful people have proud hearts which stir up strife (Pro 28:25). (i) They have a high opinion of themselves (pride) which gives rise to a feeling of contempt for others whom they envy. (ii) This feeling of contempt fueled by hatred is a source of strife. c. Hatred in the heart often results in wrath which stirs up strife (Pro 15:18; Pro 29:22). d. People who harbor hatred end up being scorners who stir up contention and strife (Pro 22:10). iii. Those who hate others covertly cause strife. a. They are deceitful and intentionally hide their hatred outwardly by acting kindly to your face (Pro 10:18) while secretly spreading rumors to cause strife (Pro 26:20-26). b. They whisper about others to cause strife between friends (Pro 16:28). c. They spread lies about their enemies to cause them trouble (Pro 26:28). iv. The covert stirrers of strife are the more dangerous than the overt ones because they operate in secret and are sometimes hard to detect. B. but love covereth all sins. i. Whereas hatred stirs up strife and instigates sins, love seeks to cover sins. a. Love n. – That disposition or state of feeling with regard to a person which (arising from recognition of attractive qualities, from instincts of natural relationship, or from sympathy) manifests itself in solicitude for the welfare of the object, and usually also in delight in his or her presence and desire for his or her approval; warm affection, attachment. b. Cover v. – 1. trans. To put or lay something over (an object), with the effect of hiding from view, protecting, or enclosing; to overlay, overspread with. c. Sin n. – 1. An act which is regarded as a transgression of the divine law and an offence against God; a violation (esp. willful or deliberate) of some religious or moral principle. d. In other words, someone who has regard for a person and seeks his welfare will, if possible, hide his transgressions against God from view. ii. There are three ways to cover sins ― two godly, and one ungodly. a. Godly way #1: Sins can be covered by keeping them private after rebuke, correction, and repentance has occurred. (i) True love exercises judgment and only approves things which are excellent (Php 1:9-10). (ii) The loving thing to do when one is aware that his brother has sinned is to rebuke him and not suffer him to continue in sin (Lev 19:17; Rev 3:19). (iii) Open rebuke is better than secret love (Pro 27:5-6). (iv) Converting a sinner from the error of his ways will save him from death and will hide a multitude of sins (Jam 5:19-20). (v) Sin's must be confessed to God and not hidden from Him (Psa 32:5; Psa 38:18), and once they are confessed and forgiven, they can be covered from the view of others. (vi) It is in this way that love covers sins. b. Godly way #2: Sins can be covered by forbearing to judge and punish sins committed against oneself and instead showing mercy. (i) Charity (Christian love in action) will cover a multitude of sins (1Pe 4:8). 1. Charity will suffer long and remain kind (1Co 13:4). 2. Charity is not easily provoked (1Co 13:5). 3. Charity bears all things and endures all things (1Co 13:7). (ii) A man who covers a transgression and doesn't repeat the matter to others seeks love (Pro 17:9). (iii) A man with discretion defers his anger when he is trespassed against and passes over a transgression without demanding judgment of the offender (Pro 19:11). 1. He doesn't take offense every time he hears about someone cursing him (Ecc 7:21-22). 2. He won't make a man an offender for a word (Isa 29:21). 3. He will let small personal offences against him go (Mat 5:39-42). 4. He will defer to mercy over judgment when possible (Jam 2:13). c. The ungodly way: Sins can be covered by not dealing with them and covering them up with hopes nobody will find out. (i) Adam tried to cover his sin in this manner (Job 31:33 c/w Gen 3:7-12). (ii) If we say we have not sinned, God's word is not in us (1Jo 1:10). (iii) Covering up sins is not an act of love because it prevents a man from prospering and obtaining mercy (Pro 28:13). (iv) Attempts at covering up sins will not work in the end (Luk 12:1-3; Num 32:23). (v) "Only love truly covers; anything else is but a cover up." (Jay Adams)