Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Mercy and truth are the character of God. Without His mercy and truth, there will be no redemption for man’s sins. But God demonstrated His mercy when He sent His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for man’s sins (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).

The word “purged” used in Proverbs 16:6 has the same meaning of propitiation. Propitiation means “to cover over, pacify, propitiate, to make atonement for, and to appease.” In simple term, to propitiate means to appease. Propitiation is not a word we use in our daily conversation but we know what to appease mean and we may have been doing it all the time. For example, you offended your wife this morning. What do you do to atone for your wrong doing? If you know she loves chocolates, you would buy her a box of chocolates on your way home. Maybe, you will bring her out for dinner or you volunteer to cook dinner that evening. What are you trying to achieve? You are trying to appease your wife. Propitiation is when an offence is dealt with in a way that satisfies the person who is offended. The goal is to restore the relationship broken by the offence.

Mercy depends on your wife whether she accepts the atoning gift. If she accepts, it means she has forgiven you, thereby, your iniquity is purged.

Mercy and truth are met together perfectly in the Lord Jesus Christ. God, by His mercy, in sending His Son Jesus into the world, has made an atonement for sins according to His truth, referring to the word which He declared by His holy prophets since the world began. Only the blood of the only begotten Son of God satisfies the condition for man’s redemption. Man is the offending party because man sins. God is the party who is offended. But there is nothing that man can do to appease the wrath of God. God, in His infinite mercy, provided the propitiating sacrifice. God sent His Son. The blood of Christ purged away the sin of the world (Rom 3:25; Col 1:14). God is appeased.

The question now is: Can we likewise extend mercy to those who have offended us?

The truth reveals to us that he who has been forgiven by God ought to forgive a brother who has offended him (Matt 18:32-33). In the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:23-34), we read of a merciful master who forgave his servant who owed him ten thousand talents. This servant had a fellow servant who owed him just a hundred pence, a meagre sum compared to what he had owed his master. But instead of showing mercy to his fellow servant just as his master had shown towards him, this servant threw his fellow servant into prison for not able to pay his debt. The news came to the ears of his master and he was angry and treated the servant in like manner as he had treated his fellow servant.

The lesson for us is this: “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses” (Matt 18:35).

It is one thing to know the truth; it is another to practice it. We are to be doers of the word and not hearers only (James 1:22). We have the truth; let’s also have mercy.

The second part of Proverbs 16:6 relating to mercy and truth is: “by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”

It is evil to the man whose sins has been forgiven by the mercy and truth of God but does not extend the same mercy to others. Why? It is because he does not have the fear of God. “It is the man who cultivates a reverent spirit, who realizes the near presence of God, who walks with God in prayer and holy fellowship, who treasures in his mind the thoughts of God, and reminds himself frequently of the will of God concerning him—it is he who will "never be moved from his integrity;" he will redeem his word of promise, he will live the new and better life of faith and holiness and love…” (Pulpit Comm).

The fear of God drives men to seek His approval in every part of his life. It drives them to hate and turn from sin (Psa 119:11). It drives men to love his fellow men, even his enemies (Matt 5:44).

Mercy is compassion, forgiveness, or kindness we show to others. Truth is that which is revealed in the word of God. Without mercy, there can be no appeasement; we will have unending conflicts. But with the fear of God, we will do what is right. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt 5:7).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.