Proverbs 11:4 Commentary and Bible Study

The riches under consideration are by implication riches which are not obtained through righteousness, however it is true that ‘riches profit not in the day of wrath’ in whatever way they are acquired. The relative merits of riches and righteousness should be carefully considered in order to understand the great value of righteousness. Riches, which are so admired in this world, which can buy power and influence, and can obtain almost anything that the buyer desires, are of no use whatsoever in the world to come. When we stand before God they do not simply diminish in value, but they are worth nothing. Christ has paid a ransom to deliver his people from death and hell, and that price was the offering up of his life as a perfect sacrifice paid to satisfy the justice of God according to the terms of the law. This is an infinite price, and it is not possible for mortal man to calculate its worth. If it took so much to redeem us – and God does nothing needlessly – how can anything that we are capable of paying substitute for this? All the riches of this world added together amount to nothing before God. He made them all and he can destroy them and remake them in a moment. The believer knows that these are baubles and not the true riches which have value in heaven. If we were to offer these as the price to free us from death, we would increase his wrath against us because of our rejection of the gospel and our lack of understanding. But righteousness delivers from death. First of all, this is the spotless righteousness of Christ imputed to us, without which we cannot come before the Lord. But it is also our personal righteousness, because no man knows the Lord who does not love and pursue personal righteousness. Righteousness delivers from death not because it deserves anything – for it is always imperfect in us – but because it is the mark of a child of God whom he will never forsake. How much we ought therefore to esteem righteousness now, and value it above all that this world has to give.