Riches vs. Righteousness on the Day of Judgment
(Prov 11:4 AMP) Riches provide no security in any day of wrath and judgment, but righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) delivers from death.
In this verse Solomon contrasts the importance of riches with that of righteousness in the Day of Judgment. Remember, Solomon’s perspective was that of the Old Testament. He was a King and he had a clear understanding of the importance of the role of Israel’s leader.
If you read through 1st and 2nd Chronicles and 1st and 2nd Kings you will see how the nation of Israel experienced their share of ups and downs. Whenever they had a righteous leader (a King of a Judge), the nation would prosper.
Whenever they had an unrighteous leader, the nation would suffer. It all hinged upon the time of judgment. Judgment is a bad thing for the unrighteous, but a good thing for the righteous. The word judgment causes the unrighteous to shirk, whereas the righteous get excited about receiving their reward.
It’s not that Jehovah did not judge the nation of Israel during the times of righteous leaders; it was quite the contrary. It was because He judged them righteous that the nation prospered! Let me put it in modern military terms. I read that in Iraq they have a weigh-in every month. As service members are expected to meet certain height/weight standards. Now, according to what I read, the food there is good and plenteous. Soldiers must exercise discipline when choosing their meals and maintain a routine of physical exercise if they are to maintain the height/weight standards. When weigh-in day comes, they all have to step upon the scales. Some walk away from the scales with a smile on their face and others don’t. What seems like judgment to some is a rewarding experience to others.
When I was going to weight watchers it was much like that. If you did not have a good week you was encouraged to stay for the meeting…so that you would be given the tools to better discipline yourself. You were given an encouraging word on increasing your physical exercising program and making better food choices.
Let’s fast-forward to the New Testament. We no longer have Kings or Judges, but judgment still takes place. There is the common judgment, that takes place all the time, where the Lord judges our actions and ensures that we reap whatever we sow. If we have been sowing good seed, we reap a good harvest. If not, we don’t. There is no way around it. But ultimately there will be one great Judgment Day. Two major judgments will take place. The first one will be to check whether or not our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (see Rev 20). Only the names of the righteous are written there and the only way to become righteous – by this standard – is to accept Jesus the Christ as Lord (Rom 10:9,10,13).
Paul said, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2nd Cor 5:21). When we accept Jesus as our Lord we become righteous in Him. It’s not that we are righteous in and of ourselves. No! He makes us righteous. The Father declares us righteous through the Blood of Jesus.
The second judgment will be for our works. The Father will judge what we did with the life and gifts that He gave us. Paul tells us that our works will basically fall into one of six categories: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. Our works will be judged by fire and all those in the wood, hay, and straw categories will burn up. Only the ones in the gold, silver, and precious stones categories will endure the fire. Those are the works that we did that had eternal significance (see 1st Cor 3:9-15).
So what does this mean to you? It means that money has nothing to do with the Day of Judgment. Money has its place. It is God’s will that we finance the Kingdom, that we be financially secure, and that we leave and inheritance for our children’s children (Prov 13:22); but on the Day of Judgment the size of our bank account will not be a factor.
You can’t buy righteousness. Your righteousness was paid for – IN FULL – with the Blood of Jesus. On that day that all that will really matter is whether or not you have been MADE righteous in Him and what you did with the life that He gave you!
Father, I thank You for blessing me to hear, understand, and respond to the Gospel message of Jesus the Christ. I have been made righteous in Him. I am the righteous of God in Christ and I know that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. What I seek to do now is to BE a blessing. I enter this day determined to do things that are of eternal significance. Lead me Father to works that will endure the fire! Use me to make a difference in someone else’ life today! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Prov 11:4 AMP) Riches provide no security in any day of wrath and judgment, but righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) delivers from death.
In this verse Solomon contrasts the importance of riches with that of righteousness in the Day of Judgment. Remember, Solomon’s perspective was that of the Old Testament. He was a King and he had a clear understanding of the importance of the role of Israel’s leader.
If you read through 1st and 2nd Chronicles and 1st and 2nd Kings you will see how the nation of Israel experienced their share of ups and downs. Whenever they had a righteous leader (a King of a Judge), the nation would prosper.
Whenever they had an unrighteous leader, the nation would suffer. It all hinged upon the time of judgment. Judgment is a bad thing for the unrighteous, but a good thing for the righteous. The word judgment causes the unrighteous to shirk, whereas the righteous get excited about receiving their reward.
It’s not that Jehovah did not judge the nation of Israel during the times of righteous leaders; it was quite the contrary. It was because He judged them righteous that the nation prospered! Let me put it in modern military terms. I read that in Iraq they have a weigh-in every month. As service members are expected to meet certain height/weight standards. Now, according to what I read, the food there is good and plenteous. Soldiers must exercise discipline when choosing their meals and maintain a routine of physical exercise if they are to maintain the height/weight standards. When weigh-in day comes, they all have to step upon the scales. Some walk away from the scales with a smile on their face and others don’t. What seems like judgment to some is a rewarding experience to others.
When I was going to weight watchers it was much like that. If you did not have a good week you was encouraged to stay for the meeting…so that you would be given the tools to better discipline yourself. You were given an encouraging word on increasing your physical exercising program and making better food choices.
Let’s fast-forward to the New Testament. We no longer have Kings or Judges, but judgment still takes place. There is the common judgment, that takes place all the time, where the Lord judges our actions and ensures that we reap whatever we sow. If we have been sowing good seed, we reap a good harvest. If not, we don’t. There is no way around it. But ultimately there will be one great Judgment Day. Two major judgments will take place. The first one will be to check whether or not our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (see Rev 20). Only the names of the righteous are written there and the only way to become righteous – by this standard – is to accept Jesus the Christ as Lord (Rom 10:9,10,13).
Paul said, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2nd Cor 5:21). When we accept Jesus as our Lord we become righteous in Him. It’s not that we are righteous in and of ourselves. No! He makes us righteous. The Father declares us righteous through the Blood of Jesus.
The second judgment will be for our works. The Father will judge what we did with the life and gifts that He gave us. Paul tells us that our works will basically fall into one of six categories: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. Our works will be judged by fire and all those in the wood, hay, and straw categories will burn up. Only the ones in the gold, silver, and precious stones categories will endure the fire. Those are the works that we did that had eternal significance (see 1st Cor 3:9-15).
So what does this mean to you? It means that money has nothing to do with the Day of Judgment. Money has its place. It is God’s will that we finance the Kingdom, that we be financially secure, and that we leave and inheritance for our children’s children (Prov 13:22); but on the Day of Judgment the size of our bank account will not be a factor.
You can’t buy righteousness. Your righteousness was paid for – IN FULL – with the Blood of Jesus. On that day that all that will really matter is whether or not you have been MADE righteous in Him and what you did with the life that He gave you!
Father, I thank You for blessing me to hear, understand, and respond to the Gospel message of Jesus the Christ. I have been made righteous in Him. I am the righteous of God in Christ and I know that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. What I seek to do now is to BE a blessing. I enter this day determined to do things that are of eternal significance. Lead me Father to works that will endure the fire! Use me to make a difference in someone else’ life today! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is a great post Paula, thank you for letting the Lord use you to inspire and remind us of his everlasting love and covenant, and of course HIS righteousness.
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