“The wages of the righteous is life,
The income of the wicked, punishment. ”
Proverbs 10:16 (NASB)
Each verse in Proverbs 10 has 2 sentences with contrasting ideas. In verse 16 we see the contrast between the wages of the righteous and that of the wicked. The wages of the righteous is life. Jesus said that righteousness is a requirement to inherit eternal life and enter the Kingdom (Mt. 5:20). The income of the wicked is punishment. In fact Paul tells us in Romans (Rom. 6:23) that wages of sin is death, therefore we should desire to live righteously. Unfortunately, we cannot live righteously enough. God’s moral standard is perfection and we simply are not capable of reaching it on our own. So how do we obtain the righteousness required to merit life? By turning from our own efforts and placing our trust in the completed work of Christ (the only One who has ever lived a truly righteous life). Once we do that, His righteousness can be credited to our account and we can receive the wage that He earned for us.
Questions for application…
What is the “payday” that each of us rightfully deserve ?
Why is it impossible to live righteously apart from Christ ?
How can we obtain the righteousness necessary for eternal life ?
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