Riches versus righteousness
Riches versus righteousness
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death (Pro.11:4).
Here, riches are compared with righteousness. Mammon of righteousness will not benefit us in the day of divine wrath. We cannot buy God's mercy by offering money at His altar. In this world, money can buy you favor with the worldly authorities but not with God. By giving donations to a minister of God, you cannot get divine healing. But righteousness delivers you from death. The dictionary meaning of righteousness is a sum total of traits such as goodness, virtuousness, uprightness, decency, integrity, worthiness, rectitude, probity, morality, ethicalness, high-mindedness, justice, honesty, honour, honourableness, innocence, blamelessness, guiltlessness, irreproachability, sinlessness, saintliness, purity, nobility, noble-mindedness, piety, piousness. In short, it is a state of being in right standing or relationship with God. Righteousness is imputed to us, the children of God redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. It has two sides. One side is the righteousness imputed to us. Another side is the righteousness that we earn by righteous living imbibing many of the above traits described in the above meaning. Righteousness is the very character of God which cannot be explained in human language.
Righteousness delivers from spiritual death. Physical death is natural.