Introduction
Before getting into the meaning of Proverbs 10:16, here’s different Bible translations:
King James Version
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
American Standard Version
The labor of the righteous [tendeth] to life; The increase of the wicked, to sin.
World English Bible version
The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.
Proverbs 10:16 Meaning & Commentary
The Bible in Proverbs here again compares two groups of people: the righteous and the wicked. The wages of the one (Righteous) lead to life, and the gain of the other (Wicked) leads to sin. Let’s look at the righteous first. Their “wage” leads to life. We cannot read this verse without acknowledging Jesus Christ, as he is the one who has brought us into righteousness: Romans 3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. So, then in our lives, we receive the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, which leads us to life.
Jesus also spoke about this sort of life he promises in other parts of The Bible: John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. This life cannot be earned but needs to be received by faith, in Christ Jesus. So, the way of righteousness is the way of faith in Jesus, and the wages received from this walk of faith are the true life in God! The gain of the wicked is sin, which means that what they get for their wickedness is more sin.
So, a gain (or wage) is what you receive from doing or being something. If you are a doctor and do what a doctor does, you will receive a doctor’s wage; this is the idea here. We are inherently wicked without Jesus Christ and are sold as slaves to sin: John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. Wickedness (or a life without God) cannot and will not produce anything but sin.
Even our good deeds are like filthy rags before God: Isaiah 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. So, righteousness is to be in Jesus Christ, and wickedness is to be out of Jesus Christ. The one leads to a beautiful life in God, and the other one bondage to sin and misery!
Application
How then can we practically apply Proverbs 10:16 to our lives?
We need to first consider the fruits of a righteous as well as a wicked, and choose to walk in the paths of righteousness, which is to walk with Jesus Christ and in Faith in him, just as Paul the Apostle did: Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Also, we should examine ourselves and see if we are walking according to the Character of Christ, not because we are trying to “earn” right standing with God, but because walking in wickedness will affect our lives. This means, for example, that if we are running a business, are we conducting business honestly and transparently? If we are an employee, are we working hard, arriving at work on time, and going the extra mile? Are we doing everything with integrity and truth? These are not matters of salvation, but matters of who we are becoming, and of principles, which have an impact on our lives, regardless of whether we are in Christ.
Meaning that we could be in Christ, but still potentially lie, cheat, or steal in our workplace. We will not necessarily lose our Salvation, but we could for example lose our jobs. Therefore, we need to walk by faith in Jesus Christ, yes, but also live righteously, as in doing the right thing as a disciple of Jesus Christ, and in that itself, there is a blessing that comes to us in our lives, because we adhere to and follow God’s principles!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I come now in Jesus’ name, and I thank you that I can be in right standing with you because of what Jesus Christ has done on the cross. I ask that you help me to walk in faith, in Christ, not in my own ability or strength. I also pry and ask that you would open my eyes to see where I may not be exhibiting Christ-like character in my work, my relationships, and my day-to-day living. Where I need to make changes, please help me to do just that, so that I may enjoy abundant life in every single area of my life. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen!
