Durable Riches Prov. 8 :18 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Durable riches are riches that endure; they are long-lasting.  Consider durable riches.

Durable riches are not earthly treasures – Matt 6:19 – you know for certain that, if for no other reason than your death, you cannot hold on to them forever [Ps 49:10-12].  Look at these verses: Prov 23:4-5 riches fly; Prov 27:24 riches are not forever. 1 Tim 6:17 riches are uncertain; 1 Tim 6:7-10 riches are destructive. And so forth.

Durable riches are heavenly treasures – Prov 8:21 talks about inheriting substance and having your treasures filled.  So durable riches are in heaven [Matt 6:20].  They are eternal and tangible.  They are inherited which means you don’t get them now; you get them later [Eph 1:11, 14, 18].  Paul didn’t accumulate wealth he couldn’t keep here because he knew God had promised him durable wealth hereafter [1 Cor 3:11-15].  In Lk 18:22 the rich man was promised treasure “in heaven,” but he preferred riches on earth.

Durable riches are preferable to earthly riches – Prov 8:10-11, 19 – you can tell that by the conduct of those who knew this to be true.  Heb 11:8-10, 15-16 Abraham sought a city whose builder and maker is God.  Though he had vast wealth in the earth, he sought a heavenly city, instead.  Paul preferred the incorruptible crown of the ministry to the corruptible crown of champions [1 Cor 9:25].  Jesus said that if you were to get to heaven with nothing but your soul, that was preferable to gaining the whole world [Mk 8:36].  In other words, the salvation of your soul is of more value than all the wealth of the world.  Jesus not only preached this truth but he lived it [2 Cor 8:9].

A wise man will choose durable riches – Prov 8:17-18, 21 – he would part with wealth if it were keeping him from Christ.  Zacchaeus did [Lk 19:5-10]; the rich man didn’t [Lk 18:22-27].  Zacchaeus received the durable riches of eternal life; the rich man didn’t.  He would part with wealth if it were the means by which others would come to Christ [2 Cor 9:6-15].  Christ would reap the durable riches of souls saved for eternity and the giver would reap the reward of his sacrifice [Prov 19:17; Col 3:24-25].

Conclusion: If you are not saved, consider the value of your soul and the price Christ paid to redeem you.  This should compel you to get saved.  If you are saved, consider the durable riches of serving Christ and giving that others might be saved.