Proverbs 11:18 (Mini Sermon)

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18. Pro 11:18 – "The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward." A. The wicked worketh a deceitful work: i. Definitions a. Wicked adj. – 1. Bad in moral character, disposition, or conduct; inclined or addicted to wilful wrong-doing; practising or disposed to practise evil; morally depraved. (A term of wide application, but always of strong reprobation, implying a high degree of evil quality.) b. Work v. – 1. To do, perform, practice (a deed, course of action, labour, task, business, occupation, process, etc.). b. To do (something evil or harmful); to commit (a sin, wrong, or crime). c. Deceitful adj. - Full of deceit; given to deceiving or cheating; misleading, false, fallacious. (As said of things often = deceptive.) d. Deceit n. - 1. The action or practice of deceiving; concealment of the truth in order to mislead; deception, fraud, cheating, false dealing. e. Work n. – I. 1. Something that is or was done; what a person does or did; an act, deed, proceeding, business. f. In other words, men who are morally depraved and are bad in moral character, disposition, or conduct do deceptive and misleading things. ii. This first clause is set in contrast to the second clause via the contrasting conjunction but. a. The second clause shows that they who sow righteousness have a sure reward. b. In other words, their honest work will be rewarded. c. By contrast, the dishonest work of the wicked will not be rewarded. (i) The intent of the deceitful work of the wicked is to acquire wealth or some other advantage. (ii) But their deceptive actions will not yield the results they had hoped for. iii. Under the law of Moses, a man who made a gain of his neighbor deceitfully was punished by making him pay it back plus 20% interest (Lev 6:1-5). iv. Those who get wealth by dishonest means such as bribery and deceit will not prosper but will be destroyed (Job 15:34-35). v. The wicked are deceptive in their dealings with others (Hos 12:7-8) and sometimes do well for a time, but they will not prosper in the end. vi. The wicked will eventually reap what they have sown (Gal 6:7-8). a. He who plows wickedness will reap iniquity (Hos 10:13). b. He who sows iniquity will reap vanity (Pro 22:8). vii. He who digs a pit shall fall therein (Ecc 10:8). B. but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. i. Definitions a. Sow v. – 1. intr. or absol. To perform the action of scattering or depositing seed on or in the ground so that it may grow. Also fig. and in fig. context. 6. fig. To disseminate or spread; to endeavour to propagate or extend. In various contexts. b. Righteousness n. – 1. Justice, uprightness, rectitude; conformity of life to the requirements of the divine or moral law; virtue, integrity. c. Sure adj. – 1. a. Free from or not exposed to danger or risk; not liable to be injured or destroyed; = safe a. 6, secure a. 3. II. Trustworthy, firm, steadfast. 4. a. That can be depended or relied on; not liable to fail or disappoint expectation; trustworthy, reliable. d. Reward n. – II. 4. a. A return or recompense made to, or received by, a person for some (favour,) service or merit, or for hardship endured. e. In other words, he that disseminates and spreads uprightness, virtue, and integrity as he lives, works, and deals with others can depend upon and expect a good recompense for his labor. ii. Those who sow in righteousness will reap righteousness in mercy (Hos 10:12). iii. The righteous that are not weary in well doing will reap a good reward (Gal 6:8-9). iv. Those who sow bountifully in giving to the needs of others will be rewarded bountifully by God (2Co 9:6-15; Pro 11:24-26; Pro 28:27; Pro 19:17). v. The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, not deceit (Jam 3:18).