6d • Wisdom
Relationship with the Law
“They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.” Proverbs 28:4
This proverb reveals that a person's attitude toward righteousness and wickedness is determined by their relationship to God's law. Those who forsake God's truth inevitably begin to admire, excuse, or even celebrate those who practice evil. On the other hand, those who love God's law cannot remain silent when wickedness is exalted. Their lives and words stand in opposition to it. This is not merely a difference of opinion—it is the natural consequence of two opposing allegiances. One heart has turned from God; the other seeks to honor Him.
To "forsake the law" is more than breaking individual commandments. It is to abandon God's authority as the standard for truth and morality. Once God's Word is rejected, man's opinions become the measure of right and wrong. Isaiah warned of this very condition: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” (Isaiah 5:20). When God's standard is removed, sin is no longer condemned but celebrated. What once produced shame becomes a source of praise because the conscience has been reshaped by rebellion.
The Psalms describe the opposite response in the righteous. “I hate every false way.” (Psalm 119:104). This hatred is not directed toward people but toward sin because it dishonors God and destroys lives. Likewise, David wrote, “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee?... I count them mine enemies.” (Psalm 139:21-22). David was expressing loyalty to God's holiness rather than personal bitterness. The righteous cannot delight in what grieves the heart of God.
The second half of the proverb says, “such as keep the law contend with them.” This contention is not a call to be argumentative or quarrelsome. Scripture condemns a contentious spirit. Rather, it describes standing firmly for God's truth in a world that opposes it. Jude exhorts believers to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3). The believer's battle is not against flesh and blood but against falsehood, deception, and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
Jesus Himself demonstrated this holy contention. He received sinners with compassion but openly confronted hypocrisy and rebellion. He drove the money changers from the temple, declaring, “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Matthew 21:13). His love never compromised truth. Likewise, Paul instructed Timothy to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2). Notice that correction is to be joined with patience and sound teaching, not pride or harshness.
This proverb also serves as a warning about the influence of culture. Every generation faces pressure to applaud what God condemns. Whether through entertainment, politics, education, or public opinion, there is often an expectation that believers will celebrate what Scripture calls sin. Romans 1 describes this progression, ending with those who “not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:32). The danger is not merely participating in evil but approving of it. Silence can sometimes become agreement if it springs from a desire to avoid standing with God's truth.
Practically, this verse challenges us to examine what we admire. The people we praise often reveal the values we hold. Do we celebrate godliness, humility, purity, and faithfulness, or are we captivated by power, popularity, and success regardless of character? Philippians 4:8 instructs believers to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. As our minds are shaped by God's Word, our affections will increasingly align with His.
Ultimately, this proverb points us to Jesus Christ, who perfectly kept the law and perfectly contended against evil. He never praised wickedness or compromised with sin, yet He came to save the very sinners who opposed Him. His confrontation with evil was always motivated by truth and love. Through His death and resurrection, He delivers us from hearts that once admired sin and gives us new desires that delight in righteousness. As Psalm 1 declares, “his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” A heart transformed by God's grace no longer praises wickedness but gladly stands with the truth, regardless of the cost.
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Relationship with the Law
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