Buy the truth, and sell it not

'Buy the truth, and sell it not'

— Proverbs 23:23

Like wise merchants, we must secure the genuine article - the truth; not something that resembles the truth, not a part of the truth, but the truth. It is not enough to gaze at the truth, admire the truth and talk about the truth. We must buy it. The truth which we must buy is the gospel of God’s free grace in Christ. This is the truth which we bind around our necks and is written upon the tables of our hearts.

Far too many take a fair bid for the truth, but are unwilling to pay its price. Herod heard the truth, but he bought it not, loving pleasure more. The rich young ruler made a bid for the truth, but bought it not, loving riches more. Agrippa was convinced of the truth, but bought it not, loving fame and popularity more.

But there are some who are so convinced of the value of the truth that they consider nothing too valuable to give for it. Moses gave up all the ‘treasures of Egypt’ that he might buy the truth. Paul gave up his Jewish privileges and high reputation that he might buy the truth. The Hebrews ‘took joyfully the spoiling of their goods’ that they might buy the truth. The martyrs ‘loved not their lives unto death’ that they might buy the truth.

You who believe have bought the truth of redemption by Christ alone. You consider it more valuable than life itself. You have bought it without money and without price, by the simple obedience of faith in Christ. But you would gladly give all things for it. My admonition to you is this: ‘sell it not.’

Many who appear to have bought the truth do sell it. And they sell their own souls with it. And ‘What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’ To all outward appearance, Lot’s wife, Esau, Judas and Demas had the truth. ‘They had it in name, in profession and in outward conduct. But they sold it for naught. Their apostasy clearly proved that they had never received the love of the truth. With them it was only a speculative notion. It was never grafted into their hearts. Settle this question: do you know the truth? Is it written upon your heart by divine power? See to it, my friend that you ‘buy the truth, and sell it not’.