More Valuable than Money

Prov. 23:23 Buy the truth and do not sell it

Recently, I watched a video recording of a respected church leader talking to a group of leaders from other denominations. “Let us unite and be as one” he said (I am paraphrasing). “Let’s forget about the differences in doctrine down here. God will sort it out when we get up there”. That sounded so good! It is a shame that Christians are so divided into many denominations. As believers in one God, we should just unite and love each other. After all, Jesus prayed that His followers would all be united as one.

However, even though unity is important to Christianity, there are other important things too. One of them is truth. God wants us all to seek out the truth and when we find it, to hold on to it and not let it go. In 1Thess.5: 21, He commands that we “prove all things and hold fast to that which is good” (KJV). You see, sin all started when Eve was deceived; in other words, she believed a lie. Jesus calls Satan the father of lies and warns us over and over to be careful of deception. Deception is being fooled by a lie that looks like the truth. But God is so serious about truth He says He, Himself is the Truth! (Jn. 14: 6).

God wants us to know the truth and that is why He has given us the Bible. We need to constantly study it as we are guided by the Holy Spirit and to obey what we find in it. Satan does not want us to embrace God’s truth. He wants to get rid of it altogether and has always been fighting against those who hold to the truth. Jesus knew that. He said that the truth of the Gospel would turn many people against each other. It is not what He wanted, but what He knew would happen. Down through the ages, millions of persons have died defending the truth and protecting our right to have it and to live it. We are not free now to just forget the sacrifices that they made.

No, God’s truth is still essential today and we cannot ignore it even for the sake of unity. That unity is too expensive. To believe otherwise is to be deceived. Instead, buy the truth – at whatever price, and never lose it at any cost.

Lord, Your words to us, Your truth, is so important, it has been paid for with blood. Help us to be true and not to sell out what has been bought for us at such a high price, in Jesus’ name, amen.