Buy the truth, and don’t sell it; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Proverbs 23:23
To buy the truth, requires at least two actions:
- Denying self to invest time in study of God’s Word;
- To have fear of The Lord greater than fear of man.
In buying the truth, you’ll save yourself from the grief of error, and you may also save others from it too.
“Meditate upon these things; give yourself wholly to them; that your profiting may appear to all.
1 Timothy 4:15-16
Take heed to yourself, and to the doctrine; continue in them:
for in doing this you shall both save yourself, and them that hear you.“
“and don’t sell it” … Don’t give it up or dismiss your knowledge of it for anything, or anyone!
“also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”
One of the actions of faith in a Saint, is to believe that Holy Spirit will teach directly from The Word, rather than thinking only a tangible man can;
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.“
1 Corinthians 2:12-13
“comparing spiritual things with spiritual”
One application of this instruction that I’ve found to be a real treasure, is examining a specific word from a verse, finding what it was in the Greek or Hebrew original and considering it more, then looking for other uses of it in the same context within the bible, to better understand it’s application in relation to the topic presented in scripture. An example of this is the word “all” which can be translated from a number of Greek words including
pas πᾶς G3956
Part(s) of speech: Adjective
individually: each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
collectively: some of all types
holos ὅλος G3650 all, whole, completely
Part(s) of speech: Adjective
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all (holos) your heart, and with all (holos) your soul, and with all (holos) your mind.
holōs ὅλως G3654 wholly, altogether
Part(s) of speech: Adverb
Matthew 5:24 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; (holōs) neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:1 Corinthians 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptised for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?(holōs) …
hapas ἅπας G537 quite, all, the whole, all together, all
Part(s) of speech: Adjective Origin: from G1 (as a particle of union) and G3956Matthew 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all (hapas) away;…Mark 11:32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all (hapas) men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed
hosos ὅσος G3745 as great as, as far as, how much, how many, whoever.
Part(s) of speech: Pronoun
Acts 4:23 After Peter and John were released, they returned to their own [people] and reported all (hosos) that the chief priests and elders had said to them.2 Corinthians 1:20 For all (hosos) the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
katholou καθόλου G2527 wholly, entirely, at all:
Part(s) of speech: Adverb
Acts 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all (katholou) nor teach in the name of Jesus.
There are bible apps. and online bibles which provide links to the Greek and Hebrew words, I won’t list them here but if you’d like some assistance using them please email me, and I’ll share some links to them.
There’s also wisdom in seeking counsel and instruction from Godly Saints, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good”, and leave the rest behind. There are many scriptural based resources in commentaries, devotionals, doctrinal statements and recorded sermons, to consider subject to The Word, which can be of great assistance to understanding The Word. I believe one of the primary measures of the validity of any expository teaching on The Word, is that the content should enlarge God in man’s perspective, and diminish man.
The natural man hasn’t changed since Adam, he still fights against the will of God. Any man can make room for evil regardless of his public reputation. Peter had to be rebuked by Christ who said: “Get behind me, Satan“: and God graciously corrected Peter’s observation in Mark 9:5-7 “And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles;… And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.”. We can’t rely fully on the teaching of other men, or on our own perception, all words need to be proved against The Word of God:
1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.“
Prove: Original: δοκιμάζω G1381,
Transliteration: dokimazō
Phonetic: dok-im-ad’-zo
Thayer Definition:
to test, examine, prove, scrutinise (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals to recognise as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy.
Then in Malachi, we’re told how the priests should have been, but how they actually were:
“For the priest’s lips should guard knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you’ve turned out of the way; you’ve caused many to stumble at the law. You’ve corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.“
Malachi 2:7-8
There are some who for a variety of evil reasons, seek to possess the affections of those they teach, so that they can maintain their own selfish agenda. An example of such a person, is Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who set up idols and a “priesthood” in Bethel: 1 Kings 12:26-32. He established a “priesthood” from the lowest of the people, of those who desired the position, this enlarged men in their own perception and added “a religious legitimacy” to the structure. This type of structure can still be seen today, where men’s traditions are the rule instead of, or partly with, The Word of God. In such organisations, the fear of men can be a strong governing factor, and any objection to it can result in separation from family, or threats being preached of the individual’s possible “loss of salvation”; or as a manipulative action, a scripture is sometimes quoted regarding any who have left the organisation: 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us, they would have continued with us. But [they went out] so that it might be revealed that they were not all of us.” The teaching in these gatherings is divisive of the Saints, and often has a legalistic base; Elements of legalism are often used as a lever to maintain fear or to exercise the leaders self-righteous control over people.
There are many who claim to possess The Truth, (and may know a substantial portion of The Truth) but their words and actions deny the power of The Truth, which is “the gospel of Christ, for it is [the] power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16. The gospel isn’t only verbally delivered, it’s preached by the words and actions of the Saints in the form of righteousness, which should primarily exhibit itself in love among the Saints:
“By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another.”
John 13:35
But where division is preached in corruption, the light is dim, or may not be present at all.
Alienating people from the freedom to question and discuss what is being preached by threatening disassociation, is a selfish, evil practice. But where there’s love, humility and Godly wisdom operating, questions and answers are fertile ground for growth.
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Acts 17:10&11
Note: The Bereans “received the word with all readiness of mind”, they didn’t listen with doubt or cynicism, but with expectation of hearing The Truth; and in searching the scriptures to find the Old Testament confirmed what was preached, they bought the Truth. With the example of the Bereans applying diligence in searching the scriptures to see if what Paul had said was so; It’s no less honourable and wise for us to apply equal diligence to search the scriptures to determine if what we are hearing preached is so; When the Truth is preached we rejoice with it, when error is inadvertently or intentionally delivered, Saints are to reject it and “hold fast to that which is good”.
Love covers a multitude of sins, and with each minister, there is possibility of inadvertant error being preached due to misunderstanding. The differences in perception of scripture, are evident in the various mainstream Christian denominations; in doctrinal topics such as eternal salvation by God’s sovereign election or by man’s choice, or of the matter of paedo (infant) baptism and believers baptism, or of the residence of the spirit of a deceased person before and after Christ’s resurrection… The differences held as truth by ministers, is also evident during Q&A forum’s where a number of ministers are present, even when they’re from the same denomination. But where humility is present, there’s room for understanding to be enlarged, if The Truth is accepted at the cost of pride: Ecclesiastes 4: 13 “Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.“
I listened to a recorded Christian service, where the minister said…”In 43 years, I’ve never given my opinion from the pulpit.“. If anyone listening, is prepared to accept that statement as truth, and on that basis, personally own the teachings of the preacher rather than comparing it with The Word to see if it’s so, I believe they are separating themselves from God’s wisdom, and aren’t buying The Truth, but have allowed themselves to be influenced by error, to their own detriment.
Is any man above being subject to examination of his words by The Word of God? The apostle Paul wasn’t; neither was the Jewish Christian Apollos, who although being “an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures“, having been “instructed in the way of the Lord”, and although “he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord,”, after Aquilla and his wife Priscilla heard him speak in the synagogue, he had the humility and wisdom to submit to them taking him aside to have the way of God expounded more perfectly. Acts 18:24-26
The following scripture excerpt, gives the account of a man of God (a prophet) accepting the Word of another man of God, rather than what God had already told him to do:
Then he said to him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 16 And he said, I may not return with you, or go in with you: neither will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place: 17 Because it was said to me by the word of the LORD, You shall not eat bread or drink water there, or turn again to go by the way that you came. 18 He said to him, I am a prophet also as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water. 20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet that brought him back: 21 And he cried to the man of God that came from Judah, saying, This is what the LORD says, For asmuch as you have disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, 22 But came back, and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD sayed to you, Eat no bread, and drink no water; your carcase shall not come to the sepulchre of your fathers. 23 And it came to pass, after he’d eaten bread, and after he’d drunk, that he saddled the ass for him, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his body was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. 25 And, behold, men passed by, and saw the body cast in the way, and the lion standing by the body: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived. 26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, It’s the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: so the LORD has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke to him.
1 Kings 13:15-26
The Word teaches that each individual has responsibility before God, to assess what they are taught;
The decisions we each make in this life, are observed by God, and will also be subject to Him recalling those matters to us when we pass from this world to be before His presence: 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things [done] through the body, according to that which he has done, whether good or bad.”. Our actions are also observed by the Saints, to whom we may have a responsibility to maintain The Truth, for their peace and joy. We have a responsibility to speak against teaching of error and declare God’s Word in it’s purity, it may be that if we are negligent in doing so, others who lack understanding may be hindered in their walk; an example of such a case, is given in the following verses:
4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and you be present here. 5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: you take your lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us. 7 And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened on his loins in the sheath of it; and as he went forward it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, Are you in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoures Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab. 12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still. 13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
2 Samuel 20:4-13
Regardless of how long someone’s been preaching, or how zealous the preacher is, Saints should be assessing the validity of what’s said, by comparing it with The Word of God; Otherwise they may be allowing substantial space for the preacher to selfishly manipulate other Saints to their detriment, as was the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Error in teaching may be accepted as truth for years or decades when it’s coupled with The Truth, but Godly fear doesn’t wait for intentional or proud error to declare itself, and doesn’t support it’s preaching. Here’s an excerpt from an overview of a decision made by a preacher in the USA, Mr Gass; explaining why he left Christ and can no longer call himself a Christian. He was once a lead pastor at a megachurch in Missouri and also was involved in starting church plants. I don’t know what he was preaching, but I’m pleased he wasn’t teaching me or my household: “After 40 years of being a devout follower, 20 of those being an evangelical pastor, I am walking away from faith. Even though this has been a massive bomb drop in my life, it has been decades in the making.”, “I was raised in a hyper-fundamentalist family, and it felt good to be in a system that promised all the answers and solutions to life. The problem is the system didn’t work. The promises were empty. The answers were lies.”
The fact is, there are men who teach error in the name of Christ, and that fact is spoken of in numerous places throughout The Word, so there’s no doubt in my mind at all, of the importance of assessing what is being preached by every one who delivers teaching in Christ’s name.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, haven’t we prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? 23 And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.“
Matthew 7:21-22
When any preacher teaches the Saints to accept all his teaching as wholly God’s Word, and he or the congregants label any who question the teachings validity as devisive or that they are making aspersions of the oversite, this should be a very clear warning of a deeper problem. The depth of the problem doesn’t necessarily need to be examined, that is quite likely to be God’s area of management other than through the established Church elders, and you can rest assured that God is fully aware of the detailed length of the root network behind it. The responsibility of the Saint who is aware of the end result of the corruption of the roots, may be as simply answered as in:
“Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
2 Timothy 2:19-21
“Now I exhort you, brethren, mark them who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them.”
Romans 16:17
It takes fortitude to exercise fear of God more than man; it requires dividing the soul from the spirit; it may require leaving family for God’s sake to be a disciple of Christ; but rest assured, whatever it takes, it’s eternally better to decide and act on fear of God, rather than the fear of man.
Christ’s life is the example of how His church should be living. When the occasion was right to speak, He delivered The Truth regardless of the social, socioeconomic or religious status of the person’s He spoke to:
… Master, we know that you are true, and care for no man: for you don’t regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth:
Mark 12:14
Study like a Berean
Buy The Truth
Don’t sell it
Hold it in love
Walk in humility
Save yourself and others
and bear fruit for God’s glory!
Awake, O north wind; and come, you south; blow upon my garden,
Song of Songs 4:16
that the spices of it may flow out.
Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
APO18May2019,27June2021
Study like a Berean! 