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Buy the TruthBy: Joseph H. Murray“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Prov. 23:23). “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for the joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field” (Matt. 13:44). “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David” (Isa. 55:1–3). “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne” (Rev. 3:18–21). God, in the beginning, was and is still a God of truth. “He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He” (Deut. 32:4). “He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler” (Ps. 91:4). “O Praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise Him, all ye people. For His merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth forever. Praise ye the LORD” (Ps. 117). “The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Prov. 12:19). “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in” (Isa. 26:2). God in ages past spoke His truth to the Holy prophets mouth to mouth but in confusion and iniquity the people wandered away from Him. After having made shipwreck, so to speak, man was not able to recover himself from the snare into which he had fallen. It was then that Jesus came on the scene to teach men the way back to God. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Jesus told Thomas that He was the way, the truth, and the life. He had said to the Jews before, which believed on Him, “If ye continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31–32). First we must know Jesus, who is the way, and by being in the way with Him we learn the truth concerning the life that is in Him. “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:15–19). Jesus was constantly aware of the death that awaited Him at Calvary. He spoke of having power to lay His life down and to take it up again. This He did so that His followers could partake of it anew with Him in His glorious kingdom (Luke 22:16, Rom. 14:17). This proves or shows that the disciples did not have eternal life or the Spirit while Jesus was yet alive with them, but only the promise of it. Neither can anyone else have this life until baptized in His Spirit; “the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:10). Jesus, in telling His disciples of His going away, said, “but because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:6–7). “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come” (John 16:12–13). There are those who, being ignorant of the scriptures, or in lack of understanding of them, will not endure sound doctrine of truth, but would rather hold to the tradition of man, saying that the disciples were saved before Pentecost. The disciples, no place in the Scripture, laid claim on being saved but rather asked the Lord, “Who then can be saved” (Luke 18:26). The things which are possible with man to accomplish cannot save us but the thing that is impossible with man is what does the work. John’s baptism served as a bridge to span the gulf between the two covenants and is of no value since the real baptism came into effect. This is that which is impossible with man (Luke 18:27). The Lord left a loophole in this saying for the rich man to be saved. He has the same chance as everyone else though it may be harder for him to transfer his allegiance for the love of money to the love of Christ. “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you,” includes everyone, the rich and the poor. Those who should be saved are the ones who are filled with the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:4. However, this is no guarantee that they will all live in obedience to God’s will; for some are foolish and will be lost. The Church is not perfect yet for it has in it both the bad and the good (Matt. 13:47–48). The words of our Lord will stand when all tradition of man has fallen to the ground. “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2Cor. 13:8). How could anyone claim to be a Christian today without having the blood of Christ or the Holy Spirit abiding in their hearts? It cannot be so, according to Rom. 8:9–10. For, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). The disciples tarried for this in Jerusalem. This is when repentance and remission of sins were granted by God. This is also the thing that should be preached in His name among all nations (Luke 24:47). “Without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). After the disciples were washed in the blood at Pentecost, they began working the works of God. It was then they realized what Jesus meant when He said, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12). It was after this happened to the disciples that they were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). We are no more worthy to be called Christians before we receive this power (Acts 1:8) than were the first disciples of Christ. No one can even prove that he is a believer unless these signs follow him (Mark 16:17–18). Truth is known by much study of the Scripture and an unconditional surrender to the leading of the Spirit of God. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Tim. 2:15). God is a God of truth. Jesus made it plain that He was truth. He laid down His life and took it up again so that He might share it with those who believe on Him. This we receive from the Father in His name when we receive the Holy Ghost. It is in this way we are born into the family of God. It seems, at times, as if these truths are, as Isaiah said, “fallen in the street” (Isa. 59:14), but let us use this timely slogan, “Truth crushed to earth will rise again.” We who hold the Spirit of Truth will rise with it. The promise of eternal life beyond the grave is more precious to me than the natural life on this side. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1Cor. 15:19). Some say that the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost are different Spirits, but my Christian friend, separate them if you can; I do not want to try to do so. If any man have not either of these, he is none of His, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (1Cor. 12:13). “There is one body, and one Spirit” (Eph. 4:4). “And the same time there arose no small stir about that way” (Acts 19:23). “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my Fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:14–16). by Joseph H. Murray I. Buy the truth my brother The price you pay is you. Not many will make the offer Not all, but a faithful few The value of it is freedom To the heart that’s true and pure You’ll never regret the purchase Though evils you may endure. II. Who is the truth but God And Jesus who died to give The Spirit of truth to believers And an eternal life to live It’s received here on condition That the snares of Satan we elude By the shield of faith we evade him If the sword of the Lord we include. III. The battle was won by Jesus We surrender our vessels of clay The battleground was Calvary The covenant of a better day Though scoffers offer something They say is better than this He’s a liar and the father of it And expelled from the Saviour’s bliss. IV. We’re looking for Jesus to come To get the waiting bride Why not for Him be ready And banish all your pride It’s sure He’ll not receive you If your lamp’s not shining bright Good works are seen of men When reflectors of His light. V. Not me that doeth the works said Jesus But He that dwells within You have the same thing to offer If you have been born again So, let’s march bravely forward In the Face of every Foe The anointing of the Spirit and power Will be upon us as we go. “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” (Ps. 51:6). “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart” (Ps. 15:1–2). “His truth shall be thy shield and buckler” (Ps. 91:4). “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged” (Prov. 16:6). “These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates” (Zech. 8:16). |
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