Proverbs 23:23–Buying the Truth Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. These words represent the wise advice of a father to his own son. Loving parents will seek to prepare their offspring for independent, adult life by teaching them what they need to know. We are living in a fallen world with many pitfalls for the unwary and Solomon warns his son of such things. We should also see in these words the counsel of God Himself. The Almighty is addressing sinners and exhorting them to be wise. We learn that there is such a thing as the truth. To believe in absolute truth is not fashionable today, when everything is said to be relative. But the truth does exist, it is available and it may be known by us. The truth is God’s revelation of Himself in His Word, the Bible. Jesus said: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37). The gospel of salvation through a crucified Redeemer is the truth. How foolish Pilate was when he said, “What is truth?” He knew better. Do not be like him. If we do not believe and confess the truth then we surely have a lie in our right hand. We are to buy the truth. This is very important. The gospel is an invaluable commodity and we must make a personal investment in it. It is both free and yet costly. It is free as it meets all our need as guilty, hell-deserving sinners. “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” (Isa.55:1). What grace there is in the Saviour, that our souls should be freely pardoned and cleansed! But the Lord Jesus Christ also places demands on His own. “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). We are to ‘lose’ our lives for Christ’s sake. This is the price to be paid. We buy the truth by believing it. You may say that you have the truth because you have a Bible, or you listen to sermons. The Word is in your hands and even in your ears, but is it in your heart? Has it gripped your mind and conscience? There must be personal faith in Christ. We must receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation from our sins. Many have made a bid for the truth but never actually bought it. As he listened to John the Baptist, Herod “did many things, and heard him gladly” (Mark 6:20). Yet soon the same man had this faithful preacher beheaded because of his own love of sinful pleasure. Agrippa ‘believed’ the prophets, but his love of popularity dissuaded him from truly following Christ. Moses however bought the truth, “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb.11:25). Believing the truth brings wisdom into our souls and direction into our lives. We must never sell the truth. Many appear to have bought the truth but then they willingly part with it. They abandon the faith and sell their own souls. Lot’s wife did this when she turned back, her heart still in sinful Sodom. Judas Iscariot literally sold the truth, for thirty pieces of silver. He did not get a good bargain, for he went and hanged himself in remorse. Demas forsook the gospel because he loved the world and the things which are in the world. All these professed Christ but they did not possess Him by saving faith. They had no love for the truth. If the truth is not in us we shall be prey for the devil. The chapter mentions two perils, the prostitute (vv.27,28) and strong drink (vv.29-35). Human nature has not improved. There is still in man “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes” (1John 2:16). Such things are “not of the Father.” Oh, be wise, and buy the truth, by repenting and believing in the only Saviour, Jesus Christ. Then you shall be delivered from every sinful snare.