"Buy Truth and Never Sell It" - Continue with WHAT HAVE YOU GIVEN UP TO BUY TRUTH?

Personal relationships.  When we choose to live according to the Bible truth, our ties with friends and relatives may change. Why? Jesus prayed regarding his followers:  "Sanctify them by means of the truth; your word is truth." ( John 17:17)  "Sanctify them" can also mean "set them apart."  When we accept the truth, we are set apart from the world because we no longer fit into its mold. People view us differently because  our values have changed.  We live by the standards  of Bible truth.  Though we do not want to discuss division, some friends and close family members may distance themselves from us or even oppose our  new found faith.  This does not surprise us.  Jesus acknowledge:  "Indeed, a man's enemies will be those of his own household."  (Matthew  10:36) He also  gave assurance that the rewards for buying truth far exceed any price we may pay.-Read Mark 10:28-30.

From his early years,  a Jewish businessman name Aaron was taught that God's name is not bot be pronounced. However, Aaron had a thirst for truth.  He was thrilled when  a Witness showed him that by combining vowel points with the four Hebrew consonants of God's name, it could be pronounced "Jehovah."  Excitedly, he went to the synagogue to share his wonderful discovery with the rabbis.  Their reaction was not what Aaron expected.  Instead of sharing his joy of learning the truth about God's name,  the spit on him and treat him as an outcast.  His family bonds became strained.  Undaunted, he continued to buy truth and served as a bold Witness of  Jehovah for the rest of his life.  Like Aaron, in order to walk in the truth, we are willing to pay the price of accepting whatever changes may occur in our social status or family relationships.

Ungodly thinking and conduct. To accept truth and live by the Bible's moral standards, we must be willing to change in our thinking and conduct.  Note what Peter wrote regarding these adjustments:  "As obedient children, stop being molded by the desires you formerly had in your ignorance, but . . . become holy yourselves in all your conduct."  (1 Peter 1:14, 15)  For people in the morally corrupt city of Corinth. buying truth meant major changes in their lifestyle (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)  Likewise, to be able to buy truth, many today have turned their back on ungodly conduct.  Peter further reminded Christians in his day:  "The time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have done the will of the nations when you carried on in acts of brazen conduct, unbridled passion, over drinking, wild parties, drinking bouts, and lawless idolatries." - 1 Peter 4:3.

For many years, Devynn and Jasmine were drunkards. Although Devynn was a skilled bookkeeper, his alcohol abuse prevented him from holding a permanent job.  Jasmine was notorious  for her aggressive violent behavior.  One day while walking drunk along the road, Jasmine met two Witness missionaries.  The missionaries arranged for a Bible study, but when they arrived at Devynn's home the next week, both Jasmine and Devynn were drunk.  They had not expected the missionaries to care enough  about them to come to their home.  The situation was different the next time.  From the first study, Jasmine and Devynn became diligent students of the Bible and started to apply what they were learning. Within three months, they decided to give up their alcohol and later legalized their marriage.  The changes they made became well-known, and this moved many others in their village to study the Bible. 

Next time: "Buy Truth and Never Sell It" - Conclusion of WHAT HAVE YOU GIVE UP TO BUY TRUTH?

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