They ‘Bought Truth’!

“BUY truth itself and do not sell it.” (Proverbs 23:23) So exhorted the wise man Solomon. While this can be said of truth in general, it is especially so when it comes to the truth found in God’s Word, the Bible. Such truth can lead to eternal life! (John 17:3, 17) Note, though, that gaining such truth does not come without cost. One must be willing to “buy” it, that is, sacrifice or give up something in order to obtain it. (Compare Matthew 13:45, 46.) By and large, people are not willing to do so. But in many lands, growing numbers of courageous individuals are buying Bible truth—often at great personal cost.

Take, for example, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the West African country of Ghana. By June of 1989, there were over 34,000 individuals in that land who had embraced Bible truth and were actively sharing it with others. Then legal restrictions were placed on the public preaching work. Nevertheless, honesthearted ones continued to “buy truth”—despite legal impediments. The freeze ended on October 31, 1991, and by the middle of 1995, just three and a half years after the removal of those restrictions, the number of active Witnesses of Jehovah in Ghana had increased to 46,104! And this year the number has grown to over 52,800.

What has drawn people to the truth of God’s Word? What sacrifices have some had to make to “buy truth”? In answer, let us look at the experiences of three Ghanaian Christians.

Attracted by Bible Teachings

Let us first consider a woman in her early 20’s. Her father was a pastor, yet she chose to leave her father’s religion. The reason? Her love of truth.

She once explained: “The Witnesses used to come to our house as they made their house-to-house visits. After a few discussions with them, I realized that what they were teaching was well-founded in the Bible. I raised questions on such subjects as the Trinity, hellfire, immortality of the soul, and especially faith healing. I strongly believed that these doctrines were from the Bible. But the Witnesses helped me to see that such was not the case.”—For an indication of the Bible’s viewpoint on such subjects, please see Mark 13:32; Romans 6:23; Acts 10:40; and 1 Corinthians 13:8-10.

The young woman added: “Still, there was strong opposition from my family, especially my father. He felt that I was being misled. However, I knew that what I was learning from Jehovah’s Witnesses was the truth. I tried to acquaint my father with these things from the Bible, but he would not listen. In fact, the opposition intensified.

“I was undaunted, though. I knew that only true knowledge leads to eternal life in Paradise, and I was determined to hold on to it. When the local Witnesses heard of the problems I was facing, they lovingly came to my aid, encouraging me and providing me with certain essential needs. This brought home to me Jesus’ words found at John 13:35: ‘By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.’ My conviction that Jehovah’s Witnesses practice the true religion deepened. Later, when my parents noticed that I had changed my life for the better, they liked what they saw, and their attitude toward me changed—so much so that my father asked the Witnesses to study the Bible with my elder brother!”

Proving the Truth to Oneself

‘Buying truth’ is also a challenge for some young ones who have been raised by Witness parents. Some youths are inclined to take the Bible’s truth for granted. If they fail to make such truths their own, their faith tends to be weak, shallow. (Compare Matthew 13:20, 21.) Nathaniel, a Ghanaian man in his 30’s, tells of how he ‘bought truth’ while he was still a youngster.

“My parents taught me the Bible from the time I was an infant,” he recalls. “As I grew up, I accompanied them in the preaching work, but I had not really decided to become a Witness. In time, I came to realize that I needed to look into things for myself.

“First, I had to be convinced that the Bible, not any other sacred book of religion, is God’s Word. Through personal study, I learned that it is the only sacred book that contains scores of clear prophecies that were fulfilled accurately. I also learned that the Bible contains a number of scientific truths—for instance, that the earth ‘hangs upon nothing.’ (Job 26:7) These words were written thousands of years before scientists knew about our solar system. Only God could inspire men to write such things!a

“Next, I wanted to find out which religious organization teaches and practices the truths taught in the Bible. Most religions teach hellfire, the Trinity, and an immortal soul surviving death. But these doctrines did not make sense to me. I reasoned: Would it not be a wicked father who would hold his child’s hand in a pot of boiling water as a punishment? How, then, could a God of love put his children in a fiery hell and let them suffer? Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, teach in harmony with such Bible texts as Romans 6:23, which says: ‘The wages sin pays is death’—not some fiery hell. This made sense to me.

“I also observed that Jehovah’s Witnesses require that all members live by the Bible’s standards and that they disfellowship all who unrepentantly practice sin. In view of all of this, I concluded that Jehovah’s Witnesses have the truth, and I made the personal decision to become one of them. I worked hard to qualify for baptism as a Witness.”—1 Corinthians 5:11-13.

Nathaniel’s experience well illustrates that even youths raised by Christian parents must “buy truth.” They should not merely passively attend congregation meetings. Like the ancient Beroeans, they should ‘carefully examine the Scriptures daily as to whether these things are so.’ (Acts 17:11) This takes time and effort, but it can result in solid faith and conviction.—Compare Ephesians 3:17-19.

Disillusioned by False Religion

A Ghanaian man named Godwin was almost 70 when he left the Presbyterian Church and a Masonic Lodge. “There were things going on in the church that I found objectionable,” says Godwin. “For example, there was a lot of infighting, and it is still going on. Sometimes the police had to come to restore peace and order! I did not think this was proper for followers of Christ. Then a problem developed between a fellow Presbyterian and me. A public court heard the case and judged the other man guilty. However, the minister of the church unfairly sided with this man and attempted to censure me before the whole congregation! I gave him a piece of my mind and walked out of the church—never to return.

“Some time passed, and Jehovah’s Witnesses called at my home. Initially, I listened simply because I did not want to turn away people who talked about God. But I began to notice that even though I had been a Presbyterian for decades, there was a lot I did not know about the Bible. For example, I never knew that the Bible holds out hope of living forever in Paradise on earth.b And when I started attending the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the manners, and especially the dress and grooming of the youth among them, impressed me very much. These were people who really lived by Bible principles!”

Still, ‘buying truth’ required him to make some painful adjustments in his life. Recalls Godwin: “I was a member of a Masonic Lodge. And though it is known as a fraternal society that provides help for its members, I observed rituals that involved the use of skulls and bones and the invoking of spirits. These spirits supposedly help those who interact with them to develop spiritually.

“My studies helped me to see that Jehovah God detests any involvement with spiritism because it can bring one under the influence of Satan and his wicked spirit forces.c Would I continue as a member of the Masonic Lodge with all its mysticism, or would I quit and please Jehovah? I chose the latter. I destroyed all the Freemason paraphernalia I had, even the suit I used for Lodge meetings. I experienced the truth of Jesus’ promise when he said, ‘The truth will set you free’! (John 8:32) Now I am happily sharing the things I have learned with others. I have no regrets whatsoever.”

Many thousands of honesthearted ones have likewise made great sacrifices in order to “buy truth.” Like the three Christians discussed herein, they have no regrets over the changes they made. Bible truth has given them “a fine foundation for the future, in order that they may get a firm hold on the real life.” (1 Timothy 6:19) That “real life” and all its accompanying blessings can also be yours eternally if you will “buy truth.”

[Footnotes]

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Nathaniel

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Godwin