TRUTH FOR SALE

Joshua 9:3–6 NKJV

3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, 5 old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. 6 And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us.”

Proverbs 23:23 NKJV

23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

It is not enough that truth exists.

What is your relationship with the truth?

Buy the Truth.

Exchange what you have for the truth.

Exchange what you hold as valuable for the truth, because nothing is more valuable than the truth.

Many people will not except the truth, even when it is presented to them. Yet, the bible says exchange whatever you have that is not the truth to obtain truth, when it is available.

For the truth this look is one that says, lets just focus on the Gospel. We have lost our voice in things and matters of truth. We musty maintain integrity in our business, but the church, and I say that with a capital C, is so scared of loosing our tax exempt status that we have failed to speak truth.

We are afraid to speak on matters that matter to culture in fear that we may offend someone.

Yet the Bible says that truth will offend.

Matthew 15:10–14 NKJV

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

I. A Crafty Plan.

Genesis 3:1–6 NKJV

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Satan is a master of deception.

A perfect example of this is the 2019 SBC adoption of resolution 9 in Birmingham, AL. Resolution 9 recognized Critical Race Theory as a useful tool.

Then in 2021 the SBC passed another resolution stating that the Bible alone is sufficient for matters of race and racial reconciliation.

Yet, the implication of Hegel’s dialectic in a social change in the SBC was evident.

When the church allows emotions and outside forces to impact is stance, we are in trouble. The Bible alone is our guide and standard of truth.

Psalm 119:105 NKJV

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

II. A Deceptive Covenant.

Satan is a deceiver.

He will tell you you are not good enough.

Senior Christian, he will maker you doubt your purpose in life.

I heard Anthony George say, “If you have a pulse, God still has a purpose for your life.

1 Timothy 4:1–3 NKJV

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

The word for food specifically means meat. You may be a vegetarian, and thats okay, but don’t tell me I cant eat meat.

Revelation 12:9 NKJV

9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

III. A manipulated People.

Joshua 9:14–16 NKJV

14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord. 15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. 16 And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them.

Now, those who had no business with the people of God are in their midst.

The world had infiltrated the church because the children of God were deceived by the lies of Satan.

The Hivites were the people of Gideon. According to ancient Jewish scholar Moses Ben Nachman the Hivites were the same as the Rephites, a race of giants in that lived in Canaan. According to 2 Samuel 21, Goliaths brother is mentioned as a Rephaim, meaning that Goliath was most likely a descendant of these Hivites from Gibeon. Goliath was 400-500 years after these events.

Yet, we see that the long-term effects of being deceived are self-evident.