About the Author

Thomas Ray Floyd was born in 1953 in Simpson County, Mississippi, the son of Roy Thomas Floyd and Lina Sue Shows Floyd. Thomas Ray's mother was a member of a Primitive Baptist church, and he cut his teeth on the doctrines of distinguishing grace.

When he was a small boy, his father was converted to Christ and became a member of a Missionary Baptist Church. Thomas Ray joined the church of his father when he was 13 years old, and thought of himself as a Christian. The doctrines of grace that he had heard as a child continued to be precious to him and when he became an adult, he joined a Primitive Baptist Church. When he was 27, Thomas Ray made his first effort to preach the gospel in public and was ordained to the full functions of the ministry in 1985. In 1986 he was convinced under the preaching of Rolfe Barnard (by tapes from Mt. Olive Tape Library), the written sermons of Spurgeon, and the ministry of Elder Zack Guess that he had been a false professor and cried out in agony of soul to the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy and truly save him. And He did! Floyd then began to preach the gospel as he had been taught of the Lord.

Floyd has pastored churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee and until recently was pastor of a church plant known as "Particular Baptist Fellowship." He and his wife Brenda presently attend Zion Baptist Church at Polkville, Mississippi, pastored by Elder Glen Hopkins. The pulpit ministry of Zion Baptist Church can be heard at Sermonaudio.com.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Buy the Truth

(Article for publication March 17, 2010 AD)

"Buy the truth and sell it not..." (Proverbs 23:23).

It is time to conclude our series on the Doctrine of Scripture and move on to another subject. I appreciate the comments and encouraging remarks that many of you have offered regarding these articles. We will conclude with some pointed statements regarding the truth of God's Word.

Our text here in Proverbs 23:23 tells us to "buy the truth and sell it not." The first thing we see in this is that truth is absolute and may be known. We live in a day when skeptics abound and they like Pilate are asking, "what is truth?" it is suggested that truth is relative and we really can't know anything of a certainty. This is a lie of Satan to bring men down to hell. We can know the truth for God has given it to us in His inspired, infallible word. Our Lord prayed to His Father in John 17:17, "Thy Word is truth." I have shown you in several articles that the Bible is the absolute truth of God and you are accountable to God on the basis of that truth. Every philosophy and opinion of men must be brought to the light of God's word and examined by it. Everything that cannot be proven by "thus saith the Lord is a lie and must be rejected. I urge you my readers, if you value your never dying soul, to believe the word of God and doubt not. Doubts will drag you down to hell, but faith will save your soul.

The second thing our text tells us is that effort must be made to know the truth. God has given us His word, but we must read it for ourselves. The Bereans searched the scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). Paul told the younger minister Timothy to "give attendance to reading" (I Timothy 4:13). Our Lord said, "search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39). The truth of salvation is worth some reading and studying and praying and searching. Dear reader, if you value your never dying soul, read, study, and search the scriptures and pray for the Lord to guide you into the truth by His Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, our text tells us that the truth must never be surrendered or compromised. "Sell it not". The truth is more valuable than silver or gold. The truth is more valuable than worldly fame. The truth is more valuable than anything of this world, for this world passeth away, but "the word of the Lord endureth forever. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that "heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away " (Matthew 24:35).

The scriptures will lead us to Christ Who is the "way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6). There is salvation nowhere else but in Christ. Dear reader, if you value your never dying soul, search the scriptures which testify of Christ Who Alone can save. "Buy the truth, and sell it not."
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