The Price of Faith

By Guest Blogger John S. Knox, PhD

Resting in bed this morning, a thought came to me that many people have everything they could ever desire in the world—money, power, prestige—and these people believe and act like they are superior because of their “things” and other people’s “praise of their things,” but this is self-delusion. The reality is that the more “things” you have, the more of a slave you are to them, the more you are willing to compromise to keep your “things,” and the more you prioritize your “things” over the needs of people.

Jesus spoke of a greater possession to seek after in life—Truth. In John 8:32, He states, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Truth brings freedom, and freedom causes joy, and joy cultivates trust, and trust acts upon hope, and hope renews the heart and the soul (Note that none of these can be purchased in a store or sit upon a mantle in one’s mansion).

Some decades ago, I remember watching Barbara Walters interview Michael Jackson at his estate and I was flabbergasted by the amount and cost of his household “stuff.” I distinctly remember Jackson mentioning a $75,000 coffee table sitting in front of them, and thinking that $75,000 would feed a lot of people in Africa. It made me sad. Why did Jackson need so many “things” in his life? Why do I, for that matter?

No amount of earthly treasure ever seems enough to satisfy our needy souls, but there is a source of contentment described in the Bible. In Matthew 13, Jesus states, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

The irony of this parable is palpable; the man sells everything to buy a field for the precious contents hidden in that field. In one sense, he comes across as a fool: to liquidate all his belongings to purchase a plot of land, with an unspecified treasure, seems counter-intuitive; shouldn’t he just buy the treasure itself? Yet, greed only thinks to add things to other things. The stack of things must always be taller and wider, you know.

Nevertheless, this man knew the deeper value of what was truly important in life. The treasure was God, the field was his relationship with his Creator, and it was more valuable than everything in his life. So, he sold everything. Everything.

Many would say that this dude was crazy, but the wise understand that no “thing” can achieve our redemption. No “thing” will rescue us from death and destruction. No “thing” is worth more than our relationship in God in Jesus Christ. “Things” do not have intrinsic value, but God does—and so do we.

So, if—when—you start to feel depressed about what “things” you do not own on earth, just remember that your personal price tag was so expensive that only God could afford it. Yet, He paid for us, gladly and joyfully. To God, we are the treasure that He desperately wants in His own field—so much that He gave up everything so that we could have everything.

Considering this, we are truly rich in the Lord.

About John S. Knox, PhD

My love of ancient history began in childhood watching The Mummy starring Boris Karloff. Later in high school, I was blessed with a passionate history teacher who made history come alive in class, and in college, my Western Civilization professor enriched my understanding of the Greco-Roman world, inspiring me to discover deeper truths of the past. Not surprisingly, I went on to earn a MATS. in Christian History and Thought, a MA in Sociology, and a PhD in Theology and Religion (Sociology). I have taught History, Sociology, Bible, and Religion for nearly two decades at several Christian universities in the Pacific Northwest and the East Coast, utilizing my educational experience and knowledge to help students more fully understand the culture and historical context of Christianity and why ancient historical studies are still relevant in the present.

My favorite quotation: If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants. ~ Isaac Newton

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