“They Sell Themselves for Naught”

Joseph F. McConkie, Robert L. Millet

They sell themselves for naught] What shall a man or a woman give in exchange for their souls? (See JST, Matthew 16:27-29). Of what value is a divine birthright? Is anything which may be purchased or extorted in this fallen sphere worth eternal life? Are fame, wealth, title, or power worth the bartering of one's values?

Satan's first article of faithlessness has been repeated with creedal clarity since the beginning: One can buy anything in this world for money. It is a hellish philosophy, and those who operate in harmony with it sell that which is priceless for a paltry sum. Such a scene, acted out in Faustian fashion every day, is both pitiful and pathetic. Our modern counterpart is the foolish search for fulfillment in fads and fashions, in neglect of God-ordained roles, and the flight from covenant obligations.

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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