Spiritual understanding vs. worldly wisdom

Dear friend

It sounds blatantly braggadocious to boldly claim to know more, or know better, than others. Yet people of faith the world over make just such challenging claims of greater knowledge in their expository exchanges with non-believers. Of course, believers often receive more than their share of criticism for suggesting as real their support for the supernatural, such as; miracles, life after death, and answers to prayers from an unseeable deity. The ubiquitousness of the unbelievers' lack of understanding has been a problem for centuries. The Apostle Paul warned against manifestations of sceptical secularism as recorded in the New Testament, Ephesians 4:17-21.

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

Those not-of-the-faith ancients are characterised in ways which have their equivalences in our times. These features include: mental vanity which can mean anything from intellectual emptiness to moral depravity; darkened understanding, as in, not illuminated by gospel light; alienation from God due to ignorance; hearts that are blind, cold or hard; being past feeling which is possibly somewhere between apathy and spiritual insensitivity; and, having a tendency towards immorality, impurity and excess.

Paul reminds the Church members in Ephesus how they have been taught about Christ. They have the greater light and knowledge that distinguishes them from non-believers.

I hope we can see through worldly wisdom and it's predictable predilection for wicked ways. But let us strive to be humble, non-confrontational testators of truth.

Samuel.

Milk before meat

Dear friend

Have you ever tasted baby food? It is so bland. I think I would want to stick to milk. Yet most babies can hardly wait to get on to solids. Little do they know the vast array of tastes and flavours, sweet and savoury, that awaits them. Of course the reason for this "baby steps" approach to discovering foodstuffs has to do with their still developing capacity to digest, metabolise and extract nourishment from an increasingly diverse range of food.

The same principles apply to our capacity to learn. There is no value in teaching algebra to a young child who has barely learned to count. If the more complex concepts are encountered too early it may only serve to confuse and put off prospective mathematicians. The same applies to gospel knowledge. This concept is taught using a similar analogy in Doctrine and Covenants 19:21, 22.

21 And I command you that you preach naught but repentance, and show not these things unto the world until it is wisdom in me.
22 For they cannot bear meat now, but milk they must receive; wherefore, they must not know these things, lest they perish.

I see the essential (milky) elements of the gospel - being those that are necessary for salvation - as simple, plain and easy enough for an accountable child to grasp. Repentance is a good example of a fundamental facet of our faith. Seraphim wings are not essential.

Many people have made it their business to attack true Christian beliefs. They delve into doctrines that require more than just a good vocabulary to comprehend. They lack the spiritual language to cognise supernaturally, so of course it looks like foolishness. Similarly, those investigating the Church with a view to entering in the strait gate must understand the first principles first. Learning the mysteries of Godliness should come only after a solid foundation in basic teachings is established.

Personally I love learning new doctrine and related information. It colours and consolidates my confidence in primary truths. But we must always link new knowledge back to the basics. Our cornerstone should be Christ, not the meaning of ancient Hebrew poetry forms.

Let's both learn and explain in the first instance, and thereafter, what really matters. I hope we will still enjoy the gospel milk so that we can be better able to digest, metabolise and extract nourishment from other gospel learning. I pray that we put first things first, be loyal to the basics and only then seek to deepen our understanding.

Samuel.

Wisdom and understanding

Dear friend

As a child I remember seeing the films based on the tales of the Arabian Nights; The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and perhaps my favourite, Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp. We would often speculate about how we would use our three wishes. "All the money in the world" was a popular starter. "As many wishes as I want" was a bit smarter.

King Solomon was asked what gift ("wish") he wanted from God. He chose wisdom (which to us same children seemed pretty boring). However, for the most part it was an inspired choice by the third King of Israel. Many of the Proverbs are thought to originate from Solomon. And many of the Proverbs are about the topic of wisdom. Such an one is found in the Old Testament, Proverbs 2:10, 11.

10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

There seems to be something serene about wisdom. It is never boastful, ostentatious or flaunted. It is also never demeaning, overpowering or forced. Part of the wisdom of wisdom seems to be it's gentle assurance and peaceful self-confidence. People in the company of a wise person shouldn't feel intimidated, despite the different endowment of light and truth.

Having a heart embellished with wisdom and a soul delighted by understanding is surely a state to be desired. It is not about seeking superiority, after all, that would be unwise. It is not about intellectual prowess; the test of this life is not passed by sitting an exam. It is about personal development, especially spiritual development.

I think it is connected to receiving the inner peace that Christ offers. As we correctly apply the knowledge with which we have been blessed, we demonstrate meek wisdom.

I hope that through being wise we will exhibit the understated trait of discretion. I pray that through knowledge we will benefit from understanding that keeps us stable, safe and spiritually secure.

Karl.