The Principle of the Word of Wisdom (part 1 of 2)

So I thought that perhaps I could discuss a few of the interesting portions (I know, entirely subjective) of the Word of Wisdom, and how they apply to us today who are seeking to come out from Babylon and establish Zion.   I have decided to just go with the present D&C version, as the only difference between it and the original is a comma, which we will discuss.  The Word of Wisdom has interestingly come to dominate my life, as well as that of my wife.  I suppose the reason it has is that it is a Word of Wisdom on a manner of living.  What we eat and drink dominates are day more than I at first realized.  Indeed, as It has come to absorb me a good deal I’ve realized how much like the beasts I still am.  Drinking eating and sleeping occupy my days.  We work to earn food and safety for our families.  So much so that the savior felt the need to point out to Satan, and thus all who follow him, that man cannot live on bread and water alone.  In fact, he told us to toil and spin not, for God feeds the sparrows fine and we are so much more then them!   SO in this message I find a need for simplicity.  When getting lost in the work of God, often we find servants like Alma who have fasted for many dies and get hungry.  We see the Savior denying himself of food for forty days.  We are told in Isaiah that the Remnant in the last days will eat milk and Honey, a very simple diet, the diet of Nomads.  I am not implying that we not eat.  I om implying that food is a much bigger idol than we know.  Do we let the acquiring and eating of it dominate our day?  Is food consumption in one form or another distracting us?  I think it seems benign on the surface, but in reality most of the people of today are slaves to this one taskmaster, food.

This is what the pharisees in their extremism would claim, “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.”  However, before we come to think of the lack of eating food as a virtue we should go the meridian of time to see our savior who the pharisees complained about. “The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and ^aa winebibber, a friend of ^bpublicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified ^cof her children.”

The Son of God, the Savior of Israel ate and drink much.  HE did so in the taverns with the publicans.  On the sabbath day he walked and ate through the fields of corn (Matt 12:1).  He ate so much that they declared him unfit for the kingdom, a Glutton!  He drank enough that they declared him to be an Alcoholic!  So in him we find our example.  A person who did not labor for food, as the sparrows.  He cared not for food so much as to deny himself of it forty days in the name of the Lord.  Yet, when it was provided and abundant he ate and drank in joy and thanksgiving.

By doing both of these things he gives us the example of one who does not declare food to be an idol.  He gives it no saving grace.  Denying consumption of foods, as in eating only sparingly, not of wine, etc… in itself is a form of idolatry.  On the other hand, spending all your time relaxing and eating or working hard to by more too is distraction from God.  The food in itself, whether the lack thereof or the abundance, provides no saving grace.  This we would do well to remember.   Thus the laws of the pharisees of what and when to drink based on LAW is shown here by Christ to be beyond the mark.  However, as we will soon find out, declaring some foods better for you and some worse is merely a matter of knowledge, of common sense.

The eating of food is perhaps one of the most poignant examples of cause and effect.  Drinking water, wine, or kool aid all has immediate consequences, good or bad.  Inhaling pizza and doughnuts all day too has its consequences.  Eating chicken produced under disgusting and abusive conditions too has its consequences.  Consuming foods full of dies, artificial sweeteners and preservers which were not given of good for consumption too have consequences.

In this light, the light of Idolatry and consequence, I think we are properly situated to begin dissection of our food consumptive guidelines containd in section 89.

The very first couple of verses gives us a blatant and obvious form of Idolatry.  “not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the ^aword of wisdom, showing forth the order and ^bwill of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days”.

According to the pattern we’ve already brought out, the Lord here explains that such guidelines deal with “temporal” salvation.  As we have observed, the survival of the Remnant in the last days in a Temporal sense will be what allows them to remain and establish Zion.  Our temporal salvation has been a great worry for many who ponder near futre events.  Thankfully, the Lord here is providing for us a means for securing such salvation as Saints in Zion.  Also here in this verse the Lord defines for us that such food Guidelines are not given by way of Command.  The pharisees defined manners of eating and drinking, which became laws of men.  By so doing the condemned our Savior.  Food had become an Idol.  The LDS saints today do the same, creating a savior of sorts or idol we must worship in order to obtain salvation.

To show clearly that this assumption is not extreme in my view of our religious practices, I give you the ‘Recommend’ questions.  Therein, in order to seek the face of the Lord in the temple, I must first comply with a list of eating and drinking standards.  Not at all unlike the pharisees of old, stumbling blocks have been set in our way, idols given to us by other men.  IT has become by way of commandment.  And on top of that, the present list of conformity does not even comply with the list given in section 89!  It is in every sense a commandment of men which replaces true righteousness through temperance and mindfulness with conformance to standards and lists.

So why the Word of Widsom?  ITs given as a “a principle with ^apromise,”  Along those lines then I suppose we should find 2 things, first a principle, and a corresponding promise.  A principle is uncahngable.  IT is a natural fact of our existence, a natural fact of the subject at hand.   A principle is fundamental doctrine.  IT is cause and effect.  Basically, what we have here is scientific.  IF you do ‘A”, ‘B’ will result, the law o cause and effect.  The sower is redeemed in his own action.  This is not a commandment the Lord begins telling us, it is fact.  Its a fact for who?  For those who can be called “saints” here in the “last days”.  These things are fact because of two things.  First is your mortality and second, because of evil and conspiring men.

So, some principles real quick…

• Strong Drink is not for the belly, but is good for dressing wounds.  Strong drink is any drink that is distilled rather then fermented. Fermented drinks are mild, we will discuss that in a moment.  Distilled liquor is good to have, to heal wounds.
• Wine is a strong drink, but can be had if you make it, and then for offering up sacrament to men.  A sacrament is merely a religious rite or symbol done in remembrance of God.  So, when you drink when, do so with the right frame of mind, that you may always remember him, even and especially when drunk with this strong drink of the vine.
• Hot drinks aren’t good for consumption
• Tobacco is not for man, but is good to have for the dressing of bruises in livestock
• fruits, vegetables and herbs are made for men, in the season thereof.  USe them and receive them with thanksgiving!
• Eat meat, but do it sparingly.  The 1835 edition of the D&C differed slightly, in the omission of a comma, from our current version.  It reads (missing comma here in red) “Yea, flesh also, of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, hath ordained for the use of man, with thanksgiving. Nevertheless, they are to be used sparingly; and it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.”  Read this way, without the red comma, it is apparent that meat should not only be used in times of winter, but always, but always in sparing portions.  Take this note with a grain of salt ans the spirit.  Sparing is still the key word here.
• Grains are all good for everyone.  They are for as a means of storage.  This is the winter item.  Eat them in abundance in times of famine and  hunger, because they store well
• All these grains too can be made into mild drinks.  Wheat grass juiced, beers of all types, fruit of the vine which is fermented or not etc…

That was easy.  That was the principle, quite simple really.  a few basic tenants, not by commandment but for advice.  AS you can see, in some major areas, this list differs from those of the commandment we have today which stands in our way of worshiping in a place called the Lords house.  The list we are given there includes ALL alcoholic beverages, ALL drugs, Coffee, tea regardless of temperature are given as commanded against.  Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  Our Zeal has yielded a crop of self righteous prigs who too would bar the savior himself from worshiping in his own house.   But, thankfully, the truth can still be had.  Its a simple idea, a principle of fact contained in a section fo wisdom to us.  And this principle has a promise.  This cause has an effect.

In the conditions of the promise we find an interesting note, “And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments”.  The list above is set apart from the commandments, it is however still set as an objective to live to recieve the blessing.  How is it then separate and not a command?  Again, because it is a principle, it is fact.  This way of life must be lived as a means of being most healthy, and if a faithful person ADDS to that the keeping of Gods commandments he will blesss you.  IN these conditions he provides a loophole for himself to save only those of his children who follow him.  There are many in this last day who have stumbled upon these basic principles and strive to live them in incredible detail, whether from the W.o.W. or simply from sound logic.  The Lord however is under no duty to bless them beyond the basic means of healthiness.  He will howver bless those healthy people who also seek his face with the blessings promised.  And so we see that the promise of temporal salvation through this Word of wisdom is only offered to The Lords people.  TEmporal salvation, being saved to be his children and seek Zion, is still based on spiritual worthiness.  They are one and the same.

The Blessings will be covered in the next paper.  They only comprise a couple short verses, but are absolutely laden with key words and imagery to the Temporal Salvation of Gods children who seek Zion in these last days discussed in Isaiah and throughout scripture.   To be continued…