HOME The City of Enoch Will Return From Heaven The Rainbow Reminds Us of Enoch The Everlasting Covenant of Enoch City of Enoch Contains Women and Children The Resurrected Will Not Live On Earth The Resurrection Before Jesus Christ Returns From Heaven Lord Jesus Christ Will Return From Heaven to Salt Lake City We Are Not Going Back to Missouri Joseph Smith Speaks From Heaven School of the Prophets Let Them Govern Themselves Milk -v- Meat

Look Upward

Milk -v- Meat

In the church, we almost pride ourselves in how well we "keep to the basics" - or in other words milk - "the first principles of the gospel." Let's see what the apostle Paul had to say about milk verses meat.

Hebrews 5:12-14

12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

It would appear that Paul's words are a condemnation to the present-day saints, rather than an admonition. We frequently hear from the pulpit and read from books how dangerous it is to learn too much. So we as a people would rather be safe by keeping to the basics.

According to Paul, people who keep to the basics are people who do not know the word very well. They are people who have not been exercised in its use, therefore they have no discernment.

Does this apply to the saints today? What does it mean when we cycle through the same manuals year after year? What does it mean when we go to any church library and cannot find a Strong's Exhaustive Concordinance, or a Hebrew/Greek Lexicon or possibly a Bible dictionary?

It means people are not becoming familiar with the word.

What about discernment? Embarrassingly Utah has been called the "scam state." Or as the Wall Street Journal put it on their front page: "SLC, the Fraud Capital of the World." (5.29.85) Some feel this reflects greed, but I wonder if discernment has something to do with it?

No matter how greedy a person maybe, they won't want to lose their money in a scam, unless they don't discern it is a scam.

So what does Paul mean when he says "first principles?" Let us read:

Hebrews 6:1-2

1 THEREFORE leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Paul considers as basic doctrine - the principles of Christianity, repentance, dead works, faith, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection and judgement. Or in other words the first four Articles of Faith. These, once taught and understood, are to be left behind.

It is argued, the saints don't need anything more than the basics. The world is so tough right now, it is the basics that keep us firmly anchored in the word, the Lord and the spirit.

According to Paul, we can become skillful in the word by using it. "But we do use it" some would say. Everything is relative. Until a Latter-day Saint goes to see how others study the word, they will not know how well they are doing.

We could go to a Synagogue, or a Theological Union and observe how others study the word. We would find certain similarities among them all, like tools, or study aids. We would notice that we don't use, nor have we heard of saints using, nor have in our own libraries any of these study aids. This is indicative of something.

Paul also says, that one of the benefits that come from the study of the word is discernment. It is interesting how one with discernment is not afraid to study any topic, while those without it, need boundaries they are told would protect them from the "deep, dark mysteries."

Obviously, we gain discernment by exercising it - as Paul said. Which I thought was the whole idea of coming to earth in the first place. If while learning to discern, we should fall, do we not have a savior to cover those mistakes?

Why is any of this important for helping the saints to look upward? Because if you are satisfied with a weekly feeding of milk, you will never find out about heavenly things, which require the spiritual traits of seeking, learning and discerning.

I think brother Brigham said it best:

Journal of Discourses, Vol.1, p.312 - p.313, Brigham Young, February 20, 1853

"Now those men, or those women, who know no more about the power of God, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by another person, suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another's sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they anticipate; they will never be capable of becoming Gods. They cannot rule themselves, to say nothing of ruling others, but they must be dictated to in every trifle, like a child. They cannot control themselves in the least, but James, Peter, or somebody else must control them, They never can become Gods, nor be crowned as rulers with glory, immortality, and eternal lives. They never can hold sceptres of glory, majesty, and power in the celestial kingdom. Who will? Those who are valiant and inspired with the true independence of heaven, who will go forth boldly in the service of their God, leaving others to do as they please, determined to do right, though all mankind besides should take the opposite course. Will this apply to any of you? Your own hearts can answer. Do you know what is right and just, as well as I do? In some things you do, and in some thing you may not know as well; but I will explain what I mean, in the following words--I will do all the good I can, and all I know how to do, and I will shun every evil that I know to be an evil. You can all do that much. I will apply my heart to wisdom, and ask the Lord to impart it to me; and if I know but little, I will improve upon it, that to-morrow I may have more, and thus grow from day to day, in the knowledge of the truth, as Jesus Christ grew in stature and knowledge from a babe to manhood; and if I am not now capable of judging for myself, perhaps I shall be in another year."

True to the words of the apostle Paul, brother Brigham has also drawn the correlation between discernment, learning and our stewardship under heaven.

According to these two great men, we should be growing in our use of meat, and moving on toward perfection. And the only perfect society that we know of is the City of Enoch. That holy city above, whose inhabitants are many.