007. Being Wise & Harmless in the Service of the Lord (Part I)

In the New Testament, Christ provides the parable of the 10 virgins to illustrate the importance of spiritual preparedness and vigilance prior to his second coming. Each of these virgins had been invited to the marriage feast. These represent the elect, the members of Christ's church. However, five virgins were wise and five were foolish. The wise virgins had trimmed their lamps and had preserved enough oil at the time the bridegroom arrived. Because of their preparedness, attentiveness, and diligence, they were readily admitted into the feast when the doors were opened.

The Wise Virgins

The foolish virgins were not prepared and were not permitted to borrow oil from the wise. Although they made valiant efforts to procure the requisite oil after realizing it was too late, they were denied entrance to the feast. The Lord himself denied them saying "I know you not." They were left out.

Note the term, wise virgins. This is a blending or embodiment of both the wise serpent and the harmless dove: wise for the serpent and virgin for the pure and innocent dove. A combination of wisdom mixed with innocence and purity. Wisdom without innocence or purity may lead only to cleverness and craftiness and for seeking of power, thus harming others (and ourselves). Innocence or purity without wisdom may lead only to weakness, becoming easy prey for deception and being lead astray, thus harming ourselves. We must therefore have both the innocence of the dove that we may not harm others and the wisdom of the serpent that others may not harm us.

This can be a balance that is difficult to strike. However, it is possible as we rely on the Holy Ghost as our guide. The most clear example of this duality is the Savior himself. During his ministry, the Jews often came to him with questions meant to trap him. These questions were about healing, forgiving sins, keeping the Sabbath day holy, or honoring both God and man. Think of the episodes from Christ's ministry where he was so challenged by the religious establishment of the time: healing on the Sabbath, the man born blind, the woman taken in adultery. Another example is when he was asked: "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" (Mark 12:14), Christ answered wisely (v. 15-17)...

 15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
 16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’s.
 17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.

In other words, do not deny Caesar his legal right, nor God his rightful praise. Thus, our loyalty to earthly kingdoms can be mixed with devotion to God. Christ demonstrated the wisdom of the serpent, and did not offend or do harm as the dove.

Another example comes from the time when the Atonement or Ransom Offering was made (a Temple Tax). This was a tribute paid to the temple officials to pay for the operation of the temple. All men were required to pay this tax, except those who were the sons of royalty, the kings of Israel. When Christ was asked if would pay the tribute, he demonstrated both wisdom and innocence in his response (Matthew 17)...

 24 ¶And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
 25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
 26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
 27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Of course, as Son of our Heavenly Father and King, as well as through his mortal bloodlines, Christ was of royal and divine birthright. As such, he was not obligated to pay the tribute. But, in order to not offend their customs and given his understanding of how the Jews perceived him, Christ offered payment through the coins found in the fish's mouth. Christ was innocent, like a child: "There was no deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, reviled not again" 1 Peter 2:22.

It is a difficult thing to develop and maintain both wisdom and innocence. Matthew 24:45 asks, "Who then is a faithful and wise servant?" Wise, the serpent; faithful, the dove. It is hard to find both. There are many wise people in our world, but there are few who are both wise and faithful. However, this is our goal. Most all holy men and women, prophets, and true leaders have been both wise as serpents and harmless as doves. For example, the Prophet Moses was one "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," (Acts 7:22), but was also "very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3). He combined the wisdom of the serpent with innocence of the dove. Daniel was another in whom "light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found" (Daniel 5:14), and also innocence (Daniel 6:4): "Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." Again, from James, wisdom coupled with innocence and meekness (3:13): "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom." From the Book of Mormon, Ammon the Prophet "...being wise, yet harmless, ...said unto Lamoni: Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee" (Alma 18:22).

The Lord speaking to the Prophet Joseph Smith spoke of those who would be saved in the latter days (Doctrine & Covenants 45:56-59):

 56 And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.
 57 For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.
 58 And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation.
 59 For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver.

Note again, the symbolism of the serpent and the dove...For they that are wise -- the serpent...and have taken the Holy Spirit as their guide -- the dove, which is symbolic of the Holy Ghost. Both are required. This pattern is everywhere in the scriptures. If not in word, then look closely at the recorded actions of apostles, prophets, and true followers of Christ.

In the next post, some observations on joining together wisdom and harmlessness, prudence and holiness will be presented.

006. Harmless Doves

Mourning Doves are common where we live. These docile creatures are often found perched daintily on tree branches, telephone wires, and fences. They produce a soothing cooing sound that some mistake for an owl, and some obviously view as a sorrowful or lamenting sound, thus their name Mourning Dove. I associate their sounds with my childhood, a time of innocence, as I'd hear them cooing in the morning or evening around our home. Their feathering is soft and smooth, and their coloring provides them with some degree of camouflage that protects them from predators. They are mostly vegetarian, with 99% of their diet coming from seeds and grain. 

Christ told His disciples to also be harmless doves. Serpents and doves almost seem opposites. The Greek word for harmless, ak-er'-ah-yos, means “unmixed,” and refers to things that are 100% pure or undefiled, such as pure metals like gold or unmixed wines. Throughout the New Testament, this term is also used to imply moral purity and integrity as well as the mind being without a mixture of evil, free from guile, innocent, and simple. In the ancient world of the Old and New Testaments, the dove was symbolic of purity, faithfulness, and guilelessness. The dove was also the only bird that could be offered as an acceptable sacrifice under Old Testament law. The descent of the Holy Ghost upon Christ following His baptism by John took the symbolical form of a dove. 

To be “harmless as doves” means that those who follow Jesus as His disciples, must be above reproach in both conduct and speech. We must be sharp, clever, patient, and somewhat shrewd in our dealings (as serpents) with our cunning (wolf-like) adversaries, but we must never stoop to their ethics or tactics. We must be free from guile and evil. Sin in the actions or words of a purported follower of Christ gives his foes an easy place to discredit and neutralize his witness. Therefore, to be as harmless as doves means to be meek, innocent, and pure throughout; without dual purposes, deceit, or corruption within our hearts.

Jesus was as pure as a dove. He was without guile. He could ask of his enemies “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” (John 8:46) and they were speechless. Those who hated him could never find any real or meaningful accusation from the conduct in Christ's life with which to discredit him. The only place they could truly attack him was in his teachings, or to falsely charge him that he broke the law by doing good or that he performed miracles through the power of Satan. Because of his pure life, he forced his enemies to focus on his teachings, and his doctrine or the interpretation of the doctrines of the day, as the focus of debate. This is what Christ wanted and this is what lead to his ultimate condemnation to death by the Jewish leadership and those that followed them. 

To be as harmless doves, we must avoid anger and be without the gall of bitterness and revenge. As the dove is without gall, we should be without guile and not deceive...as Nathaniel in whose spirit there was no guile (John 1:47). This is innocence. This is being like a little child. We should be without fraud and craftiness. We must be mild, even praying for our enemies as we are commanded to do. We must be humble. Unfortunately, we live in a time where there are more wolves than doves. People are full of guile and many study nothing but deceit, "They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak" (Psalm 12:2). Doves have no horns, claws, or sharp talons to defend themselves. They really cannot hurt other beings. Their only defense is to fly away when danger approaches. Doves can fly quickly, up to 55 mph. When a predator approaches, they may also perform a nest-distraction display, or a broken-wing display, fluttering on the ground as if injured, but then fly away when the predator approaches. We too, should flee before an enemy that would guarantee our destruction. We should not harm others or deceive them. We should seek for purity and innocence, through constant repentance and humbling ourselves before the Lord.

005. Wise Serpents (Part III)

What characteristics of the serpent should we adopt as followers of Christ? Serpents are indeed wise creatures. So wise and prudent in fact, that, according to the bible, Satan made use of a serpent to deceive our first parents: "The serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field" Genesis 3:1.

Solstice Snake petroglyph, Moab, UT. Like many snake petroglyphs, this one has 13 bends. 

On the day of the summer solstice, a shaft of sunlight makes this arrowhead of light appear on the head of the Solstice Snake petroglyph. 

Snakes have various means of perceiving their surroundings, using primarily smell and taste to track their prey. They can also use their keen eyesight as well as infra-red and vibratory sensitivity receptors to perceive their surroundings. We should also use various means to understand and monitor our surroundings and watch out for weaknesses that wolves might attack. The serpent can discern between threats and non-threats and we should too develop the capacity to discern between good and evil, light and dark, truth and error. We must pray for and seek these gifts. Doctrine & Covenants 46:

7 But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.
 8 Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given;
 9 For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.

The serpent's chief concern in a confrontation is to defend its head. A blow to the head could be deadly or paralyzing, even temporarily, and for the most part a snakes only defense are its fangs. Likewise, our chief concern should be to defend our heads from error, anger, and cruelty. If our minds are tainted with false doctrines, anger, jealousy, or impurity we will be lead into sin and fall prey to our enemies.

Serpents are also patient, waiting quietly a long time before striking their prey or hiding from their enemies. They carefully consider the risks involved in their moves and actions; self-preservation is paramount. Likewise, we must be cautious in our actions that could cause harm to ourselves or others. From Mosiah 4:27, the Lord urges us to

...see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

004. Wise Serpents (Part II)

Many of the early apostles and disciples of Christ were killed because of their convictions, sealing their testimonies with their blood. Peter was crucified upside down. Luke was executed on an olive-tree. John was cast into a vessel of scalding oil. Many other reformers, prophets, and righteous individuals have given everything they had, even their own lives for what they believed. All who follow Christ must endure some degree of suffering, if not the deepest of trials. Clearly, there have always been wolves who seek to destroy the work of the Lord. But if serpents carry an overwhelmingly negative or evil connotation in the scriptures, why would Christ instruct His disciples to be as wise as a serpent? The Greek word for wise, phronimos, used by Christ in this verse means practically wise, prudent, sensible, and discerning.

Serpents demonstrate wisdom in both avoiding their enemies and catching their prey. Thus, the disciples of Christ were warned to avoid unnecessary contact or conflict with “wolves” who might try to harm or destroy them. If such conflict or contact were to occur, the disciples should act wisely in handling the situation in a way that would minimize the ability of the “wolves” to succeed in their attack. In other words, the disciples should not seek to provoke or do things that would incite attacks from their enemies, but to share truth and light in a wise and prudent manner, which might even frustrate the designs of the wicked against them.

Snake blending in to surroundings so as not to be noticed, hide from an enemy, or await its prey

A person can be filled with truth and knowledge, yet it is possible to express or share it in an offensive or even harmful manner if they are not careful. They must know their audience, ascertain their level of knowledge and understanding, and present new knowledge in a manner that is digestible and understandable by the recipient. To do so otherwise is foolish and harmful. Does what we say create disorder, dissension, confusion, or strife? If so, what has been shared has not been done so wisely, even if it be "the truth". Or, when we speak of heavenly things are we and others edified, uplifted, or healed? Does the Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead, attend our conversations? If so, then knowledge has been imparted wisely, and the recipient will know it is from God. Our words should never hurt or offend, they should only bring understanding, healing, and enlightenment.

3 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. James 3

19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:19-20

Christ himself set the example. Throughout His ministry He was wise as a serpent in regard to the “wolves” that were seeking His destruction. Christ did not seek to provoke conflicts with them. If opposition to his preaching and service became too intense, he would depart from the vicinity for a time. He knew how to answer their attacks and at the same time expose their designs. Matthew 21 and 22 provide several examples of this approach. Christ understood that the “wolves” who sought his destruction were those among the religious establishment of His day, and not the common people (Mark 12:37 - ...And the common people heard him gladly), the poor, the rejected, or the sick among whom He labored. From these, Christ won their trust, and on various occasions the people's support protected Jesus from the wolves' attacks.

12. And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. Mark 12

47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, 48 And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him. Luke 19

003. Wise Serpents (Part I)

Serpents are referred to frequently in the scriptures. The word serpent appears in 82 verses in the Old and New Testaments, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. In the Topical Guide to the LDS standard works under the entry Serpent, both Jesus Christ and satan are listed as alternatives. Most incidents of the word serpent in the Old Testament use the Hebrew nachash (pronounced nakh'-ash), which means snake or serpent (see Strong's 2010 Concordance of the Bible for references to Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek translations in my posts). This pronunciation is very close to an alternative, naw-khash', which means to hiss, to whisper (a magical spell), to prognosticate, to enchant, or to divine. These are all satanic references to the old serpent who lies, flatters, deceives, and seeks to lure away souls through dark arts and temptations. Interestingly, this same pronunciation also means to learn by experience or to diligently observe; these are interesting and deep meanings for this term (not discussed here). Thus there is double meaning in the pronunciation. The Hebrew word for serpent is also very close to the Aramaic word nechash (pronounced nekh-awsh'), meaning copper or brass. Think brazen serpent.

There are several places in the Old and New Testaments as well as in the Book Mormon where the incident between the camp of Israel, Moses as intermediary, and the fiery flying serpents is described: Numbers 21:6-8, Isaiah 14:29, Isaiah 30:6, John 3:14-15 (indirectly), 1 Nephi 17:41, 2 Nephi 25:20, Alma 33:19-22, Alma 37:4-6, Helman 8:14-15. The Hebrew word used here does not mean serpent at all. The word is saraph (pronounced saw-rawf') and means consuming, burning, or a burning one or fiery being. The plural, seraphim, means burning or noble ones, referring to ministering beings with perhaps a serpentine form or a glowing quality about them. In other words, destroying angels.

Gustave Doré The Brazen Serpent

There are a few places in the Old Testament where other Hebrew words are used for serpent, namely tanniyn (pronounced tan-neen') or zachal (pronounced zaw-khal'). Generally, these were non-religious references to worms, sea monsters, whales, dragons, and plain old snakes or vipers, but can also refer to crawling or to fear or to be afraid.

The Greek word ophis (pronounced of'-is) is used exclusively for serpent in the New Testament. The root of this word, optomai (pronounced op'-tom-ahee), means to gaze with wide open eyes, as at something remarkable. Optomai does not mean to merely voluntarily observe or use vision mecahnically, casually, or passively. Ophis, for serpent, through the idea of sharpness of vision, means sly cunningness and artful malice, referring to satan.

Most references to serpents in the scriptures are referring to something evil, if not to satan himself. Christ referred to the scribes and pharisees as serpents and vipers. The scriptures refer to the treachery, venom, poison, skulking, and murderous proclivities of the serpent frequently, which represents sin, evil designs, and hatefulness.

There are two times in the scriptures in which the term serpent is used in a sense that is not evil. The first is in reference to the brazen serpent spoken of above. Moses was instructed to raise a brazen serpent that the camp of Israel was to look upon in order to avoid destruction. This was symbolic of the means provided by Heavenly Father to save His children from sin through the sacrifice (atonement) and resurrection of Jesus Christ. From John 3:

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The second place in the scriptures where the term serpent is used in a positive sense is when the Lord is teaching His disciples about how to conduct themselves when performing in their ministries. There are two verses that describe their conduct in a similar fashion:

Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Doctrine & Covenants 111:11 Therefore, be ye as wise as serpents and yet without sin; and I will order all things for your good, as fast as ye are able to receive them. Amen.

Thus, we are counseled to be wise as serpents in our service to the Lord. What does a serpent do that makes it wise? What sort of wisdom does a serpent possess? How does one be wise, yet avoid becoming serpent-like (evil)? These issues will be explored in the next posts.

002. Sheep & Wolves

In Matthew 10, Jesus commissions the 12 Apostles to conduct missionary work among the "lost sheep of the House of Israel" (v6). He tells them to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils (v8). The disciples of Christ were dispatched to preach the gospel in the towns and villages of Israel.

"The Sending of the Twelve" by Duccio di Buoninsegna (14th century).

As part of His commission, Jesus then both warns and counsels His disciples about the persecutions they will face. He tells them that they will be “as sheep in the midst of wolves” (v16). So their errand to reclaim the lost sheep will be beset with threats from lurking wolves. From Matthew 10:

16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Wolves existed in ancient Israel and are frequently mentioned in the scriptures. They are beasts of prey who hunt in the darkness of night. They are fierce, cunning, and have an appetite for other mammals. As such, wolves represent bloodthirstiness, ferocity, and treachery. Wolves were especially fond of stalking a sheepfold or goat pen at night in hopes of catching easy prey. Who are the wolves? Chief among them is satan. He is cunning and treacherous. He operates in darkness. He seeks to destroy the righteous. Other wolves include followers of satan such as false prophets, hypocritical leaders, oppressive tyrants, deceivers, and those that persecute the righteous.

Sheep were also common in ancient Israel as a source of milk, meat, and fabric. However, unlike the wolf, sheep are weak, unassuming, and docile. They are not carnivorous. Sheep cannot defend themselves from an attacking wolf; death would be the certain outcome.

The difficult message put into this analogy is that the disciples of Christ were to be sent forth into situations of certain danger and risk of death in which they were practically defenseless against powerful and vicious foes. They would be opposed, their mission would not be easy. Indeed, many of Christ's disciples perished at hands of ferocious wolves.

Therefore, in addition to being the keeper of the sheepfold and their protector, Christ taught his disciples that they must act in a certain manner in order to survive the dangers ahead...to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” It was a fine line to walk, only possible through reliance on the Holy Ghost as one's guide.

001. New Life

Today is the first full day of Spring. And it snowed. Yet the sun was simultaneously shining, creating a heavenly and beautiful combination of white flakes drifting through golden sunlight. Yesterday was the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Equi, meaning equal, and nox, meaning night, indicates that (in some places on Earth), the scales of light and dark were in balance. After which, the tide will turn and increasing amounts of light will fill our days. The Spring Equinox represents new life and rebirth. In Christianity, the resurrection of Christ is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. It is time for transformation and renewal, and gardening again.

New life from Gogi Berry cuttings after one week of light and water.

I've never really had the urge to publish a blog. I have little time to devote to such endeavors and I don't feel peace in much of what I see online. Although there is much good here, there is also much darkness. There are places to hide, places to be someone you're not, places to be tempted or distracted or deceived, and there are places to seek out things that are not of God or of any lasting value.

This week, however, a theme came to mind that I feel impressed to write something about. The timing also seems right...with Spring here now and the opportunity for newness. The intent of this blog is to help spread the light and truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to encourage others to follow Him. In order to do so, we must often go forth among the wolves and the dark places of this world. I don't know if this blog will help turn the tide from darkness to light, but maybe in some small way it will help, even if it's just for my own posterity's benefit. However, the Lord also charges us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. In our day, these are critical characteristics to seek for and possess. I will talk in more depth about them in the future.

By way of introduction, I am an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who loves the gospel of Jesus Christ with all my heart. I take the gospel of Jesus Christ seriously and sincerely believe in, and try to live as best I can, the restored doctrines of Christ as revealed through the Holy Scriptures and His latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith Jr. We are truly living in the latter days of this world's existence. Christ's 2nd coming is near. The signs are all about us to so testify. Our common enemy, satan, is increasing in his powers of darkness and ability to lead people away from God. His capacity to deceive and blind the children of God is real and dangerous.

However, this is also a wonderful and exciting time to be alive. There is no greater work than to assist in bringing others to Christ. There is a greater degree of truth and light available to us because of the truthfulness of the gospel and the power of our Savior. I will strive to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as I write. I wish to remain anonymous and give all the glory to God. I will approve most comments, as long as they are not blasphemous or derogatory.