Dear Gramps,

I have two questions: I was born in Europe, precisely in France, and have now lived in Canada for 38 years and am a new member of our Church. In France and European countries we use wine in cooking recipes, but now, strictly following the Word of Wisdom, we do not use wine in our cooking or anywhere else. We have an ongoing discussion in our ward about it. (Opinions are very different for many of us, dependant on our roots!!!) I would like you tell me what to say to my brothers and sisters about it . . . .

Second question: During a “teaching new members” lesson to a wonderful family originally from Pekin, Jeffrey asked Elder X who baptized John. I said to Elder X, “Jesus Christ did it after he was baptized by John.” (I think I read it somewhere . . . is it true? Am I wrong, or where I can answer it in the scriptures? Thanks a lot.

PS: Sorry for my English!!! I am an ex-Frenchman!! God bless you; He loves you for eternity.

Michel, from Longueuil/Montreal

Dear Michel,

Interestingly enough, when the Lord revealed the Word of Wisdom to Joseph Smith, He didn’t list any of the reasons for not drinking wine or strong drink, nor for using not tobacco or hot drinks. I would imagine that the Lord does not feel that He needs to justify Himself to His children, that His word of instruction should be sufficient. So we are told that we should not drink wine, and that strong drinks are not for the belly but for the washing of your bodies.

Now, some people extend the Word of Wisdom to include all sorts of restrictions, much as did the early Jews in amplifying on the Ten Commandments. Some people think that it is against the Word of Wisdom to eat chocolate, because it contains caffeine. Others won’t eat meat because we are enjoined it is to be used sparingly. However, the Word of Wisdom has been interpreted by the Mormon Church as proscribing the use of tea, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco, and lately the Brethren have been very specific concerning the use of habit-forming drugs.

But in addition to the formal Word of Wisdom, which is a doctrine of the Mormon Church, there is the word of wisdom, which is the common sense and sense of obedience and devotion of each individual. The Word of Wisdom is specifically described for the obedience to which we are held accountable. The word of wisdom rests with the intelligence, judgement, and responsibility of each individual; and I imagine that each will be judged by the Lord in light of his own faithfulness and spirit of obedience.

We are enjoined by the scriptures (1 Thess. 5:22) and by the Brethren to avoid the very appearance of evil.

So it would seem to me that these borderline matters rest with the conscience of each individual.

Now to your second question. The Savior was not the first person that John baptized. If you look through the third chapter of Matthew you will find that there went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him [John] in Jordan. And in that circumstance, then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. So it would have been necessary for John to have been baptized and receive the priesthood of Aaron before the Savior came to him to be baptized.

Gramps