Take heed that no man deceive you

Mathew 24

24For there shall arise ^afalse ^bChrists, and ^cfalse prophets, and shall shew great ^dsigns and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall ^edeceive the very ^felect.

As Mad-Eye Moody would say: Here's the Rub! How do we sort out the liars?

Of course he was speaking about Death Eaters, but what he said still applies and is even appropriate to refer to those who would lead men astray as Death Eaters. But even worse, I believe, is the last line of verse 24: they shall deceive the very elect.

Just off the top of my head, elect would denote "election" which would then lead to someone being elected or chosen, which would then lead to someone being elected and chosen for a reason, and that reason would be: they were special. They should know better. And elect person should have the ability to decipher what is right and what is wrong. And how do we decipher what is right and what is wrong? The Holy Ghost of course.

John 14

26But the ^aComforter, which is the ^bHoly Ghost, whom the Father will send in my ^cname, he shall ^dteach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Moroni 10

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

So can it be said that those who are elect and later deceived are lacking something? Something very important? The one thing that was promised that would "teach" us "all things"? The Holy Ghost?

But Here's the Rub! How do we know who is inspired by the Holy Ghost and who is not? How can we be sure that we are following the Holy Ghost and when we are not? Isn't the fact that those who are elect and deceived know not that they are deceived? If the elect knew that they were being deceived, would they not know they were being deceived and then correct themselves toward true principles?

In a world with false christs, false prophets, (false doomsday bloggers), and many wondrous signs; how can we be absolutely sure that we are not being led astray? It is a pickle!

Does anyone dare say that we cannot know? I dare not say it. So then where do we draw a line between what is truth, what is false, and what is that gray area where we can believe whatever we want to believe?

Allow me to say that there is no gray area! The gray area is deception. (No, not Inception the movie, I said Deception). I believe under no uncertain terms that there is only truth, and then there are the philosophies of men- mingled with truth. I shall do my darnedest to prove it to you in my next post. Until then, wear out your brain and ask it this question: How have I been deceived?

D&C 45

56And at that day, when I shall come in my ^aglory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten ^bvirgins.

57For they that are wise and have received the ^atruth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their ^bguide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the ^cfire, but shall abide the day.

The Ten Virgins

Mathew 25: 1-13

1^aThen shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten ^bvirgins, which took their ^clamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5While the bridegroom tarried, they all ^aslumbered and ^bslept.

6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the ^abridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their ^alamps.

8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps ^aare gone out.

9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ^aready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was ^bshut.

11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I ^aknow you not.

13^aWatch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Is not this a most chilling tale of those who are prepared and those who are not. Notice that they were all virgins with lamps, and all were waiting for the Bridegroom to come. The five that were wise had vessels in which they stored oil, the five that were foolish carried none.

And then they slept...

Soon, there was a cry and Bridegroom was coming. They awoke. The five who were prepared took their oil and their lamps to meet the Bridegroom while those who were foolish were forced to go and buy their own after they could obtain none from the prepared virgins. By the time the foolish virgins obtained oil, they were too late. The door had been shut. Even worse, the Bridegroom had stinging words for them: Verily I say unto you, I ^aknow you not.

How could he say such a thing? Were not all ten waiting for the Bridegroom? How could he be so cruel? After all, they had lamps didn't they? It was just that they didn't have enough oil. They had slept so long. They had planned to get oil, but they were tired. They were busy. How could they know that when the cry went out and the Bridegroom was come that they wouldn't have enough time to get oil? Surely the Bridegroom could have let them in. He could have been more understanding. There were those who had no lamps at all. They never made any attempt to wait for the Bridegroom. Why should they be completely barred like everybody else. Shouldn't they at least get to attend the wedding? Perhaps they could be servants to those virgins that were wise? Shouldn't they be given another chance? Does the Bridegroom know no mercy?

13^aWatch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

This is one of the most haunting parables in scripture that I know of. There is only one that is more haunting that I shall share later. This shall be the ongoing theme of this blog. That we may be prepared, even though we may drift off to sleep. That when the cry comes, we will awake! We will be ready. We will trim our lamps and carry our oil and run to meet the Bridegroom, lest we find that we are too late. That we have been shut out. That we are not known of the Bridegroom.

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour...

First Post

The first post of a blog or the first line of a book should be monumental and profound. Since I fear that I can't pull off either, I will just admit it right off the bat and move on to my second post. The good news is that it can only get better or worse from here on out.