Brian Johnston wrote:Could we not see this as a metaphor for a human religious life? A personal journey?
Brian, I really like this metaphor and think there is a lot there to learned.
It reminds me of my journey and how when I was a young adult, going on a mission and then returning and going to college. I was taught things that in my mind were truths. In some ways, it was simple then. Black/white, right/wrong, true/false. There was book learning, for religion, for careers, for ways of life.
However, the progression then requires application of principles that were taught on my mission or taught in college, to my life and how I build a career and family and personally grow. I found that for all the theories and principles, all things require experience of adapting them to my personal situation, and by learning from experience it becomes clear and has meaning and makes sense to me. It is like there was a teaching, a falling away or apostasy by realizing things aren't so literal and universally true, and then a restoration of meaning by re-engaging myself mid-life to adapt the theories and practices to new meaning with wisdom from experience on what truly matters. I can try to explain things to my kids, but realize they also must go through such a cycle because they can't capture the meaning by being hearers of my words only.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
I could see how this also applies to gospel teachings and organizations as they have to take truth as taught by prophets or by the Savior, and apply them to practice among the masses. It makes me wonder if God is less concerned if we found the right road up the mountain, and just more concerned with whether we are making it to the top of the mountain or not...regardless of the road we take.
Priesthood has its power in faith. Faith in Christ that there is power in it. That is one way to be motivated to keep moving up the mountain. I don't think there is just one road.