1. Casual religious adherents. Religious leaders. Judgement of self and others. Strife. The great and spacious building. The rich.
“They who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noon-day.” (D&C 95:6)
2. Those who dig deeper for the truth. Respect for the law. Holding to the rod. Greater judgement, greater strife. Rightness. Knowledge of Good and Evil. The rich.
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Matthew 7:1-2)
3. Tribulation, fear and trembling. Eye of the needle. Poverty. Death.
“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philipians 2:12)
“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:24)
“For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:25)
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
4. Perfect love (casts out all fear). Noon-day.
“…just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (JSH 1:16-17)
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
5. Expansion of the heart, soul and mind
God is not known by those who profess to know him. Truly knowing God is freedom.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any….All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” (1 Corinthians 6:10, 10:23)
In Kholberg’s Stages of Moral Development, I would put stages 1-5 as the ever narrowing opening on the left, and stage 6 as the beginning of the widening opening on the right of this graph.
Breathings 