Recently, I was asked by a friend why I chose to recommend that people check out a YouTube channel that didn't seem coherent with my own. He then mentioned how a family member of his who he has connected with my material saw that recommendation, and is finding a lot of value in that channel. I was grateful that he answered his own question in a much better way that I could have.
I have repeatedly tried to explain that the kingdom of God is hierarchical. Everything about creation is, because creation is a subset of God, and God is hierarchical, and everything he does is like him to a certain degree (all things testify of Christ).
Part of the hierarchical nature of God is the hierarchical nature of truth. The structure is not just in its content, but also its delivery.
While all servants of God are demonstrating Christ and not themselves,[1] they do this by being who they are. To the degree that we are not yet exactly like Christ, each of us will differ in what we feel, say, and do. We will have a different model of Christ, as well as a differing degrees of adherence to it, determined by how much we have voluntarily suffered for the benefit of others. And this is exactly as God designed in his perfect wisdom.[2]
Some people are ready to enter into the kingdom by consuming meat--specifically, the flesh of Christ. Others need more time to prepare by consuming milk. That is not ideal, but it is often necessary. The good news is that milk can lead to meat.[3]
We are all on the same team, as long as we unite in a coalescing network, understanding that our purpose is to discover and live like Christ to greater and greater degrees.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3)
To tell you plainly: not many of these subnetworks will join together. Those who are being fed through a servant will frequently reach the end of what that servant can provide, because the servant is not willing to find, recognize, and graft into a branch greater than themselves. Sometimes, you need to put down the milk bottle even if your mom keeps offering it to you, realizing that you have become too old for that. Servants who have built stubble, hay, or wood onto the foundation cannot endure the fire that is coming, though they may endure the heat of the present day.
And so we see that coming into the kingdom of heaven and ascending into the kingdom of heaven are each their own challenge, each of which will require specific people to correspond to the strengths and weaknesses of the individual grafting in.
In the end times in which we live, God will provide all necessary so that all people will ascend in his kingdom to the limits they are willing to receive. Part of that the revelation of truths not revealed since the foundation of the world. Another equally vital part is the provision of people capable of reaching all people where they are. These teachers provide a coalescing network that culminates in one more like Christ than any others.
The ladder of heaven is not straight up and down. It is like a lonely mountain with many independent-starting paths that converge as they approach the peak.
The establishment of the kingdom of God is not limited to the dispensation of all truth required for that purpose, but also in facilitating the connections between people necessary to provide a contiguous path from wherever anyone is to as far as they are willing to ascend.
When you look up in the kingdom of God, you can only see the picture as far and as clearly as the light that you have within you. When you look down in the kingdom of God, you comprehend all things. To me, it is obvious that helping you connect with others is necessary and valuable. To you, it might not be.
By facilitating connections with others, we establish connections that might present more light in a more receivable way than greater light given your limitations, or that might endure even if you sever a connection with greater light.[4]
[1] 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. (1 Corinthians 1)
[2] 8 Therefore it says: he ascended on high and conquered the captives, bringing gifts to men.
9 Now where did he ascend from, but the lowest aspects of mortality?
10 He ascended above all things by descending below all things, so that he might enable, fulfill, and finish all things. (Ephesians 4, Author's Reflection)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4)
99 For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas.
100 These are they who say they are some of one and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch;
101 But received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant. (D&C 76)
[3] 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (1 Corinthians 3)
[4] The majority of people who read/watch what I produce are not ready for what God is revealing through me, but most of them do not know that yet. They may never know that, because the most likely way they will encounter that fact is through being so grossly offended by something I say or do (or, the more tragic but equally likely reason that they hear some rumor about me that isn't true). I know what I am in the process of laying out. You don't, even though I have told you plainly for years. I know that much of that will terminally offend you, because it will not seem in the same vein as what you have previously heard, even though it is.