There are several levels of meaning in understanding the symbolism of the Endowment.
There are the OUTER or the most obvious level of meaning and an INNER or less obvious or hidden meaning that only the earnest seeker can discover. Spiritual understanding. Symbolism of this is that each of us have Adam and Eve and God within us. Our appetites and passions are Eve, our logical and thinking part of us is Adam and our higher self spiritual self is God. Eve is to submit to Adam and Adam to God to bring completeness or wholeness into our lives.
4. Inner-most--understanding through being regenerated and reborn.
(3 and 4 are the "hidden mysteries of Godliness." The scriptures and especially the parables are understood on this level as well as the Creation and Garden of Eden drama. The key about the temple has to do with one's personal, spiritual evolution in this life. Of course, it is amazing how much of the temple liturgy is contained in the scriptures...hence, "those with eyes to see and ears to hear."
Symbolism is a whole different way of thinking and something that the western society is so far removed from but it was the most preferred way that Jesus taught.
The body is a temple of God and represents what one can be. Lets look at some comparisons: The temple is kept physically clean--we are commanded to keep our physical bodies clean--inside and out. The temple has a guard at the door (porter) to keep those who are unworthy out the same as we should not let unworthy thoughts, desires and appetites into our personal temple. And we should cast those evil influences of the world out of our lives, the same as we would cast Satan out of our mist. There are many rooms in the temple with particular functions, in our beings there are different aspects comparable to the various rooms: Each person, to be complete, wil have a creative aspect to his life, a garden room for reflection, a world room for practical, everyday afairs, a terrestrial room for study, and a celestial room for high devotion. He may even have a washing and anointing room where is able to wash off the burdens of past failures, starting each day renewed and cleansed. We become a living temple,, with the words written on our forhead "Holiness to the Lord." Holiness means wholeness and that which is complete. The purpose of the temple is to make "Sons and Daughters of God." Total sanctification and becoming "born again" and deified. And it is only through "grace" that Jesus Christ gives us that we can accomplish this as we have no power to do so on our own.
There are many important, great and marvelous truths concealed under the symbols and allegories. Some might say that the endowment is truly secret because many members have never discovered what it means. As one church authority stated, "the real meaning is the best kept secret in the Church."
Like I say, the whole endowment experience describes our own spiritual progression IN THIS LIFE. Paul said, "When I was a child,, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
When one lives by the spirit the truths speak to us and we literally comprehend the mysteries of God.
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