It is not just a grouping of like-minded worshipers, sharing some religious beliefs. It is a way of life. It far surpasses weekend worship, entailing daily, hourly, even constant worship in some form or other. It is far more than anthems of verbal praise, it is heartfelt, sacrificial, service. It is not about callings, positions, titles or mastery, but about submission to, and emulation of, the Master. It not only entails external sacrifices of time, money and talents, but internal sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit. It is perfect harmony between the letter of the law and its spirit.
Cultural Mormons: These may be defined as; when a person or group of individuals are raised within the Mormon Culture, or unite with it as part of joining the Church of Jesus Christ, but do so for any reasons other than true conversion to the Master. These may become as the younger generation of King Benjamin’s day who were raised in the faith, but never converted to it. Some may unite with the Church in baptism to please families or friends, out of love for the missionaries, because it seemed like a great place to raise a family, or any other reasons that do not include a spiritual witness of its divine origin and desires to adhere to its eternal doctrines.
Cultural Mormons wear all the trappings of membership in the church, hold callings, serve missions, enter covenants and worship in the temples. However, since their hearts are not truly converted to the Master, they are often quick to fall into the mold of the Pharisees of old. They may come to rely upon the letter of the law, while quenching its spirit. They are more susceptible to pride which causes them to pray as the Pharisees or Zoramites, while misjudging and despising the publicans or the poor. They are proficient at form, but have forgotten the weightier matters of the law, Justice and Mercy. They begin to adopt the worship patterns of the world, worshiping on the Lord’s day, but then setting Him aside as they give priority to school, work, recreation, gaming, etc. throughout the rest of the week. They may have little problem parting with a tenth, because that’s what Mormons do, but they then balk at the consecration of their all to the Lord. They equate callings and positions with self worth and personal value, and wonder as the disciples of old, "who should be greatest among them". Sadly, Cultural Mormons often
adopt the characteristics of the Pharisees that Christ outlined, and condemned, in Matthew Chapter 23
Danger: Most of us are probably somewhere in between Cultural Mormonism and the True Conversion reflected in Mormon Culture. That is what progression and becoming are all about. The danger comes when we start trending toward Cultural Mormonism and away from the true Christianity the Mormon Culture is based on. If like the rising generation of King Mosiah’s day, the influence of Cultural Mormonism grows among us until it becomes the majority view of the church, then the Mormon Culture will inevitably change to reflect those values, to become a mirror of their shallow form over substance faith.
However, we are promised that the true church will never again be taken from the earth, and the fact remains that even within a slowly corrupting Mormon Culture, there will remain those who are unshaken, and who belong to what the scriptures refer to as the “Church of the First Born.” These are they whose hearts, mind, lives and devotions are inseparably connected to their Heavenly Father and His Son. These are they who pray for and are being infused with charity, and who strive to radiate that love to all around them. These are they who, when gathered together, wherever they may be, constitute Zion, the pure in heart. These are they who are like the small band of believers among Lamanites, who survived the church's disintegration outlined in 3rd Nephi because they were "converted to the true faith; and would not depart from it..." Their numbers may be small, their influence in a political sense may be waning, but they are those who look to the return of Jesus with great joy, and whose sorrows are swallowed up in Christ, except their sorrows for the sins of the world, and the corruption they see in those they love as brothers and sisters.
My hope is that one day, my wife and I, with all of our ancestors and descendants, might be numbered among those of the Church of the First Born, to be as the scriptures record, "sealed His." For that end, to be part of that culture, I will work, pray and seek until Christ comes or calls me home.