The Culture of Christ

Culture can be so embedded in our lives that we fail to see the drawbacks of our own culture.

I like this description of the true culture of gospel.

Though learned behavior—those things to which we are exposed by the cultures we grow up in—can serve as a great strength in our lives, it can also, at times, become a significant obstacle.

It may seem that culture is so heavily embedded in our thinking and behavior that it is impossible to change. It is, after all, much of what we feel defines us and from which we feel a sense of identity. It can be such a strong influence that we can fail to see the man-made weaknesses or flaws in our own cultures, resulting in a reluctance to throw off some of the traditions of our fathers. An overfixation on one’s cultural identity may lead to the rejection of worthwhile—even godly—ideas, attributes, and behavior.

Understanding and appreciating our existing culture is important bit growth stops if we are unwilling to upgrade our personal culture when we learn of flaws or opportunities for improvement.

Many of our world’s problems are a direct result of clashes between those of differing ideas and customs arising from their culture. But virtually all conflict and chaos would quickly fade if the world would only accept its original culture, the one we all possessed not so very long ago. This culture dates back to our premortal existence. It was the culture of Adam and Enoch. It was the culture founded on the Savior’s teachings in the meridian of time, and it is available to all women and men once again in our day. It is unique. It is the greatest of all cultures and comes from the great plan of happiness, authored by God and championed by Christ. It unites rather than divides. It heals rather than harms.

The culture of Zion – the pure in heart.

This culture is grounded in the testimony that our Heavenly Father exists, that He is real and loves each one of us individually. We are His “work and [His] glory.” This culture espouses the concept of equal worth. There is no recognition of caste or class. We are, after all, brothers and sisters, spirit children of our heavenly parents—literally. There is no prejudice or “us versus them” mentality in the greatest of all cultures. We are all “us.” We are all “them.” We believe that we are responsible and accountable for ourselves, one another, the Church, and our world. Responsibility and accountability are important factors in our growth.

There is no prejudice or “us versus them” mentality in the greatest of all cultures. We are all “us.” We are all “them.”

This culture champions the principle of agency. The ability to choose is extremely important for our development and our happiness. Choosing wisely is essential.

It is a culture of learning and study. We seek knowledge and wisdom and the best in all things.

It is a culture of faith and obedience. Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of our culture, and obedience to His teachings and commandments is the outcome. These give rise to self-mastery.

It is a culture of prayer. We believe that God will not only hear us but also help us.

It is a culture of covenants and ordinances, high moral standards, sacrifice, forgiveness and repentance, and caring for the temple of our bodies. All of these bear witness to our commitment to God.

In trying to build the family, does our family culture include all of these elements?

This culture sanctions the sanctity of the family. The family is the basic unit of eternity. The perfection of the family is worth any sacrifice because, as has been taught, “no other success can compensate for failure in the home.” The home is where our best work is done and where our greatest happiness is attained.

And it will require sacrifice.

In the culture of Christ, there is perspective—and eternal focus and direction. This culture is concerned with things of lasting worth! It comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is eternal and explains the why, what, and where of our existence. (It is inclusive, not exclusive.) Because this culture results from the application of our Savior’s teachings, it helps provide a healing balm of which our world is in such desperate need.

Being focused on things of eternal worth makes it easier to lay aside things that are of lesser worth when needed.