Christian Counterfeits (Cults)
Introduction
When truth produces its proper results, error always takes its revenge. Slight deviation from Biblical truth leads to graver obliteration “Cultism” or belief in wrong doctrines is like a childhood disease in the life of a young Christian. As we take much care in bringing up a child in order not to fall into sickness, we need to carefully bring up a new convert lest he fall into wrong teaching.
What is a cult?
Introduction
When truth produces its proper results, error always takes its revenge. Slight deviation from Biblical truth leads to graver obliteration “Cultism” or belief in wrong doctrines is like a childhood disease in the life of a young Christian. As we take much care in bringing up a child in order not to fall into sickness, we need to carefully bring up a new convert lest he fall into wrong teaching.
What is a cult?
- Cultism is deviation from the Truth.
- Cultism is any major deviation from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith. – Walter R. Martin
- A Cult is a religious belief and practice calling for devotion to a religious view central in false doctrine. – Dave Breese
How do the cults originate?
- By confusing what man does with what God did.
- By confusing human goodness with spiritual righteousness.
- By confusing intellectual knowledge with experimental knowledge.
How do the cults thrive?
- By using mind control or undue influence on their members.
- They meet human needs, for them meeting human needs is not a motto but a method to build their kingdom.
- By being aggressive.
- They are authoritative in presenting their ideologies. They use the Scripture convincingly for this.
How to identify a cult?
- They have their own revelation which is extra-biblical.
- Speak outside or apart from the Scripture
- Offer something new from God.
- Emphasize salvation by works.
- Give uncertain hope.
- Claim Messianic Leadership by the cult leader
- Claiming to have come directly from God (or)
- Claiming to be equal with God
- Doctrinal ambiguity (Confusion)
- Denunciation of others – condemn other denominations. They claim themselves to be unique, saying they are the only ones right and everyone else is wrong.
- Claim of special discoveries which is contrary to the Scriptures
- Defective Christology: that is, they either deny the divinity of Christ or deny the humanity of Christ
- Segmented Biblical attention: that is, they choose Scripture verses according to their convenience and omit other portions
How do they abuse?
- Abuse of individuality: Adopting groups’ mentality does not permit the individual to think for him/her apart from the group. They are forced accept what they are told.
- Abuse of intimacy: Relationship with friends, relatives, spouses, children & parents are broken or seriously hampered.
- Abuse of finances: Pressure to give all they can to the group.
- Us vs Them mentality: Isolation from the community. Consider others as “unenlightened”. Consider government, Church, education systems, the media and the world in general as their enemies.
- Abuse of time an energy: Lead the members in a constant state of mental and physical exhaustion.
- Abuse of free will: Unquestioning submission to the group’s teachings and directions.
Results of Abuse
- Personality Change: Relatives may not recognize – rejection and feeling of hate set in.
- Loss of identity: Can’t see themselves as individuals apart from the group. Even change their names as a rejection of their former life.
- Paranoid: Negative saying or criticism of the individual by others is seen as persecution.
- Social disorientation: Lose their ability to socialize outside the group. Perceive world through their leader’s eyes.
- Severe guilt complex
What is the Christian answer to a cult?
We need to teach that,
- Sin is real
- Salvation is essential
- Work of Christ is sufficient for our salvation
- Belief is necessary
How to approach a cult?
- Approach with love
- Do not condemn; do not argue.
- Testify your life.
- Exalt Christ
- Get the facts
- Identify Common
- Show how Christ fulfills
Your Role
- Keep off deviation from the Truth, but personally meet the Truth
- Study the Bible systematically and obey God’s word
- Study Bible related books
- Love people
- Pray for the cults
1. Jehovah’s Witness (Founder: Charles T. Russel & J.F. Rutherford)
- Believe that Jesus is a created being
- Deny the deity of Jesus
- Deny Trinity
- Misquote Scriptures
- Say that New Heaven and New Earth are here
- Do not obey earthly government
- Christ came in 1914
2. Seventh Day Adventism
Believe in Trinity.
But, also believe that
- We need to abide by the law of the OT
- Jesus examines our sins and throws those sins on Satan who carries our sin; so Satan is our redeemer!
- Salvation is by keeping the law
- All who worship on Sunday will be doomed
3. Modern Theology
Believe that:
- God is an energy
- Jesus is an ideal human being
- Holy Spirit is an influence
- Man comes by process of evolution
- Sin is failure to raise out of animal nature
- If you are good and doing good it is enough; all are sons of God and so all will be saved.
4. Children of God (Founder: Moses David Berg)
- Use love as their symbol language
- Start with divine love and ultimately lead to “eros” love turns into lust.
- All kinds of adultery is encouraged in their group
- Have produced many cassettes – importance to love songs
(other names: Music with Meaning, The Family, Family of Love, Heavenly Magic, Teens for Christ)
5. Emotionalists
- Those who put the emotional experience over above real life experiences
- Emphasize the gifts of the Spirit rather than the fruits of the Spirit.
- Believe in spectacular events, dreams and visions
- Interpret history and make it a dogma
- Claim to have special revelation (by the way of prophecy or tongue), which is contrary to the word of God.
Prepared by Athma Soruban, UESI-TN
[Shared in YEGF, South-Central, Adyar]
