The Christian And The Cults

Issues2 – March 2024 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Christian And The Cults

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a cult as “a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious.” Looking at cults that claim a Christian perspective, a cult is a group whose religious beliefs or practices differ significantly from mainstream Christianity, especially regarding foundational teachings such as the nature of God, the divinity of Jesus, and the authenticity of the Bible. Cults can also be defined as a group of people who diligently follow the teachings of a specific person, even if that teaching contradicts the Bible. Some of those groups are very well-known. 

Are They Christians?
It has been wisely said, “A man who will not stand for something is quite likely to fall for almost anything.”* Christians need to know the truth and stand for the truth, as Paul articulated to Timothy, “… the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15 ESV). But all of the commonly known so-called “Christian” cults claim to have the truth; what is the real test for the truth? The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6). By using the article “the,” Jesus claimed to be the only truth and the only way to the God. Therefore, the real test for the teachings of any group is in comparing what they teach about Jesus Christ to real biblical teaching (8:24; Mt. 22:42).

There are different denominations among Christian circles and most of them include true believers. These denominations differ in teaching about how to worship or other important biblical truths; however, they all agree about the teachings about Jesus Christ being the Son of God. On the other hand, cults have teachings against the Lord Jesus. Some propose He is an archangel, and others consider Him a superior being created by God. By adopting such views, the cults fall under the assessment of Paul when he wrote: “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:4). The simple test of the teaching of any cult is their view of Jesus Christ. If their teaching does not confirm that Christ is God, then their teaching is against biblical truth.

As Christians we should not be surprised with the rise of cults or even wrong teachings within Christian groups. The Lord Jesus foretold that false prophets would come (Mt. 7:15-23). The Bible is also full of warnings about false teachers who would appear within the church, such as those found in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. We should be careful to “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Rom. 12:9).

The Attack Strategy Of The Cults
The problem of the cults is mainly theological because of the wrong teaching they spread, which is why it cannot be fixed with social or cultural methods. They capitalize on the failure of the Church to provide sound biblical teaching. When people lack sound teaching, they can easily fall into the teaching of the cults.

The cults attack through two ways: surprise and confusion. They take Christian language and change the semantics and meaning of the terms to adjust them to their teachings. On the surface, people think they are Christians because they talk about God, Christ, the cross, and even the Bible. But digging deeper, one finds their understanding of God and Christ is very different from what the Bible teaches. In many cases, they even add other books or references to the Bible as the ultimate reference to the truth.

Our Role As Christians
We have to remember the problem with the cults is mainly the teaching, not the individuals. In any interaction, our goal should be to win the souls, not an argument.

Here are four steps that may help anyone evangelize a cultist:

1. The personal connection: Remember that individuals are precious souls for whom Jesus offered Himself. They are human beings with families, friends, emotions, sufferings and a longing for truth. Include them in your prayers and ask the Lord to ignite love in your heart for them.
2. The common grounds: Try to find a common ground of understanding (preferably the authority of the Bible and the attributes and nature of God). Take up the example of Paul, who said, “To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) … To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) … I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:20-22). It may be good to use “Jehovah” when talking about God and Christ. Establish some ground rules for discussions, such as: all Bible references should be based on a recognized translation – King James Version, New King James Version, English Standard Version – to name a few.
3. Note the differences: As you discuss any teaching with a cultist, or share your conversion story, you need to keep in mind the vocabulary that you use as a Christian might have a different meaning to the cultist. Explain what you mean by each expression and term to make sure the listener understands what you mean.
4. Pray and persevere: keep praying for that person and persevere in your discussion and relationship with him or her. Some of the cultists try to provoke the Christian to anger to justify their teaching. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom and patience needed in such a relationship.

ENDNOTE
* Source of the quote is unknown, as it has been credited to several different people.

By Shereen Ghobrial

The folly and absurdity of turning to idols and false gods should have been plain to all the people of Israel during their history, but it was not. How was it that their eyes were closed and their understanding darkened? The trouble laid in their hearts, which were deceived. Because of this, they were unable to consider and discern the lie. The position today is just the same. Why do so many take up the erroneous religious cults that abound? The trouble lies not so much in their intellects as in their hearts. It is true for them as for Israel of old that, “a deceived heart hath turned him aside” (Isa. 44:20 JND). —Frank B. Hole, “Comments On Isaiah” (adapted)