Identifying Cults
A cult is a religious group that is separated from orthodox
Christianity by false doctrine. This may seem obvious, but to please God and
avoid being placed into bondage it may be necessary to look at cults more
deeply.
Recently my wife and I have opened our house out in the country
to disciple new believers and help them overcome the world. At our home:
-
I have absolute authority.
-
We isolate these disciples from their old friends.
-
We have a lot of rules.
-
We control our dietary intake.
Since all these things, as I will point out, are marks of a cult
I would like to say a word in my defense, before I loose my audience let me
state:
-
I submit myself to oversight from local church pastors.
-
Our isolation is only in the beginning to remove new disciples
from their old friends while they are overcoming a destructive lifestyle.
-
Our rules are for peace in the house, none of our ‘extra
biblical’ rules are essential for salvation.
-
We are all on the same diet. It is a healthy one, though simple
and economical.
This
is not a study to defend my position or beliefs, rather this paper is to teach
and prevent new believers from being snared by a cult and encourage if possible
cult members to leave their cults.
When a cult member knocks on an atheist’s door, most likely
the atheist will not be interested. However, if that same person should start to
think seriously about the things of God and then a cult member knocks - watch
out! Now the victim may be snared by words like "We believe the Bible is
the word of God" and the cult presenting evidence that they are the 'True
and faithful church'. Jesus said:
Matthew
7:15-20 Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or
figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a
corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil
fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by
their fruits ye shall know them.
How can you recognizing a cult?
Not only must you beware of cults,
unfortunately some Christian denominations have cultic practices. The more of
these characteristics a church has, the more cultic it is. If a church has most
of the following characteristics, it is a cult and may not even be Christian at
all.
How does a believer recognize a cult? Here are some indications.
The group is exclusive
Cults usually believe that they and they alone, are the one
true church. It is surprising to me how many different groups, I have heard of
that believe they alone are the 144,000 mentioned in chapter seven of The
Book of Revelation. Most cults teach that you have to be in their
membership to go to Heaven.
Apostles & prophets
Cults will have leaders or prophets that are only
recognized by them. The cult’s leader or leaders are not accountable to
anyone. Often these prophets are given equal or more authority then the Bible.
Without their prophets interpreting for them, they believe you cannot properly
understand the Bible.
No thinking allowed
As a result, in a cult the individual person
is not allowed to think for himself. Therefore, everyone believes exactly the
same thing as his or her leader. In other words, if it is in their catechism,
they can't question it. If it isn't, they can't believe it. Does everybody in
your church believe exactly the same thing on every point of doctrine?
Isolation
John 17:15 I
pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest
keep them from the evil.
It is true; we have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness. However the isolation when practiced by cults is to keep their
members from hearing any challenge to their doctrine. Rather than maturing as
Christians cult members often become more and more dependant on the cult leader.
Dishonor parents
Luke 14:26 If
any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children,
and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Matthew 15:5-6 But
ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by
whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his
mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none
effect by your tradition.
Cult members are often encouraged or even forced to
separate from family members. Cult leaders will use Luke 14:26 to do this. These
cult leaders will never bother to teach Matthew 15:5-6
Those who love God may have their family turn on them,
however those on the narrow path will not neglect to honor their father or
mother!
Pride
Pride causes them to look down on people who are not
members. Since they view nonmembers as heretics they can't learn anything from
them. Cult members are at the complete mercy of the 'anointed' cult leader. Have
you ever been corrected by anyone outside of your church? A ‘no’ answer may
be a bad sign.
Saved by works
Members are trying to work their way into Heaven. Ask the
member how he is going to Heaven. Compare it to;
Ephesians 2:8-9 For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Some cult members claim that they are saved by grace, but later
you will find in reality the cult teaches differently.
Sermons
Romans 8:29 For
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of
his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The sermons in a cult are preoccupied with uplifting the
cult leader or the doctrines that separate them from other Christians. Sermons
should be preoccupied in lifting up Jesus and encouraging us to become like Him.
Legalism
They all have some form of legalism. The more cultic the
church is, the more legalistic. Compare it to rules the apostles gave the church
in Acts chapter 15. Does your church have special works that are necessary, yet
these same works separate it from the rest of Christianity?
Bible studies
All Bible studies are carefully orchestrated to provide the
forgone conclusions of cult leaders. They teach, often taken verses out of
context, how the Bible supports the cult’s pet doctrines rather than studying
the Bible for what it actually says.
No hermeneutics, the science of studying the Bible, will be
taught in a cult. This is not necessary, as the cult leader will study the Bible
for you.
Other sacred writings
Cults will often have other sacred
writings that are needed to understand the Bible. Do not use other books to
interpret the Bible. Use the Bible to judge other books.
Some cults have books that they
believe are equal to the Holy Bible. At the same time, cults will discourage or
forbid members from reading anything that has not been approved by their
leaders.
Cult leaders will often have distain
for other Christian or secular leaders.
Secret doctrines
John 18:20 Jesus
answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and
in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said
nothing.
Cults often have secret doctrines. Only after you are a
member will you find out what your cult really believes. Compare this to Jesus
who taught openly. Christianity has doctrines that are foolish to the
unbeliever, not kept secret from the unbeliever.
Conclusion
The wolves are a real and serious problem to new believers,
as well as to old believers who have not learned sound doctrine. The first step
in protecting yourself from these wolves is to recognize that Satan goes about
seeking whom he may devour. The solution is to become established in sound
Biblical doctrine. If you need to, look for Christians that believe the Bible to
be the word of God. Fellowship with those who do not practice the errors
mentioned above.
What is the attraction of cults?
We Christians on the outside should try and understand the
attraction of cults. We will be better equipped to reach someone trapped in a
cult as well as prevent others from being indoctrinated.
Some traditional churches have made compromises offering a
contemporary environment or easy-believeism. The compromise or lukewarm
atmosphere of many churches gives cult leaders much ammunition to use in their
sermons.
Cult members see themselves as the normal ones and in
relative safety. It is the outsider who has not thought his position through and
therefore the outsider is the one who is in danger. Lets look at some examples.
A life of personal sacrifice
Romans 12:1 I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service.
Cult leaders demand personal
sacrifice and obedience. I am not just talking about going around knocking on
doors every Saturday, I know of one group where many of the members have donated
one of their kidneys at the urging of their leader.
The teaching that we must ‘present
our bodies as a living sacrifice’ is missing in many traditional churches. Nor
does our self-indulgent culture satisfy the inner man. Therefore cult members
who are living sacrificially see themselves as being in far less danger and
living a more satisfying life than the self-indulgent outsiders.
Idealism
All cults offer a sort of idealism or meaning in their
member’s life. At the same time, many traditional churches are trying to
update their music program or offer a more contemporary atmosphere to gain
members. Being a member for idealistic reasons rather than for entertainment is
evidence to the cult member that he is in the true church, and again that those
on the outside are the ones in danger.
Renewal of first love
Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless
I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Many
Christians are hard to recognize as such during the week. Often their lifestyles
will imply a love for the world rather then a love for God. Again while a cult
member’s love may be misdirected, they see themselves in a far more
spiritual position then the outsider.
Persecution
Matthew 5:10 Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.
Being ridiculed by those in traditional churches or on the
outside is evidence to the cult member that he is in the true church and again
that those on the outside are the ones in danger.
Escape coming judgment.
Matthew 24:38-39 For
as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be.
The draw of many cults is the
promise that as God’s chosen people they will escape the immanent doom coming
on the earth. They see the world today just as Jesus described it. Of course not
everyone showing us how to escape the coming judgment will escape it themselves.
Yet cult members see themselves as making a sincere effort to avoid God’s
judgment, at the same time they see outsiders as unconcerned. Therefore they see
us, not themselves, as the ones in danger.
The leaders personal charisma
Isaiah 53:2b He
hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that
we should desire him.
2 Timothy 4:3 For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own
lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
We pick our movie stars, rock stars and other idols because
they have some personal charisma, why not pick our teachers and mentors this way
also? This is also true for many Christians who pick where they fellowship by
choosing a pastor who is a charismatic leader, someone who is interesting to
listen to. There is a problem though, when we pick pastors for their charisma
rather than their doctrine.
Sense of family
Deuteronomy 16:19 Thou
shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift:
for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the
righteous.
Cults offer a sense of family to their members. Often this
is the first family the member has ever had. An essential part of recruiting for
most cults is to shower their proselytes with love. It is nice to feel part of a
family. Christians should behave like a family too. What the cult member
didn’t think about was; of course he was being showered with attention, he was
being recruited. We should not let personal attention cause us to shut our eyes.
1 John 4:1 Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because
many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Counterfeit spiritual truths
1 John 2:19 They
went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they
would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be
made manifest that they were not all of us.
Cults do not draw their strength
from their errors. They draw their strength from their ability to counterfeit
Spiritual truths. The Spiritual truths taught by Jesus are powerful. The cult
leaders ability to slightly twist these truths make their teachings attractive
and yet as Peter warned:
2 Peter 3:16 As
also in all his [Paul’s] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which
are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and
unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own
destruction.
Exclusivism
Job 41:34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
The pride that comes from being part of God’s select
group is appealing to cult members.
Conclusion
There seems to be many similar draws between Christianity
and cults. For example there is the personal sacrifice, idealism, and sense of
family. Perhaps, at first glance, a cult may seem hard to recognize. But cultic
practices will be the reverse of the teachings of Jesus.
Contrasts between the cults and a Bible believing church
Cult leaders vs. Jesus
Titus 1:16 They
profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Jesus did not ask people to make sacrifices so he could live
well. He led by example. He came to serve not to be served. Jesus always showed
meekness, in contrast cult leaders are very arrogant.
Cult leaders cannot manifest the fruit of the Spirit. Time will
usually show the fruit of a cult leaders life. Cult leaders will not only have a
problem with anger or patience, the can justify their own fornication or other
sins while keeping up the illusion of being ‘spiritual’.
Does your church appoint its leaders and hold them to the
standard Paul taught in 1st Timothy
chapter 3 or Titus chapter 1? If not, why not?
Another Christ vs. the historical Jesus Christ
Galatians 1:8 But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that
which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
I do not know of any cults that reject Christ up front. Even in
Islamic countries, where Christians are persecuted and you cant have a Bible,
Jesus is still regarded a prophet.
However in a cult the historical Jesus will be replaced with
another perhaps new age Jesus or their Jesus will have new doctrines that the
church didn’t know existed. Sometimes Jesus’ importance will be replaced by
the importance of the cult leaders.
Additional requirements vs. grace
Romans 10:9 That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
This is one of paramount importance. There is no greater
love than a man die for his friend. God became man so He could pay the price for
our sins in His death. We are saved by God’s ultimate love there is none
greater. If we try and add good works to this we are insulting God by saying His
ultimate love is insufficient. Repeat, all our additional requirements for
salvation are an insult to God. Rather let our love be motivated by
thanksgiving.
Luke 7:47 Wherefore
I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but
to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
Stretching vs. stressing Scripture
Matthew 12:36 But
I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judgment.
Do any words like, baptism, salvation, the devil or hell,
(or any other word) have a different meaning for your group than it does for the
Christian church at large? If so this is thought control, you are
misunderstanding the Scriptures without even knowing it. If your group used the
Bible to ‘redefine’ your words you have been powerfully brain washed. This
is a common practice in most cults! Prayerfully and humbly read the Gospel of
Jesus as a little child or there may be no hope for you!
Everybody uses proof texts to teach doctrine. A cult leader
doesn’t mind taking proof text out of context to do so. If God through the
Bible is teaching a doctrine and your teacher is using the same scripture to
teach another doctrine there will be a collision on the Day of Judgment.
Dependency on the leader vs. personal growth
John 10:29 My
Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck
them out of my Father's hand.
Like Alcoholics Anonymous a cult member is taught he will
never be able to leave the cult without falling completely back into sin. (Or
some version of this)
However a good pastor will encourage personal growth. I have heard pastors say words to the effect: “You can’t
make it without me or our organization”.
Why create this dependence? Christians should encourage each other, but
our dependency is on Jesus Christ.
Ill-treated vs. persecuted
Matthew 5:11 Blessed
are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner
of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Sometimes
a cult member will have a door slammed shut on him. This however is not
Christian conduct. If two cult members knock on your door, you may say no, but
speak nicely, and close the door gently.
Cult members may be rejected because of their identification
with a cult. Christians may be persecuted, but in order to have the blessing
mentioned in Matthew chapter 5 it must be as Jesus said, falsely and for His
sake.
Compelled giving vs. secret voluntary giving
In the Christian community the giving is voluntary. In
cults you often give up all of your personal possessions. In those cases, not
having any personal resources will make it very difficult to leave the group
once your eyes are opened.
Some Christian churches demand a tithe or use heavy-handed
tactics to raise money for the building fund. Most churches pass the plate while
the organ is being played. Jesus Taught:
Matthew 6:1-2 Take
heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have
no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a
trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Exclusive revelation vs. recognition of nonmembers
This contrast was mentioned earlier in
How can you recognize a cult?
Withdrawing from families vs. honoring parents
This contrast was also mentioned earlier in
How can you recognize a cult?
What promotes the group is permissible vs. Integrity at all costs
The individual Christian and the church should act with
integrity at all costs. A brief look at history will show how big the cost can
be. By contrast in a cult anything that protects or promotes group is
permissible.
Other Contrasts
Some cults use games, sleep deprivation, peer pressure,
lack of privacy, diet, chanting (See Matthew 6:7), the result is mind control is
to except with out question the teaching of its leader. Of course none of these
tactics are taught by Jesus.
Leaving a Cult
Feeling of going into darkness
This is most important so am mentioning it first. In time
you might see the leader for what he is. You will start recognizing that your
group is full of errors. Still leaving the group will feel like going from light
into darkness. All of your ‘family’ is trying to persuade you, no one is on
your side, you will be all alone. You have given so many sacrifices. Once you
were so sure. Can you really leave behind what you once believed with all your
heart?
This feeling of darkness is only a feeling and it will
pass. It is common with everyone who leaves a cult. Our feelings are not always
reliable; our feelings often change with time.
If you make a clean break, in a short time the feeling of darkness will
be replaced with a feeling of relief and freedom. As many have seen, once you
leave it will be like scales falling from your eyes and you will wonder how you
could have been so blind.
If your cult professed to be Christian and you were trying
to serve Jesus, be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water. In
other words, don’t give up on your Christian walk, rather recommit your life
to Jesus and pray for discernment. Jesus gave us enough to spare us from the
cults, ask his forgiveness for putting men in God’s place and go forward.
Your experience can be used to spare others. After the
pride of being in a cult, the humility of admitting wrong will be refreshing to
God. The best is yet ahead.
All the sacrifices
I know you made many sacrifices. Remember the emperor who
was in the parade with no clothes on. His pride made him continue walking naked
even after he was exposed. If he had any wisdom he would have immediately
covered himself and if you have any wisdom so will you.
Bridges have been burned
God knows where you are and where you came from. The sooner
you pick up the pieces the sooner your healing will start.
Read things from ex-members
This will give you very relevant help from someone who
knows exactly what you are going through. Find out what it was, that the
self-anointed leader was so afraid you would find.
It is usually easier to just do nothing
My father could never muster the determination to overcome
smoking. One day he got cancer, shortly after that he quit smoking. But it was
too late and he died a slow painful death.
When the pain exceeds the pleasure we will quit. But why
wait? Some day we will all stand before God, it will be far easier to do the
right thing now then to face Him and account for our slothfulness then.
For Christians
Preemptive strike
The next time you hear of two people knocking on a
friend’s door, don’t waste a moment, go over and open the scriptures to him.
It is easy to expose the errors of a cult to a friend, if you show them before
he joins. After people join a cult, for pride and the other reasons mentioned
earlier, it will be difficult if not next to impossible to show them the simple
truths of Scripture.
Build with gold
I Corinthians 3:11-15 For other foundation
can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man
build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall
declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try
every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he
hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall
be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so
as by fire.
Surely, some members of errant denominations are brothers in the
Lord. Nevertheless, as members of a wayward church you are building with wood
hay and stubble, unless of course you are able and willing to correct your
church from within. So let us build with gold.
Conclusion
Matthew 24:4-5 And
Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many
shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ [I am anointed]; and shall deceive
many.
There are many gifted Christians, they walk humbly and do
not draw men after themselves. However since Jesus spoke these words many have
come in His name. Many profess themselves to be prophets or apostles and claim
to have some special anointing. I know of no exception, but that they have all
deceived their followers.
We will all stand on the Day of Judgment and face God.
Which will you hear: “Well done faithful servant, you overcame the world” or
“Why did you not listen to me?”
If this study can help you or anyone you know you are
free to copy and use it.
If you have any questions or corrections please contact
me
Jeff
Home
Links and
resources |
