If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
II JOHN 10-11
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Why talk about cults?
We are continually warned in the Bible to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. The cults fall into the category of darkness. Cults are leading people astray into lies, deceit, confusion and ultimately hell. According to our theme verse, we are not even supposed to say, "God bless you" to cult members lest we be partakers of their evil deeds. We can tell cultists about the Lord, but if they don't want to hear and persist in their cult activities, we are to have no fellowship with them. Today's "Christianity" says, "Just love everybody and try to impress them with your life. After all, we all believe the same 'essentials'." The Lord says:
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.I Corinthians 5:11
In this and other verses, the Bible says to mark those that cause division--not embrace them.
Purpose
This page has multiple purposes:
- warn the saints, cult members and potential cult members of false doctrines
- equip saints to effectively witness to cult members and sympathizers
- equip saints to identify cult members from a few words of conversation
Satan has filled this world with "Christian" cults and wrong doctrines in order to see people cast in hell fire. He (1) deceives the simple and (2) appeals to the prideful who want a "customized" religion that fits in with their belief system. Cults also offer something, "new" which in this world is tantamount to better. But God said, "I change not". So when someone brings me a "new thing" I am wary and really seek the Lord about it.
Witnessing to the Cultist
I've met people from a number of cults and all of them had been brainwashed by their religious leaders. You must be in prayer the whole time you are talking to them, because the spirits that have control over them must be quieted in order for them to hear what you are saying. The cult member has been told the same lies so many times that he believes they are true. He's been told that his group is the only one that has the truth. He has been told that the world considers his group a cult. He has been told that disciples of Jesus had to undergo the same persecution he does. You are talking to a person that thinks they are right.
The biggest weapon you've got is the word of God. It punches holes in every cult argument. The Bible is the only offensive weapon listed in the whole armour of God in Ephesians 6. NOTHING can replace an intimate knowledge of the authorized King James Bible. Believe it or not, I've met cultists who have been specifically told NOT to read the authorized King James version of the Bible. This is personal experience. Dear reader, I'm not straining at a gnat on the AKJV issue.
One time I was making some good headway with a Jehovah's Witness cult member. The Holy Ghost was moving heavily and I could see that some light was getting through, but our time expired and she had to go back to work because her lunch hour was up. She said she'd like to get together again. I told her that if she told any of her members that they'd tell her not to talk to me again. "Oh, I'm just going to tell my husband." That was the last I saw of her. I just have to pray and trust that God will take whatever occurred that day and work it out to His glory--His word will not return unto Him void, but will accomplish the thing that He pleases.
Cults have a tendency to change their names, but their evil deeds remain. They'll try to tell you that their "official publications" speak for them, not the writings of their founders and prominent leaders. If you're not sure if an organization is a cult, do these three things:
- Take a look at their founder. Good don't come out of evil. Jesus said an evil tree cannot bear good fruit and this is true for cults.
- Ask yourself, "Who do they say Jesus is?"
- Ask yourself, "How do they say we must be saved?"
The following is a starting list of cults and some of their distinguishing false beliefs (please keep in mind that whole books can be written on these cults--these are therefore cursory descriptions). As the Lord leads, we'll add others. Links are in all capitals.
Children of God/The Family
Jehovah Witness/Russellism
Roman Catholic
Christian Science/The Church of Christ Scientist
Mormon/The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Links:
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
"BIBLE-BASED" CULTS (including groups like the "Garbage Eaters")
CHRISTADELPHIAN, I CHRISTADELPHIAN, II CHRISTADELPHIAN, III
BOSTON CHURCH OF CHRIST & THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
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Cult name: The Children of God (C.O.G.)/The Family
Founder: Moses David Berg, organized 1968
Overview: Don't be fooled by this one. They've adopted a more clean-cut appearance. They even performed in the white house in 1992. I was in a salon one day when a bunch of nice looking, college-aged kids came in and said, "We're the Family and we'd like to sing a song for you." They played the guitar, sang and passed out some coloring sheets and solicited funds. It took all of about 1.5 minutes and they were out the door. I didn't give them anything and thought that they might be C.O.G. I recently got confirmation when I viewed a documentary on cults.
C.O.G. appealed to the hippie generation with its message of "free" love and singing all in the name of Jesus. They are called the original Jesus "freaks"
Cult Tenets/Characteristics:
1. Flirty fishing: Practice of religious prostitution. Founder Berg bases it on Jesus' statement, "I will make you fishers of men". He says that any means is acceptable to bring people into "the kingdom of God"--including having sex with them.
2. Child sex. Publish child pornography in their cult publications.
3. As with many cults, much missionary zeal in America and abroad.
4. Their children don't always go to main stream schools.
5. Charges dismissed in Argentina of child abuse and slavery.
6. Mind control over members.
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Cult name: Jehovah's Witness/Russellism
Founder: Charles Taze Russell, organized 1880
Overview: He sold his Men's Furnishing Store and set out to condemn the translators of the Bible and ministers for what they taught. He taught that the church belongs to the ecclesiastical wing of Satan's organization. He condemns the teaching of the church of all ages--only the JW's supposedly know the truth. (But Christ said that He would build His church and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it)
They are quite "friendly" and hold regular "Bible" studies and meetings which probably appeals to many.
Cult Tenets/Characteristics:
1. Jesus did not rise from the dead. Russell says His body either dissolved into gases or is still preserved somewhere. (Everything a Christian believes hangs on this one fact. Paul says, "If Christ be not risen, your faith is vain.")
2. God is not triune, i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (I John 5:7 says that there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are ONE).
3. No such thing as a hell of everlasting torment. Hell is just the grave. The wicked are simply annihilated. (See our article on hell for verses on hell)
4. Man has no spirit.
5. The Holy Ghost is not a person of the Godhead, just a "life force" of God. (yet He is called God in the Bible and is recorded speaking and commanding)
6. Mind control over members.
7. Man must work to be part of "God's system of things". I guess that refers to life in the hereafter but it certainly is not a Bible phrase. (the Bible says, "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.")
8. 144,000 will live in heaven with God. (they take the 144,000 in Revelation out of context)
9. Fascination with 1) not taking blood transfusions, 2) knocking on doors (they say that's they way Jesus usually shared. No He didn't. The multitudes flocked to Him.), 3) calling God by His "personal name", Jehovah.
10. All dead people will have a second chance for eternal life at the millennium. If you do not prove worthiness at this time, you'll be destroyed. (the Bible says that it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. no second chances)
11. The blood of Christ does not forgive sins, it gives us a "chance" to live again. They have NO assurance of salvation as JWs who supposedly know the truth. (The Bible says the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. Common sense question--Why would God send His Son to die if there was another way to be saved?)
12. Jesus is the archangel Michael--a created being. (John 1:1, 14 says that Jesus is the Word who was in the beginning with God and was God. The Bible also says, "God was manifest in the flesh.")
13. Jesus is just an agent of God, nothing more.
14. Said Jesus' second coming occurred invisibly in 1874. Russell's successor, Rutherford, says this was confirmed by the creation of the first labor organization in 1874. (But the Bible says every eye will see Him. Utter nonsense.)
15. Russell said that in 1914 the millennium would occur and righteousness would be restored to the earth. As 1914 approached, he, and his successor, changed the date to 1915, 1916, 1924, 1928, and on and on to the present day! When you ask a JW about this, they'll give you the party line, "Well, the Watch Tower is reaching different levels of enlightenment." (If JWs believed the Bible, they'd know Russell was a false prophet. Deuteronomy 18:22 says, "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken..."
16. They have many publications with interesting titles like, "Where are the Dead", "To Hell and Back Again", "Millions now living shall never die." They have slick, attractive pictures and topics. But many people do not stop to consider if these things are true and in accordance with the Bible. They pass 'em out everywhere.
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