How do I know if the church is cult?
Discussion
51 comments
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clear gospel ?
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Read your bible, if it goes against it its a cult.
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If there is more emphasis on the leader and the great “work “ he is doing for God … run.
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Quick test is if they add anything to the Bible like Book of Mormon etc. and if they go against the beliefs that most believe as true. Also if they distort any part of the Trinity. Anything that is pro Old Testament is another sign.
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Your spirit bears witness, I guess that is provided you are a spiritual man or women and not carnal.
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Can you challenge the pastor? Are you told not to question the “man of God”? If your leader has an unchecked power no deacons, no one to check his authority. It’s a cult.
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Where there is CONFUSION….something isn’t right!!
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HOW TO RECOGNIZE A CULT:
1. Secrecy is employed; seldom is there full disclosure.
2. Elite leadership does all the thinking; others follow.
3. Followers are the only ones who possess the whole truth.
4. Scripture is never taken at face value.
5. Loyalty goes to a leader or system.
6. The concepts lack historical roots.Every cult uses math to deceive people:
ADD to Scripture.
SUBTRACT from Christ (person or work).
MULTIPLY the requirements for salvation.
DIVIDE the loyalties of men. -
All cults can be categorized by one single element ..who they declare Jesus to be, God or not God
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Usually, I have found is the number one thing is denying the Holy Trinity. Jesus is God. If they deny the deity of Jesus Christ … RUN!!!
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Of it teaches Calvinism or works for salvation
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If what they teach and preach is different from what the Bible the Word of God teaches then it is a cult
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First, the most dastardly, insidious mark of a cult is that it ignores or distorts the Gospel of Jesus Christ., Second, most cults are led by a dynamic, charismatic leader who eventually controls and manipulates his or her followers.,Third, surprisingly, most cult leaders grew up in a Christian environment.,Fourth, cult leaders tend to ignore, confuse, add to, and/or demean the Bible’s teachings.,Fifth, cults use devious methods to trap, deceive, and control their followers., Behavior Control: An individual’s associations, living arrangements, food, clothing, sleeping habits, finances, etc., are strictly controlled
Information Control: Cult leaders deliberately withhold or distort information, lie, propagandize, and limit access to other sources of information
Thought Control: Cult leaders use loaded words and language, discourage critical thinking, bar any speech critical of cult leaders or policies, and teach an “us vs. everyone else” doctrine
Emotional Control: Leaders manipulate their followers via fear (including the fear of losing salvation, and the fear of being shunned, etc.) -
(1) an extra-scriptual source of authority (2) the denial of justification by grace alone (3) the devaluation of Christ (4) the group as the exclusive community of the saved (5) the groups central role in eschatology. Specifically applied by Hoekema in Christian science, Jehovahs Witnessess, Mormonism
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Calvinism isn’t a cult! ?
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If it deviates from the historical Christian doctrine, it is a cult. For example, the Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in the diety of Christ. The Mormons, like the JW’s do not believe in the diety of Christ.
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If you are sincere toward God, read your Bible daily, washed by the blood and have a relationship with God beyond the four walls of the church building, I don’t believe God will allow you to be deceived without warning you first. God is merciful. And thankfully, one of the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians 12 is discerning of spirits.
Never obey a man above God’s word. If a pastor is self absorbed and controlling…seek God to lead you to a church. Spiritual abuse is very common. I have been through it, and I have no desire for anyone else to suffer it. -
You have to study and obey the word for yourself. When you obey, you receive the Holy Spirit, and God teaches you.
Then you’re a member of His Church.
From that point, you just have to listen to each minister you hear and see who is wrong. You can probably look at their practices and see where they are contrary to Christ…
Keep in mind, however, that even among Christ’s flock are those who are misled and who have bad intentions. Satan is always concern with God’s people.
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So you got the first thing down… You believe ?
Next you repent by acknowledging to God that you are a terrible sinner against Him and you’re sorry for it. You ask Him to forgive you and you commit to a lifetime battle against your flesh and it’s continued desire to sin.
Then you go down in the watery grave of baptism…. you call a Church of Christ and they WILL take you REGARDLESS of the COVIDS? If they don’t, then move on to next one. But be sure you take your whole body completely under the water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Then you Get up and you love God with all your mind, body, and soul by Hanging on EVERY word that Christ utters. Don’t let ANYONE tell you ANYTHING that contradicts Christ. Don’t let anyone add anything or take anything from what Christ has said. HE is the ONLY one who says what you must do to be saved or not saved. The disciples and everyone else are allowed to say ONLY TOTALLY what Christ said. He is the end all be all.
You love your neighbors as you love yourself, you love EVERYONE BY treating them as you want to be treated. The best way to do that is to MAKE COPIES of yourself by making sure everyone else knows what they must do to be saved…. You become a priest under CHRIST. No one between you and Christ.
Study His word and become an expert before you move on to Acts-Jude. – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is where you live until death if necessary.
And you will not plan, and desire, and look forward to sin. You regret the sin and you fall and get up asking for forgiveness each time.
God will forgive you as far as the East is from the West. He is Faithful and true!
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Denied Christ divinity.
1 John 4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Testing the Spirits
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. -
Who do they say Jesus is
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1. Teaches that Scripture alone is not enough: you need to have “experiences” or you need to adhere to a particular book in addition to Scripture or you need to maintain a number of religious tasks to maintain your salvation.
2. If they claim to have modern day “prophets”, “signs and wonders”, or “anointings”, RUN
3. Judges you whenever you have a legitimate question regarding their leadership (a twisting of “touch not God’s anointed)
4. Guilts you whenever you cannot attend a church event or are unable to serve in the congregation (i.e. you can’t attend Wednesday night Bible study because you work late – “how dare you put the love of money over the love of God?”; a conference happens to coincide with your mother’s birthday, and you would much rather spend time with her on her birthday – “you should put your spiritual family before your physical family. We’re your REAL family”). Once again, RUN
5. Push/pressure to give of your finances to the church – accuses you or guilts you for “robbing God’s church” when you let the offering basket pass
6. More emphasis on YOU than on the Scriptures. They will take a story about God’s sovereignty or Christ’s deity and twist it to make it about how you need better friends, or how God will allegedly bless your finances or save your marriage, or how you supposedly need to serve in the church more
7. They claim to be THE church and THE truest chosen Christians on the planet. All other churches are inferior, and how dare you visit another church when this one has all you need.I can go on and on, but you get the point. If you or your family/friends see any or of these signs, make like a tree and leave.
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Isaiah chapter one exposing the false religion, chapter 56 a dog like prophets
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You can know if a church is a cult if they add anything other than Faith in Christ alone for Salvation
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If they are called mormons jehovah witnesses, scientologists muslims buddhists sikhs hindus
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All other religions and cults base their salvation on doing good works. The harder you try to be a good person, the better chance you have at entering paradise/heaven/shangri-la, et al.
These religions and cults are all under law, in one form or another.
True Christianity is placing faith in Jesus Christ and confessing with your mouth that Jesus physically rose from the dead.
You are saved by grace through faith and not good works. You are saved for good works but not because of.So don’t be fooled, all other religions and cults are saved by good deeds and love and charity. Those sound nice but I do not see saved by grace through faith in there.
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Be like the Bereans…compare whatever they preach to scripture…
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His Spirit bears witness with our Spirit…….
STUDY to show thyself approved; a workman that need not be ashamed; Rightly dividing The Word of Truth -
Check the statement of faith
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Same way you know if money is counterfeit, study the real thing, read HIS word.
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A good indication is that they have their own version of the Bible, or another book that is equal to the Bible.
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Start with scripture. Is scripture used in their teaching? Does scripture support their teaching? Or are they going outside of scripture to support their teaching?
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A good indication is they don’t wan’t you to talking with people from other religion, cultures or experiences. Christians are to share with people to the ends of the earth.
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Don’t try to figure out what is wrong. You’ll be at it the rest of your life. If your always looking for wrong, you won’t know what’s right. Find the truth, read your Bible, stick with it. Once you understand the truth, you’ll know when the fake comes along.
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If the bible isn’t enough then beware
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“You shall know them by their fruits” Matthew 7:16
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Check what they say about who Christ is and the Bible.
Check their statement of faith it is important to know and understand what they believe. -
Thier view of the person and work of Christ … The trinity ect .. The basic core doctrines of Christianity .. Do they have a grand man … And a small god.
Or do they have a Grand God and a small man ? thats a good sign also -
They should have a Statement of Faith. Check it against scripture. Ask questions if you are confused.
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Statement of faith sometimes is ambiguous. Like that south korean cult. They began as a bible study, only the advanced class contains all the cultic beliefs.
Sure fire way to know it’s a cult- they don’t allow you to check doctrine with anyone outside their group.
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When they start trying to control your personal life, that’s a sign.
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For me it’s simple – I use mathematic symbols:
+ Are they adding anything to the fundamental doctrines of the faith? (e.g. faith + works)
– Are they taking anything away from the fundamental doctrines? (e.g. Removing Christ from the Trinity)
x Are they making a particular doctrine more important than it really is (e.g. eschatology)
/ Is what they’re teaching causing division in the truth (caution here though as truth also divides, therefore use it in conjunction with the others)
> Are they making certain issues more important than others when in reality it’s the other way around (e.g. the sabbath more important than faith)
< Are they making certain issues less important than others when in reality it's the other way around = Are they giving something or someone equal authority to Scripture or Christ? (e.g. the pope = to Scripture) -
Who is getting the glory?
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Is it part of one holy catholic and apostolic
Church.? Danger signs include sexual immorality and lavish lifestyle of leaders, spiritual abuse in controlling followers, rejection of biblical teaching, new doctrines based on personal authority and a negative attitude to the vast majority of Christians. -
Lack of tolerance of contrasting views.
Huge demands on personal/leisure time.
Huge financial demands.
Huge barriers (physical and/or mental) should you want to opt out.
Abuse of various kinds.
Typically sleep deprivation. -
Cult Red Flags:
– they believe only their group can be saved
– they worship, revere or glorify a leader/man/founder
– they make you feel special or entitled and above the rest
– they have questionable supernatural (demonic) practices
– they are mainly driven by Money
– they have additions to the WordAlso, cults refute any of the Main Basic tenets in the bible –
the Lordship and Resurrection of Jesus,
the Doctrine of Salvation by Faith through Grace, not of works or the law.
The Trinity
The power of the Holy Spirit to sanctification
And the resurrection of the dead in the last days -
According to Jesus, a cult raises it’s teachings above what the scriptures teach, it glorifies an organization or men in place of Jesus and God, and it punishes, if you don’t go along with those first two things.
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reject the “Deity” of Jesus Christ = “cult”
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By the size of building.
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