Recognizing A Cult or False Religion

Introduction

Matthew 7:15 KJV 1900

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

The dangers of false prophets and their heresy were not uncommon in Jesus’ day nor were they new on the scene. Throughout the ages, men have been influenced by the false teaching of those who sought to promote their agenda rather than God’s. During the days of the prophets, God sent a message of repentance and judgment. The false prophets refuted the claims of God’s men and preached a message of peace and prosperity. Jesus dealt with the Pharisees and Jewish legalists.

Paul warned of the dangers of false prophets.

Acts 20:29 KJV 1900

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Peter and John dealt with them...

2 Peter 2:1 KJV 1900

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

We are commanded not to believe just anything that comes along...

1 John 4:1 KJV 1900

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.

The false prophet remains today and we must be aware of the dangers they pose to the church.

Tonight, part 2 in the series “Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing” - We will look at recognizing a Cult or False Religion...

Some of this you’ll remember from last week as it sort of overlaps what we introduced...

There are distinctive traits of all cults. We can use these to identify organizations or groups which are not based upon Scriptural doctrines, philosophies, ideologies and practices. Understanding these similarities will help do what we are commanded in Jude 3…to...

Jude 3 (KJV 1900)

3 ...earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Allow me to give you some distinctive traits of a cult heresy...

Much of what you’ll hear tonight, I gleaned from the book “The Challenge of the Cults of New Religions” written by Ron Rhodes...

1. New Revelation from God

Most cult and new age religion leaders claim to have a direct pipeline to God...

Mormon leader, Brigham Young said, “I have had many revelations; I have seen and heard for myself; and know these things are true, and nobody on earth can disprove them.”

Reverend Mood of the Unification Church claimed to have received a revelation from Christ on Easter morning in 1936. Baha’is claim that the latest and greatest revelation from God has come through the prophet Baha’u’llah.

Christian Scientists believe Mary Baker Eddy received revelations that are necessary to understand previous revelations in the Bible.

It’s interesting; the teachings of cults change often and change requires new revelations to justify them...

I mentioned Brigham Young just a moment ago, well Mormons had once excluded African Americans from the priesthood. When social pressure was exerted on the Mormon church because of this racist practice, the Mormon president received a “new revelation” reversing the previous decree.

In cults and new age religions, they generally put their credibility to new revelations, rather than past ones (such as those found in the Bible…)

The Bible says,

2 Peter 1:20–21 KJV 1900

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

This brings us right into the 2nd distinctive trait, which is...

2. An Extra Scriptural Source of Authority

I give you some examples of this last week, so I won’t repeat them, but all Cults use books, usually written by their founders as authority over Scripture, or necessary to interpret Scripture.

When cults raise their books to the level of Scripture, Anthony Hoekema writes, “God is no longer allowed to speak as He does in the Bible; He may now speak only as the sect deems proper. Thus the Word of God is brought under the yoke of man.”

3. The Denial of Salvation by Grace

Without exception, cults deny salvation by grace, thus distorting the purity of the Gospel. Works are typically viewed as being necessary in attaining salvation, thus viewing the grace of God as a reward, not a gift.

In Mormon theology one cannot become eligible for the highest degree of salvation without keeping the commandments of the Lord in all things.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses emphasize the importance of distributing Watchtower literature door-to-door as a part of “working out” their salvation.

In Oneness Pentecostalism, faith, repentance, water baptism, and baptism in the Holy Spirit (as evidenced by speaking in tongues) are all necessary for the new birth to be achieved.

Now, we will get into this in another lesson, but what one word means in the Bible, or to us, doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing to these cults...

Some of these I’ve mentioned pay lip service to salvation “by grace” - You’ll hear that from the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, but by this they mean that because of God’s great favor, humans now have the wonderful opportunity to “work out” or earn salvation. Others describe this grace as being more of a reward for those who are faithful to the conditions and requirements laid down by the cult.

We know tonight that this is not true, Biblical grace at all…

The Bible says,

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

4. The Devaluation of Christ

Another trait of the cults is that they deny the full deity of Jesus Christ.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses hold that Jesus was created by the Father billions of years ago as the archangel Michael and is hence a lesser god than the Father, who is “God Almighty.”

Mormons argue that Jesus was born as the first and greatest spirit child of the Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother and was the spirit-brother of Lucifer.

The Baha’is say Jesus was just one of many prophets of God and is lesser than the most recent prophet Baha’u’llah.

Unitarian Universalists deny that Jesus is God and argue that he was basically a good moral teacher.

The Jesus of the Masonic Lodge is one of many ways to God.

The Jesus of the spiritists is just an advanced medium.

These views about Jesus naturally devalue and redefine His work of salvation on the cross.

Mormon leader Brigham Young taught that some sins are so serious that the sinner must shed his own blood for atonement.

Jehovah’s Witnesses say that Jesus, as a mere man, died at the stake.

The Bible says,

Hebrews 10:10–12 KJV 1900

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

5. Central Role in Eschatology

All cults hold that God has raised them up for the last days to fill a gap left by the main stream Church.

A number of cults see themselves as playing a central role in fulfilling biblical prophecy and thus view themselves as an important part of the unfolding of God’s plan on earth.

Baha’is claim that Jesus’ prophecy of “the Spirit of truth” in the Upper Room Discourse (John 14–16) was a prophecy of its leader, Baha’u’llah, and that references to the Second Coming in the New Testament are fulfilled in Baha’u’llah.

The Mormon Inspired Version of the Bible, which conveniently was personally edited by Joseph Smith himself, contains a prophecy of Smith in Genesis 50. Mormons also claim to be the “restored church” with a “restored priesthood” and a “restored gospel” and view themselves as God’s “latter-day saints,” proclaiming God’s last word to the people of the earth.

Jehovah’s Witnesses have often portrayed themselves as God’s witnesses on earth prior to the unleashing of Armageddon, and they consider themselves the only ones who will survive this worldwide catastrophe.

Shincheonji, a very large cult based in Korea, believes itself to be the end-time expression of the true church through the direct fulfillment of the prophecies in Revelation. The leader and founder, Lee Man-hee (“the Promised Pastor”), claims by divine revelation to have been sent by the Holy Spirit to create “God’s kingdom of heaven here on earth, exactly as he witnessed it in heaven” - The word “Shincheonji” means “New Heaven New Earth”...

Conclusion

Along with these views as being the central role in prophecy, or eschatology, comes the belief also that they are the only people that will be saved…

We have a lot of Baptists that even believe this one...

In closing tonight, I want you to know that believing you’re the only one right or if you believe someone is lost because they don’t do things the way you do, you’re violating a principle found in the teachings of Jesus…

Luke 9:49–50 KJV 1900

49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Jesus taught His disciples to have a more generous spirit. There are many that are wrong in some aspect of their presentation or teaching, yet they still set forth Jesus in some manner. Let God deal with them. Those who are not against a Biblical Jesus are still on our side, at least in some way.

Don’t misunderstand me tonight though…I said, those who are not against a Biblical Jesus are still on our side…

Paul saw many men preaching Christ from many motives, some of them evil motives – yet he could rejoice that Christ was being preached...

Philippians 1:15–18 KJV 1900

15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: 16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. 18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.