Sunday Sermons
What is a Cult?
What is a Cult?
What is a cult? One definition is that a cult is a perversion, a distortion of biblical Christianity. Another is that a cult is a group that follows some fanatical teaching. The only problem with such definitions is that many people disagree over what is a distortion or what would be a fanatical view. Yet, cults typically form around a false theology.
They are Not New
Groups that followed some leader off the deep end are nothing new. They even existed in biblical times. Acts 5:36-37
Why are They Popular?
Some estimate that new religions and cults originating in the last two hundred years have increased their membership figures in this century by 2000 to 3000 percent. Europe has 3-4 times as many new religious groups per capita as the United States. With estimates as high as 5000 cults worldwide, and estimates of as many as 150 million people worldwide belonging to cults, few can afford to ignore this issue.
- They are filling a spiritual vacuum created by the inability of materialism, hedonism, and rationalism to supply lasting purpose to one’s existence.
- The rejection of absolute truth by the culture has opened the door for believing every lie. Man is often looking for the latest thing.
- Cults result when people are not happy with the secular world and yet don’t want to submit to true biblical teachings and what to create their own religion. Americans today are very ignorant of even simple Bible teachings, thus are very vulnerable to false teachers. Jeremiah 19:4
- When religions multiply, truth suffers, and confusion reigns.
- We pay for what we tolerate, whether it is crime, drug use, or not disciplining our children. Cults flourish when no one has the courage to draw the line and say, “That is false”.
Other Relationships are Dangerous Too
Clearly, no one wants to become involved in some cult, yet one can lose their soul in other ways as well. The group a person joins may not be controlling them, they might just be lying to you or they might exploit you in financial ways (2 Peter 2:1-3 “Make merchandise of you”). Jesus noted that just remaining on the broad way is more than enough to condemn a person (Matthew 7:13-14).
Some Common Traits of Cults
- Blindly Following a Human Leader/Leadership
Cults often have a human leader or a group of leaders that control the entire movement beneath them. They might even insist that all the congregations study the same material on the same day and that the members read only material that is authorized by the leadership. Typically such leaders want the people to follow them and not Christ (Acts 20:29-31). To avoid such abuse, Jesus designed His church in the following manner: 1. He is the sole head (Ephesians 1:22-23). 2. Each local congregation is governed by its own elders, men who must meet specific biblical qualifications (1 Peter 5:2; Titus 1:5-9). The qualifications are far deeper than simply being charismatic, having power or being an amazing speaker. 3. Such elders do not have unlimited authority, rather they are only to be obeyed as long as they themselves follow the word of God (1 Peter 5:2-3; 1 Timothy 5:19-20).
- Isolationism
Cults are deeply suspicious of the outside world. Everything in society is suspect. Cohesion is maintained by paranoia. They are convinced that somebody out there is trying to get them. Yet Jesus did not teach or live such. Jesus expected that His followers would be in regular contact with the world (Matthew 5:13-16; John 17:15; Philippians 2:15). In addition, Christianity (contrary to many cults) teaches respect for the laws of the land, recognizing that government is a minister of God (Romans 13:1ff); to be prayed for (1 Timothy 2:1-3); to be obeyed and respected (1 Peter 2:13-17).
- Adhere to an Authority Outside of Scripture
Cultic leaders or the organization usually claim to have special revelations from God. They see visions or have mystic experiences to which others are not privy. This of course, makes the group dependent upon them. By contrast Christianity claims that each member can know the truth, and no member has access to any hidden knowledge (John 8:32; Ephesians 3:4; 1 Timothy 2:4-6). What makes the Christian knowledgeable and complete are the Scriptures, and not some human leader (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Real Bible Study is Not Encouraged
All teachings must be blindly accepted. No reflection or critical thinking is allowed. Questions that probe to seek for the truth are viewed as rebellion to the leader or leadership. By contrast the New Testament teaches the importance of searching the Scriptures and not blindly following any man or group of men (Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22; 1 John 4:1).
- A Lack of Balance
Cults don't recognize what people need. By contrast the Bible teaches not only the importance of meeting for worship and bible study (Hebrews 10:24), but also the importance of financially supporting one’s family (1 Timothy 5:8), being a good husband, and taking time for family and kids (Ephesians 5-6). Nowhere do we find Christians working together in a communal type setting. The early churches did not have compounds that were located out in the middle of nowhere.
- The Leadership Lives by Different Rules
Over the years it has been observed that in a number of cultic type groups the leaders were allowed to commit such sins as adultery and fornication without being challenged. In the New Testament every Christian, even the apostles were accountable to the same moral and doctrinal standard (Galatians 2:11-13). The leadership of the early church was not viewed as being immune from rebuke if they were in sin. Cults also tend to give an inaccurate history of their leader(s) and of the group. There are often attempts to cover up such things as inaccurate predictions of past and current leaders.
- Unreasonable Financial Demands
Cults often get involved in the finances of the individual member. Either wanting to see exactly what you make and telling you what to give or pressuring members to surrender their private property to the leadership. Like various pyramid systems, the leaders of the group often benefit financially while the members sacrifice. Yet in the New Testament when Christians gave: 1. No one was told how much to give (Acts 11:29). 2. The private property of various members remained their own (Acts 5:4). 3. The apostles did not become rich off the members. 4. The money was given to members who were really in need (Acts 4:35). 5. The money was not used to build large complexes for the group or expensive home for the leaders. 6. In the New Testament church there were not constant appeals for funds because of the vision of some leader.
- A Failure to See the Whole Counsel of God in Scripture
Cults tend to be preoccupied with certain passages of Scripture rather than making sure that the whole counsel of God is taught (Acts 20:25). So they may spend all their time studying the end times or some other topic, rather than having a good balance.
- Doctrines Based On Obscure or Twisted Passages
By contrast, the doctrines associated with the church in the Bible come from clear commands and examples:
- Baptism for the remission of sins: Acts 2:38
- The baptism that saves is immersion in water: Acts 8:37-38
- A confession of Christ prior to baptism: Acts 8:37
- The Lord’s Supper on Sunday: Acts 20:7
- Singing: Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16
- Giving as one has been prospered: 1 Corinthians 16:1-3
- No human headquarters: Ephesians 1:22-23
- No woman preachers: 1 Timothy 2:12
- Elders in each congregation: Acts 14:23
- Elders rule only the congregation of which they are members: 1 Peter 5:2
- Church of Christ is a Scripture designation for a local congregation: Romans 16:16
Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net
