Cults

Why Jesus?

“Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of western culture for almost 20 centuries.”

Jarslav Pelikan, Yale historian

As a result of Jesus being such an impact on society and civilization, many people have tried to copy his words and bend them to what they wanted. Some plagiarize his words and add works. Any gospel less than the one Paul preached, is a different gospel. Run from them.

What gives us the right to judge? Well there’s a difference between words and character. We have no right to judge someone’s eternal destiny. We have no right to pass judgement on someone’s character. Words are a different story. We are allowed to judge whether they meet the high standards found in scripture.

Do I think cult members will be in Heaven? I’m not the judge of their souls. I will tell you Jesus told the parable of the goats and the sheep for a reason. The goats are people who say they are Christian and do Christian things, but they don’t know him personally. James says each one of us should examine ourselves to see if our faith is genuine.

Christian cults

  • Roman Catholic- idolatry worship of Mary and saints, works added to gospel (lent, penance and rosary), added doctrine of Purgatory. Ephesians chapter 3 clearly states we are saved by grace not works. The bowing to, lighting candles to and praying to “saints” lands them in the idolatry camp.
  • Seventh Day Adventist- false prophet Ellen G White plus works added. Ms. White was consistently wrong in her prophecy and scripturally that’s a no. Her fallibility lends question to all of her writings and to study them on a weekly basis lands this religion clearly in the cult category. Soul sleep is a doctrine that is easily proved false in scripture (“absent from the body is present with the Lord” and “today you will be with me in paradise”). Jesus didn’t lie on the cross and neither did Paul in his gospel. Jesus’ earthly ministry was primarily to Jews. There is no indication that any of the dietary laws are binding on Gentile believers. The same holds true for Sabbath observance, hundreds of Jewish laws and circumcision. If a Christians salvation depended upon Sabbath observance, God would’ve told us about it. Check Acts chapter 15 Paul settled this. https://www.gracechurch.org/Sermon/10969
  • Jehovah’s Witness – Trinity denial, works added. They believe they are the 144,000 in Revelation 7 when it’s clear that number is Jewish people. Nowhere in scripture does it say Jesus is Michael. That is a perversion of truth.
  • Mormon -so far off the mark that they I don’t need to go into it. Jesus was a love child of Mary and the Father and a created being, not equal with God. God is an exalted man in Mormonism, but in scripture we know He is spirit. Humans will become gods. Where in the Bible is that? Nowhere. When an angel tried that nonsense, he fell from Heaven.
  • Church of Christ aka Disciples of Christ – works added plus restrictions on members. One of the most obvious cults because it has all kinds of rules for their members plus they practice shunning.
  • Oneness Pentecostals-added to gospel requirements for salvation- tongues.
  • New Age – man centered, divine in man, God is not personal, evolutionary godhood and global unity are among the many offenses of New Age. It has occultism built in: astral projection, lucid dreams and angels of “light” (demonic). The NAM is supposed to bring peace with God and spiritual enlightenment. Don’t be surprised if you are tossing or turning or get bad dreams once you start messing around with the New Age practices. There is no sin and no need for a redeemer that’s why they tolerate every religion (except Christianity and call it narrow-minded). News flash NAM: Jesus said that gate was narrow. It’s the only thing you’re right about. I may be narrowminded in that I believe only Christians will receive a white stone with their name on it, but I’m sure new age devotees are on the path that leads to destruction.
  • Unitarian- denial of trinity and justification of all souls. I really debated about putting this in other religions.
  • Christian Science- Is neither Christian or science. Founded by Mary Baker Eddy she believed that she was the woman in Revelation 12. They believe death is an illusion. https://carm.org/christian-science/is-the-christian-science-religion-christian/

Other religions