Ten Marks Defining "Cultic" Religion NAMB

Ten Marks of a Cult Religion

http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.695725/k.AA1F/Ten_Marks_of_a_Cult_Religion.htm 2/7/2007 6:53:32 AM.

The horror of the Koresh cult tragedy (or the destruction of the World Trade Towers in New York by Islamic cultists, ed.) gives us opportunity to ponder the differences between true and false religion; between healthy and unhealthy spirituality. There is some admixture of good and bad religion in all of us. The differences are matters of degree along a continuum. To analyze the extreme or grotesque forms of cult religion like that of Koresh's Branch Davidian community is a way of being more vigilant to false religion in us all. [Q: whose kool-aid are we drinking?] We should say we are all vulnerable to false religion and unhealthy spirituality, some more than others.
What we use as criteria is important because One person's saint is another person's religious fanatic. Using the word cult is even a slippery term dangerous to define without becoming subjective rather than objective. Jesus is the Truth and we have taken time to define this form of religion in ways that agree with Jesus, John or Paul. Early Christians were thought of as a cult by the majority culture. So we should move carefully. That is why I think it is important to try to describe specific characteristics.

1. The leader assumes God-like authority over its members. [He may quote Scripture but final authority is his own personal opinion].

2. It provides an escape from reality. [There are no external reference points by which to judge the truth of its claims.] A few hundred years ago John Wesley provided his followers a four-fold criteria for the truth of doctrine: scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. Cults have only one reference point: the powerful subjective interpretations of its leader. False religion says, "If I do or say this, I can get God to act in this way or the world to respond in this way."

3. Cult religion traffics in guilt and shame. False leaders manipulate that relationship between pastor and sheep in ways that promote unhealthy allegiance to a leader or group. It preys on weak people with heavy guilt and shame and offers a false solution: total commitment to the false leader or group.

4. Cult religion demands a complete break from life to this point. This message it offers a special allure to people who have suffered a painful or abusive past life. But it is false hope, as they will find out. We see these people spending 24-7 in their church because they no longer have a life outside of their cult.

5. Cult religion thrives in secrecy. There is a closed circle of leadership. Its doctrines are an "esoteric" body of truths which only insiders can know and appreciate. Because credentialed Christians leave this group they must redefine terms to make their followers trust. Anyone agreeing with the pastor is suddenly a "theologian."

6. It breaks moral laws from "above." If you are defending your leader its okay to lie and in general have a low view of Truth. They see themselves as brilliant elitists who think common laws do not pertain to them. Cult religion often thinks its hold on perfect truth excuses them from common ethical, moral, and legal structures of life.

7. It promotes a complete break with the "world." Cult religion does not see the world as the good creation of God. The world is under the spell of the devil. It is unalterably corrupt. Their leaders have a low view of John who calls us to be "in the world but not of it"(1 John 2). Reason, science and the common sense shared realities of most folk are mistrusted.

8. It is abusive in its way of treating people. Authoritarian rule is imposed. The leaders have perfect truth and goodness and they "lord it over" the rest. They use coercive power, fear, intimidation, and manipulation to keep people in line. If one disagrees with leadership, he or she is of the devil. Genuine Christians are children of God because God chose to adopt them into His Family. This is why God is angered when false leaders abuse God's people (2 Corinthians 11:20-21).

9. Everything is black and white. There is no gray. There is little sense of personal humility or of the Mystery of God. There is no reverent "not-knowing" about God and truth. Everything is perfectly known. When you ask for the Scipture passage for this hiring or firing they say God put me here I am free to do as God leads me. They use psychological mechanism to blame everything on people outside them. It projects its own evil, sin and darkness onto others. When their methods split the church and bring no growth they say people are wicked and should be following in the way I am leading. They are denying any darkness or sin inside them and use their authority to project themselves from anyone telling the Truth. Because their members often shrinks they adopt closed baptism to boost their numbers.

10. It uses scripture to defend its subjective version of the truth and to condemn all others.

Study Application Question: There is mixture of good and bad, true and false, healthy and unhealthy religion in all of us. Powerful unhealthy personalities have the capacity to victimize people when they use religion to prop up their cause and justify their claims.

A: Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.

A: So let us be vigilant to the false, the bad, the unhealthy in us and in those who would lead us.

MOSAIC TRUTH TEST
INVESTIGATE & INQUIRE IF IT IS TRUE

Deut 13:14 Then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you.

Q: is it safe to follow leaders with dangerous tendencies?
A: Gal 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! (NAU)

As we study the cults this year we need to remind ourselves of the way God’s word was intended to be our only standard for judging any new religious leader. Are they preaching something “contrary” to the body of material in the Bible we need to reject them. They are not a safe resource we can trust.

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

2 Cor 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. (NAU)

Paul associates Satan v14 with both the content of these false messages as well as being their energy source allowing them to grow so fast. False apostles v13 comes from the single word pseudapostolos which means a spurious apostle, or a pretended preacher. Friberg says this word defines one without a divine commission for the office (2 Cor 11.13).


Should Leaders Have a High View of Absolute Truth?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" [John 14:6].

"I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice." [John 18:37].

Q: whose voice are we listening too? If you could talk to Peter he was reminded Satan's voice sounded like his own inner voice. Who are we listening too? Remember when Peter offered Jesus an alternative to the cross and Jesus thankfully replied: Satan get behind me."

A: the only Safe Voice to follow is the one who speaks to us when we read and study God's Word. If we are twice born God's Word has been implanted in our hearts. If we are twice born the Holy Spirit indwells us eternally. One of the Spirit's most vital works is in the way He limits our faith and message to God's Word alone. The Spirit guides us into all Truth as He illuminates God's Word. But do we read, study and trust God's Word today? Few do most give it lip service as it collects dust.

John 4:23-25 23"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (NAU)

John said our saving relationship with Christ is rooted in truth

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. I John 5:20 (NAU)

Q: does this mean folks in the church who get ahead by telling lies are not really saved? A: only God knows the human heart and how desperately wicked we are on both sides of the cross. This is why we need to be accountable to God's Word Alone and not add anything even a beloved pastor or mentor. Whose kool-aid are we drinking?

Paul taught that God’s wrath is poured out into any situation where people are actively suppressing truth.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness Rom 1:18 (NAU)

Study Application Question: Jesus, as a theme, attacked discrepancies between word and deed [hypocrisy] which evidences his own high view of truth. Matthew presented Jesus teaching about the gnat swallowing a camel [Mt 23:2, 3, 23-24]. Luke included Jesus teaching about the Jewish lawyers who taught well but never took any burden themselves [Lk 11:46]. As evidenced in all four Gospels, Jesus own words and deeds were in perfect harmony.

Jesus Never Masked Truth for Fear of Consequences

Jesus always told the full truth in contrast to falsehood, concealment, or deception. Both Matthew and Mark record this trait of Jesus when facing the Herodians [Mt 22:16, Mk 12:14] and Pharisees who were seeking to trap Jesus using slick language. "Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any" [Matt 22:16].

Jesus & The Whole Truth

"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." John 16:13

Even the scribes admitted Jesus taught in a way that stated the facts accurately [Mk 12:32]. Paul again agreed in his own teaching when he reported to Festus "I am speaking the sober truth" based not on fancy but on fact.

THE CHURCH AS THE PILLAR AND SUPPORT OF TRUTH

But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. 1 Tim 3:15

The word pillar comes from stulos and Thayer says it means 1) a pillar, 2) a column; pillars of fire, that is, flames rising like pillars, 3) a prop or support. Paul used this word figuratively here to describe the church at Ephesus. This church was surrounded by pagan temples and counterfeit worship practices. People from within and without the church were offering alternative gospels. The church in that place and time needed to both a pillar and a bulwark of the truth.

Q: could anyone call your church a pillar of Truth? If yours fails then Jesus expects His real sheep to be faithful followers of Him. Today the lie that doesn't effect you might suddenly expand.

A: 1 Pet 3:15 But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.