What is the definition of a cult?
Dr. Walter Martin, the author of the definitive work on cults titled The Kingdom of the Cults, says that “a cult might ... be defined as a group of people gathered about a specific person or person’s misinterpretation of the Bible. For example, Jehovah’s Witnesses are, for the most part, followers of the interpretations of Charles T. Russell & J.F. Rutherford. The Christian Scientist of today is a disciple of Mary Baker Eddy & her interpretations of the Bible.” [1] In general, a cult is a group that claims to belong to a specific religion but misrepresents any core teaching that would prevent a believer from being saved according to that religion. In Christian terms, a cult is "a religious group that denies one or more of the fundamentals of biblical truth." Specifically, it is a group that claims to be Christian, but whose teachings, if believed, would prevent someone from having a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
The core of the Christian salvation message is that Jesus Christ is both God and perfect man, that He died and rose again, and that His sacrifice is solely sufficient to pay for our sins and restore our relationship with God. If any group claims to be Christian but deviates from this message, they are cultic in nature and beliefs. While many Christian sects differ on minor matters, those who teach a different gospel are not Christian. A Christian sect may believe that Christians are obligated to observe the Sabbath, as the Jews do; a cult would teach that honoring the Sabbath is a requirement for salvation.
The two most common Christian cult teachings are that Jesus was not God and that salvation is not by faith alone. Both lead to the belief that Jesus' sacrifice was not sufficient to pay for our sins, and our effort is needed in the process of salvation, which is directly contrary to Scripture (Ephesians 2:8-9). The two most prominent churches who teach this are the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses. Mormons teach that Jesus is not God, and that even God had to earn His position as Supreme Being. Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus is Michael the archangel. Both cults teach that salvation is the result of faith and those good works which are listed by their respective churches.
Cults are nearly as old as the church itself. They're particularly dangerous because they may use the same language and claim to be Christian, but their teachings pull people away from God instead of drawing people toward Him. Their words sound right, their adherents are sincere, but their way leads to death (Galatians 1:6-9).
With that we will begin our look at ‘THE 10 MOST DANGEROUS CULTS IN THE U.S.’ in our next post. Until then, walk with the King & be a blessing.
In His Name & for His Glory,
RL Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resource: www.compellingtruth.org
[1] Quote taken from The Kingdom of the Cults by Dr. Walter Martin; Bethany House Publications; copyright 1965; the 6th updated edition - 2019, p.13.
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