Table of contents of devotions on our Web site:

Series on the Apostle's Creed

Series on Discipleship

Series on Eschatology

How Should a Christian Respond to the Cults?

Introduction
I. Recognizing a Cult; The Marks of a "Christian" Cult
II. Testing the Cults With Diagnostic Questions
III. More Tests for Cults
IV. Seeds of Witness to the Cults
Bibliography
Web Resources

Introduction

With cult membership on the rise, chances are increasing that you will encounter cult members at work, at school, at public events, in the arts, in the neighborhood, and at your front door. What do you do? 2 John 10 says you have no obligation to offer cultists a platform to teach their false doctrines to your family or to the body of believers. If you are unprepared for witnessing to the cults, there is no shame in saying politely that you are not interested in their beliefs and excusing yourself from the encounter. However, cult members are lost souls destined for eternity apart from God. They desperately need to hear the true biblical gospel of salvation through faith alone in Christ Jesus' sacrificial death for sins. Spending time teaching them truth does not violate 2 John 10 and may be obedient to Jesus' Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20.

A Christian needs to do a lot of homework before he/she is equipped to handle any serious meeting with cultists, especially those who target Christians--including children and young adults--in their recruiting. Cultists are well-trained and and highly motivated to achieve their evangelistic goals. This month's devotional is intended to offer some basic information which will help Christians recognize these cults and discern their beliefs, offer some limited responses to evangelism by cult members, and direct Christians to further information on cults in introductory books and web sites. You may discover alternatives when you encounter cultists to pretending you're not home or saying you're not interested and closing the door.

The purpose of this information is that you may be able to:

1) distinguish characteristics of "Christian" cults,

2) help yourself or a prospective cult investigator to discern and question a cult's beliefs,

3) plant evangelistic seeds that may help a cultist disengage from their cult to the truths of biblical Christianity, and

4) commit to fervent prayer for God to lift spiritual blindness (2 Corinthians 4:4) from cult members and bring them to know the biblical gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

The teachings of biblical Christianity may be found in the other devotionals on this church's web site, and a good summary may be found in McDowell, chapter 3 "The Beliefs of Orthodox Christianity." Both books by Paul Little listed in the bibliography can also help ground you in the Christian faith. A bibliography and web addresses are located at the end of this devotional. References to books in the body of the devotional will be by the author's last name and page or chapter number(s). Please refer to the bibliography for complete information on books cited.

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I. Recognizing a Cult; The Marks of a "Christian" Cult

Theological definition of a cult: "A cult, then, is any religious movement which claims the backing of Christ or the Bible, but distorts the central message of Christianity by (1) an additional revelation, and (2) by displacing a fundamental tenet of the faith with a secondary matter." (Lewis, p. 4)

Examples of cults: Christian Positive Thinking/Positive Confession ("Word of Faith"), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormonism" and its offshoots), Freemasonry, Jehovah's Witnesses, The Mind Sciences (Religious Science, Christian Science), New Thought, Oneness Pentecostalism, The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or Community of Christ), The Unification Church ("Moonies"), United Pentecostal Church, Unity School of Christianity, The Way International, and others.

NOTE: There are also many other religions which have Eastern or Hindu origins and/or are based on the occult. These religions tend to be openly non-Christian and do not purposefully target Christians for recruitment. This devotional will focus on cults of mainly Western origin that may have appeal (because of their misuse of the Bible or the name of Jesus Christ) for uneducated or less mature Christians.

Cult Characteristics: (Adapted primarily from McDowell, Chapter 2)

A cult will exhibit several, but not necessarily all, of these characteristics. Section II will equip you with questions to ask cult members to help discern these characteristics.

1. New Interpretations of the Bible

Members believe their organization alone has the keys to interpret the Bible. They believe the Bible may have been mistranslated and/or that biblical Christians have been misled and deceived in their interpretations of it.

2. A Non-biblical Source of Authority

Cults revere sacred writings or teachings that they claim supersede the Bible. The Bible is usually considered inferior to these other sources and possibly even corrupt in comparison to them.

3. Non-biblical Teaching on the Nature of God (The Trinity)

Cults have either an inadequate view of or out-rightly deny the Holy Trinity (three equal Persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in one God). The Trinity may be attacked as pagan or Satanic in origin.

4. Another Jesus

The "Jesus" of the cults is always someone less than the Bible's eternal God. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was God in human flesh, second Person of the Holy Trinity, who lived a sinless life on earth and died as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Three days after his crucifixion, Jesus rose bodily from the dead. Forty days later he ascended into heaven where he now sits at the right hand of the Father (i.e. has supreme authority), interceding on the behalf of Christian believers. He will, one day, return bodily and visibly to planet earth and judge the living and the dead and set up his eternal kingdom. Meanwhile, Jesus Christ is the only Prophet and High Priest which the true Christian Church recognizes today.

5. Rejection of Biblical Christianity

Cults argue that the Christian church has departed from the true faith.

6. A Renewal or Restoration of True Christianity/Elitism

A cult claims that it is the only true church and that its purpose is to "restore" the faith and lifestyle of the church as God and the Bible intended it to be. It claims that salvation and eternal rewards are impossible apart from membership in good standing in the cult. Biblical Christians believe that the Bible completes God's special revaltion to humankind and provides all the information needed for faith and salvation. God has preserved a remnant of true believers (the Church) throughout history and thus no "restoration" of the Church or the Bible is necessary.

7. Double-Talk or Redefinition of Theological Terms

Cultists have redefined terms (like "gospel," "sin," "salvation," "atonement," "sacrifice," "faith," "ordinances," "Heavenly Father," "God's Son," "Christ," "Holy Spirit," "resurrection," "eternal life") so that the cultists are speaking of very different things than biblical Christians would mean when they use these terms. Cults may also say one thing publicly and internally believe something totally different. They may intentionally mislead a Christian about their beliefs by teaching "milk" (beliefs more similar to Christianity) at first and saving the "meat" (unbiblical teachings) to teach the Christian later, if at all, after indoctrination into the cult is deeper. Always ask cultists to fully define any theological term they are using. Ask, "How do you understand [term] to mean?"

8. Non-biblical View of Humankind

Cults may have unorthodox views of humans' sinfulness, of their ability to save themselves, and of their final destination after death. Cults often reject the notion of a biblical, eternal hell, and they redefine the biblical "heaven."

9. Salvation by Works

Cultists deny the gospel of the grace of God. They say no one can be saved from eternal damnation by simply placing his faith in Jesus Christ. It is always "faith plus . . ." Something else must be done for individual salvation. It might be baptism, obedience to laws and ordinances of the gospel, or something else. It is never taught that faith in Jesus Christ alone will save anyone.

10. Authoritarian Leadership

Cults are usually characterized by central leader figures who consider themselves messengers of God with unique access to the Almighty. The leader(s) then can dictate the theology and behavior of the cult. Questioning the leadership is inadvisable and can result in expulsion from the cult and/or "disfellowshiping" (shunning) by all other members of the cult. Isolation of cult members from outside influences and threatened isolation from each other are very effective tools to keep members in line with cultic beliefs and financially supporting it.

11. Changing Theology (Beliefs)

Cult doctrines and the behaviors guided by them are in a state of flux and have usually been altered sometime over the history of the cult, especially with changes in leadership. Most cults will deny these changes, but if the changes have been preserved in writing, cultists can be confronted with the changes in beliefs on paper.

12. False Prophecy

Cult leaders, who believe they have been divinely called by God, have often made bold predictions of future events. Unfortunately for the leaders, these predictions do not come to pass, and the leader is exposed as a false prophet. Again the writings of the cult may be used to confront cult members with their leaders' failed prophecies.

13. Conclusion

This information might be useful to help deter a Christian from exploring or joining a cult or to provide Christians a summary of distinctive features of cults.

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II. Testing the Cults With Diagnostic Questions

A Christian may be able to test a cult on paper first, by reading Christian evaluations of cult teachings. Be sure you are fully grounded in biblical Christian beliefs before you read any cult material itself. Use the Bible as your authority, praying to discern biblical truth as you compare cult beliefs to the Bible. The Bible is your standard of truth.

However, most often you will be meeting a person from a cult before you may have time to prepare and study. Most cult encounters are with strangers. Remember from the introduction that 2 John 10 releases you from the obligation to receive false teachers into your home. Check their identification(s). Do not invite the person(s) inside your home unless the weather is extremely bad and then do not sit down with them. Sit-down meetings are only for well-trained believers--and even then best only as pairs who can support each other.

Offer a short, silent prayer to God asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance and that your words and the Word will be used by God to penetrate the veil of spiritual blindness in the cultist's mind. Do not let them lead in any prayer. Allow time only for the briefest of greetings. You do not need to share any personal information with them. Stick to just your first name and general hello's. (Just state that these are your preferences; there is no need to defend them.) If you choose to talk with them, feel free to excuse yourself to retrieve your Bible and study materials. They will feel free to use theirs!

If a cult member is a family member or coworker or neighbor, view your mission as a long-term establishment of trust, genuine relationship, and gradual sharing of your faith (unless they are terminally ill). The questions here would then be useful only singly and over a long period of time. Get prayer support and pastoral advice on your witnessing efforts.

Remember cult members are persons. Be polite. Speak any truths in love, but let them know you stand firmly in your Christian beliefs. If they question your authority, share Matthew 28:18-20, John 1:12, and 1 Peter 2:5, 9 with them as evidence of your commission and authority in Jesus' name as an adopted child of God and a member of his royal priesthood. Stay in control of the exchange in the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember, they came to you!

Section II suggests questions to ask to find out just what an unknown "Christian worker" believes in comparison to biblical Christianity. Say you would like to investigate their beliefs by having them participate in a religious survey. Do not argue with them. You may wish to print out this list of questions for future reference during unexpected encounters.

NOTE: See Section IV on how to plant other evangelistic seeds with cult members without putting yourself at risk as a Christian believer.

1. A general question you can ask any cultist:

"As you understand it, how is a person able to spend eternity in the presence of God when this life is over?"

Responses to this question may give you clues to any cult-like beliefs listed in Section I.

Use the following questions (2-9) as a series (adapted from Lewis, pp. 6-7).

To make full use of a limited amount of time, use the Bible references under each question as a back-up to clarify what you mean. Use the King James Version with Latter-day Saints/Mormons. Remember, always have the person define any theological term they use. Ask "How do you understand ____ to mean? Have the person look up Bible passages with you in their full biblical context.

2. Do you rely on the Bible alone as God's written authority?

Do you base your teachings on or receive authority from revelations or secret writings other than the Bible? Do you rely on a special Bible translation? If so, which one? (If they use the New World Translation or Joseph Smith's Translation or any other Bible but the Holy Bible, do not accept their quotations. Use a standard translation instead. LDS or Mormons prefer the King James Version.)

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (New International Version)

2 Peter 1:20-21 "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

3. Do you believe in the Trinity--one God in three equal Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

(CAUTION: If you know you are dealing with a Jehovah's Witness, you may want to skip this question. JW's are well-versed in defending against the Trinity and will welcome the distraction of a familiar argument.)

2 Corinthians 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

4. Is your primary task preaching the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone?

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures"

John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

5. Do you believe that Jesus is truly God and Lord?

Do you believe he is the Messiah of the Old Testament, and the Christ of the New Testament, the anointed one of God who came in the flesh? Is Jesus of Nazareth the eternal Word of God become flesh?

1 John 4:1-3 "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."

John 1:1, 14 "In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.. . .The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

6. Do you know that God loves you and that he sent his Son, Jesus, to die for your sins?

Do you believe that Jesus Christ's shed blood on the cross is the only basis for complete forgiveness of all of your sins?

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 3:24-25a ". . .for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood."

7. Do you believe that Jesus rose bodily from the dead and now lives in heaven?

Romans 10:9-10 "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Ephesians 1:19-21 ". . .and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come."

8. Are you personally trusting in Jesus Christ alone as your Redeemer and Lord?

Does someone need to belong to a certain church or organization in order to be saved? (NOTE: to be "saved" is to be declared "not guilty" of sin because of faith in the cleansing blood of Christ and includes assurance of receiving eternal life with God.)

Luke 23:40-43 "But the other criminal rebuked him [the first criminal]. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"

(NOTE: The second criminal was not baptized, did no good works, belonged to no church or organization; Jesus rewarded him with eternal life on the basis of his faith alone.)

Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no-one else [Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

9. Do you depend upon some of your own achievements for your salvation?

Or is your trust exclusively in God's grace to those who believe?

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no-one can boast."

Galatians 2:16 ". . .know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified."

10. Conclusion

These questions may be used with any unbeliever to help them clarify their beliefs and compare those beliefs to what genuine Christianity believes. However, the questions were developed with door-to-door cult evangelists in mind.

The questions help not only identify cult beliefs, but may help guide you as a Christian in evangelizing the cultist. At least the cultist will have heard the gospel through hearing these questions and Bible passages. The questions call mostly for simple "yes" or "no" answers. If the answers are "yes," be sure you have defined all the terms you have used by biblical Christian standards. If the answers are "no," don't argue with them. You have discerned their beliefs and can share that this is what you believe. Thank them for answering your questions.

If the cultist tries to sidetrack off the questions or give lengthy, non-biblical answers to these questions, be firm and tell them that you would like to complete all of the questions. Say that these questions are very important to you, and you may not be interested in hearing what they have to say until all of the questions are answered.

If the cultist breaks off the encounter, at least you may have planted some seeds of biblical truth for them to think over later. If the person(s) become very aggressive or verbally abusive, politely excuse yourself and close the door. You can pray for them by name. The Word (Hebrews 4:12) and the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-8) can continue to work in their lives. Christians are in sales; God is in management. The cultist is in God's loving hands.

Do not expect immediate conversion to Christianity. However, if a person seems sincerely interested in hearing more of the Christian gospel, you can read "Steps to Salvation," located on this web site, or a Christian tract with them and pray the sinner's prayer together. If they do this with you, they need follow-up help! It often takes many years to completely exit a cult. They need fervent prayers, the support of a Bible-believing pastor and church community, and contact with an appropriate Christian ex-cultist support group (web sites are available at the end of this devotional).

At the end of your encounter, you may give them a few minutes of your time and accept written material. Do not pay for any cult material. You do not have to promise to read anything or pray about anything. You do not have to commit to further meetings with them. Any subsequent meetings you might have should include a strong Christian support partner. If possible, take polite leave of them; if necessary, break off the encounter firmly and close the door. Get good Christian counsel if you decide to look over cultic material you have received.

NOTE: See Section IV for further information and suggestions.

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III. More Tests for Cults

1. Do not test a cult's beliefs by a prayer to confirm a feeling about their truth!
Hutchinson states on pp. 204-205:

"Pray to initiate guidance in:

researching the facts,
comparing the facts with God's Word,
receiving counsel from other Christians,

Pray to confirm the above."

a. Believers are to test beliefs through the Bible alone:

Acts 17:11 "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

1 Thessalonians 5:21 "Test everything. Hold on to the good."

b. The prayer of James 1:5

This prayer is for wisdom in enduring trials. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge, based on the Bible:

James 1:2-8 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (emphasis added)

c. There are 3 sources of feelings:

1) God:

Jeremiah 32:27 "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"

2) Satan:

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved."

1 Peter 5:8 "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

3) Human hearts:

Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

2. We are instructed to love God with our minds:

Matthew 22:37 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

2 Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

3. Emotional assurance may confirm the divine truth of the Bible, but should not be relied upon for any other book or teachings:

Luke 24:32 "They [the two on the way to Emmaus] asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he [Jesus] talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'"

Luke 24:44-45 "He [Jesus] said to them [the disciples], 'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.' Then he [Jesus] opened their [the disciples'] minds so they could understand the Scriptures."

4. Discern misuse of the Bible:

The cults tend to take verses out of their historical and Biblical context, twist the language of verses, and/or read into them what is not there. If the verse cannot be twisted to fit, the verse may be "retranslated" or revised to say what the cult wants it to say. See James Sire's Scripture Twisting (in the bibliography).

2 Corinthians 4:2 "Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."

2 Peter 3:16 "He [Paul] writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."

5. Discern a false god:

a. One God

Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one."

Isaiah 43:10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me."

Isaiah 44:6 "This is what the LORD says--Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God."

b. In Three equal Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:

Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. . ." (emphasis added)

Galatians 1:1 (Father) "Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. . ."

John 5:18 (Son) "For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him [Jesus]; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God."

Acts 5:3-4 (Holy Spirit) "Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.'" (emphasis added)

6. Discern a false gospel:

Note that both of these references use the word "gospel" (meaning "good news"). The First Corinthians passage defines the gospel. A person is saved only by personally receiving as a gift the sacrificial payment for sins that Jesus provided by dying on the cross. The person cannot earn his/her salvation by anything he/she does or by becoming a member of any group. The Galatians passage warns against a gospel that contradicts that definition of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures . . ."

Galatians 1:8-9 "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!"

7. Discern false teachers:

Matthew 7:15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

8. Discern false prophecy:

Deuteronomy 13:1-3 "If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul."

(NOTE: No true prophet of God will ever say or teach anything that disagrees with God's written revelation in the Holy Bible.)

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 "You may say to yourselves, 'How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?' If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him."

(NOTE: Cults may claim to have leaders with fulfilled prophecies, but when investigated impartially, the "fulfillments" have been shown to be absent or coincidental due to the vague nature of the "prophecy.")

9. Discern accounts of false signs and wonders:

Matthew 7:22-23 "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

2 Thessalonians 2:9 "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders. . ."

10. Discern use of spiritism/demons:

(Spiritsm involves any use of the occult, including "angels," in a cult's origins, writings, teachings, or personal practices) Spiritist practices are all off-limits to Christians!

Deuteronomy 18:10-14 "Let no-one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so."

Leviticus 19:31 "Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God."

Revelation 21:8 "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

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IV. Seeds of Witness to the Cults

1. Share the uniqueness of Christianity:

Biblical Christianity is the only religion on earth which offers a life preserver and rescue through faith in Jesus Christ to the drowning person/sinner instead of just a set of swimming instructions, so the sinner can save themselves.

a. Jesus as the only foundation:

1 Corinthians 3:11 "For no-one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ."

b. Jesus as the only way to salvation:

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

Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

c. Salvation by faith in Jesus alone:

Romans 3:20 "Therefore no-one will be declared righteous [right with God] in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."

Romans 4:6-7 "David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.'"

d. Security of individual believers for eternity:

John 10:28-29 "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."

Hebrews 10:14 "because by one sacrifice he [Jesus] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."

1 John 5:11-13 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

e. A Christian's sins are forgiven/removed completely and forever:

Psalm 103:12 ". . .as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

Micah 7:19 "You will again have compassion on us: you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."

f. Security for the Christian church (in all of its denominations and fellowships):

Matthew 16:18b ". . .on this rock I [Jesus] will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Ephesians 3:21 ". . .to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

2. Offer to pray with or for the cult member (but do not have them pray for you):

(NOTE: Cultists do not pray to the same God as Christians do; do not unite in prayer with them. Take the initiative in prayer; pray for their expressed needs and for the Holy Spirit to work in their lives through understanding the Holy Bible.)

James 5:16b, 19-20 "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective . . . My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

3. Offer your personal testimony of salvation through Jesus Christ:

a. Example of a testimony to Jehovah's Witnesses (adapted from Lingle, pp. 55-56):

I came to the place in my life where I realized that I was an ungodly sinner before God and a child of the devil. When I realized this, I no longer wanted to continue on this road. I believe that the Bible is the Word of God and teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ shed his blood and died for sinners. I knew that I was a sinner. I confessed my sins to God, repented, and asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into my heart and save me from my personal sins. He was true to his word and took away my heavy burden of sin and forgave my sins. When I believed that Jesus is the Christ and acted upon this truth, I was born into the family of God. God gave me the gift of eternal life.

"Once this eternal transaction took place in my heart, I began to read the Bible to find out what a born-again child of God should do, because I wanted to live according to the Father's will. The Bible was not difficult after I was saved because the Spirit of God led me into its truths. It is now my desire to have nothing to do with the world and live only for the glory of Yahweh.

"When I trusted Christ as my personal Savior, I became a member of God's organization, his Church. I believe in only one true God who is known by his personal name, Yahweh. Since I have come to know the good news of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, my great desire is that this good news of the kingdom should be proclaimed form door to door throughout the whole world. Because of the forgiveness of sins I received through the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit wrote my name in the "Lamb's book of life." For this reason, I know that I will go to dwell with Yahweh for all eternity.

"Could you please tell me what is wrong with a faith like this?"

(NOTE: Jehovah's Witnesses think they are the only ones who are doing God's will, belong to God's organization, use God's personal name, and preach the good news of the kingdom from door to door throughout the world. They may be greatly surprised at what you have said.)

b. Example of a testimony to Latter-day Saints (adapted from Hutchinson, pp. 16-17):

"I know beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Jesus is the Christ and Savior of the world. . .that he died for my sins and was resurrected. I know that I am saved by grace and not by works and will inherit heaven upon that principle. I also know that God hears and answers my prayers. I know all this not only by the feeling I have from the inner witness of the Holy Ghost but by the reliability of God's Word, the Bible, which declares it to be so. And, I also know that because of my relationship with Christ, Jesus has changed my life and continues to bless me!"

(NOTE: This testimony may bring questions to their minds: How can an outsider say "I know," since only someone who has received the Holy Ghost can use that phrase? How can this person, who isn't a Mormon, even have the Holy Ghost without having received it from someone holding the Melchizedek Priesthood?)

4. Share a Bible verse with them and ask them to explain it:

Example from Lingle, pp. 53-54:

"I hear you study the Bible. I have a verse that I would like you to explain to me." [Have them read the verse from the Bible.]

John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."

Questions to ask about John 5:24:

a. What is this "everlasting life"?

b. How can anyone be sure of having it right now, as this verse says?

c. What does it mean to "not come into judgment"?

d. What is this death that the person has passed out of?

e. What is this life that they have entered?

5. Offer them a marked Bible or an appropriate tract:

(NOTE: Jehovah's Witnesses will rarely accept any written material from non-members.)

See the devotional "A Trip Through the New Testament" for a way of marking a Bible.

See the web sites at the end of this devotional for resources for cult-specific tracts.

You can also use a general gospel tract, like "The Four Spiritual Laws," "Steps to Peace with God," and "The Bridge."

6. Use the single question from Section II.

7. Use the series of questions from Section II.

8. Concluding suggestions:

a. Keep your conversion expectations low and your prayer frequency high. Form organized prayer support for specific individuals enmeshed in the cults.

b. Know your personal limits. If you are a baby Christian or uncertain of your beliefs, wait to witness to cultists. 2 John 10 assures you may refuse to spend time with false teachers.

c. Focus on seeds planted, to bloom later.

d. Buy or borrow a good Christian book on the cults. Check out the bibliography and web sites below for suggestions.

e. Find a witnessing partner to study with.

f. Continue your studies on the cults, using multiple resources. Remember, Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are the most likely cult members to come to your door. Focus your studies on them.

g. Mark a personal Bible with verses and cross-references as you study.

h. Mark Bibles to give away, using "A Trip Through the New Testament," a devotional offered elsewhere on this web site.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Abanes, Richard, Cults, New Religious Movements, and Your Family, (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1998)

2. Ankerberg, John and Weldon, John, Cult Watch, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1991)

3.------- Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1999)

4. Holy Bible, New International Version, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society)

5. House, H. Wayne, Charts of Cults, Sects, and Religious Movements, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000)

6. Hutchinson, Janis, The Mormon Missionaries, (Grand Rapids: Kregel Resources, 1995)

7. Lewis, Gordon R., Confronting the Cults, (New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1966)

8. Little, Paul E., Know What You Believe, (Colorado Springs: Victor Books, 1970, 1985, 1987, 1999)

9.------- Know Why You Believe, (Colorado Springs: Victor Books, 1988)

10. Lingle, Wilbur, Approaching Jehovah's Witnesses in Love, (Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, updated edition, 1998)

11. Martin, Walter, ed. Hank Hanegraaff, The Kingdom of the Cults, (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, revised, updated, expanded, 1997)

12. McDowell, Josh, and Stewart, Don, Handbook of Today's Religions, (San Bernardino: Here's Life Publishers, 1983, 1989)

13. Passantino, Robert and Gretchen, Answers to the Cultists at Your Door, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1981)

14. Sire, James W., Scripture Twisting: 20 Ways the Cults Misread the Bible, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1980)

WEB SITES

Alpha and Omega Ministries

Apologetics Index

Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry

The Christian Research Institute

Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries

Refiner's Fire Ministries

Utah Lighthouse Ministry

Watchman Fellowship

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Table of contents of devotions on our Web site:

Series on the Apostle's Creed

Series on Discipleship

The Bible

Prayer

Worship & Fellowship

Spiritual Warfare

Evangelism

Series on Eschatology

How Should a Christian Respond to the Cults?

Introduction

I. Recognizing a Cult; The Marks of a "Christian" Cult

II. Testing the Cults With Diagnostic Questions

III. More Tests for Cults

IV. Seeds of Witness to the Cults

BIBLIOGRAPHY

WEB SITES

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Devotions from Gospel Communications Network

I'd like to know more about Jesus

Steps to Salvation

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