Is it a Cult?

Discerning truth from error is often a challenge..and it seems that truth and error can change and morph depending on who is teaching on it and who is acting on what is taught.


Cult and cult-like thinking is deadly and dangerous, another term would be false religions with false prophets.

I have been thinking that just like I can have an Idol that is not made of gold or stone...I can have cult-like thinking and actions.  About 6 years ago I listened to a message on the "Marks of a Cult" I still have the notes in my journal.  I have thought over this list many times and feel that when we use the term cult...or false religion we exclude ourselves...and our church...automatically...not examining our own hearts and motives.

So below are my notes and thoughts from a sermon preached in 1988.  Following my notes are links to access that message.

Normal print is notes from message, Italics are my thoughts.
False Religion vs True Religion and true faith in Jesus Christ

Where is my faith? Is it in my actions and behavior being controlled by the law/church or is it in the Spirit of Christ living in me and guiding me.  
Where is my brother's/sister's faith?  Is it in their actions and behavior being controlled by the law/church/my expectations or is it in the Spirit of Christ living in them and guiding them?

Dictionary definition of Cult per speaker: Extravagant admiration of a person or principle.

Extravagant
adjective

1.

spending much more than is necessary or wise; wasteful:

an extravagant shopper.

2.

excessively high:

extravagant expenses; extravagant prices.

3.

exceeding the bounds of reason, as actions, demands, opinions, or passions.

4.

going beyond what is deserved or justifiable:

extravagant praise. 

So going over the top, going beyond, expending energy and emotions that are more than necessary or wise.  Whether it is our culture or person or a doctrine...anything that moves our faith/trust from Jesus to something or someone else.

Serious minded young Christians led astray by pernicious doctrines or the extravagant admiration of a pet doctrine or person lifted higher than what he should have been lifted up.

This I have lived.  I saw life, zeal, godliness...but lost grace and faith in Jesus...I lost being able to trust the Spirit of Christ in me to guide me and looked to others.  I know I was not the only one that did this.


10 Marks of a Cult:

1. Extra-Biblical Revelation: "they have heard from God"   Rev. 22:18 If any man adds to or takes away from.  How often do I add to the Bible...do I ever put my culture, my preferences on the same level with scripture when it says "Whoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved"  Isn't adding qualifiers to salvation or fellowship like adding extra Biblical Revelation. More laws added at various times. Are some laws more Godly than others? What is Biblical and what is cultural?
2. Salvation by doing, salvation by works Do your best and God will add His part. Isn't it salvation by works when we put more laws on the people?  Dresses must be _____, hair must be_______, is our goal to have a relationship with Christ or to have a right relationship with the church.  I had so many more doubts of salvation during my years at Charity/Ephrata.  I never felt good enough.  So many mixed messages here....our salvation is by grace alone and as we have received Christ so we must walk in Him...by grace through faith....alone.  It is a heart change not a change in law. Galatians 5:1-2 1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law.
     2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.3 I'll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. (NLT) What more is there to say? If I am excommunicated from a church or shunned...have I lost my salvation?  Does the church have that control?  Do I require my brother/sister/son/daughter to do and be something that God has not called them to?
3. Uncertain Hope.  Fear is more prominent than hope, fear as a church leader that he is losing his flock, fear of a parent that they might lose their children.  Fear that I won't be able to make the grade or that my children won't make the grade to meet church standards.  Having nothing to do with the Spirit of Christ in me.  God has not given us the spirit of fear, yet look around you...at the fear... "Fear makes people do terrible things...."  Fear causes us to want to control fear does not breed hope....but breeds more fear.  Do I inspire those around me to have confidence in God, or church leaders and doctrines...do I challenge the believers around me to listen to the Spirit of Christ in them...or do I fear they might hear wrong and so push them to follow a list of standards?
4. Tend toward presumptuous messianic leadership...they may not come right out and say they are the messiah...but they refer to him like a man that cannot sin.  Their leader can never be questioned...doubted...challenged...he is some sort of guru.  How much control should a leader have...who lives with who (adult children with parents or others in the congregation), who marries who...what they wear, what they listen to...How much control should a leader have over individual believers?  I remember not feeling free to go to certain stores.  It gave way to a fear of doing the wrong thing...or displeasing the wrong leader...my focus became pleasing the church, making sure my children stayed within the church standards.  Do I talk about my standards more than Jesus?  (27:33-31:11 into the message if you listen to only part of this...this is section to hear.) Their followers many times don't think for themselves, they cannot think for themselves because if they would and read the scriptures they would have to challenge their leaders and if they would challenge their leaders they'd be outside very quickly and that is something they can never do.... leaders that fear loss refuse to hear challenges. Am I open to being challenged...is my church...the leadership open to being challenged...or is there a reaction?  Jesus alone is mediator between God and man... are we really living like we believe this or do we seek control over our adult children...thinking that we must be the mediator because they aren't mature enough...do we have the courage to allow our friends/brothers/sisters/sons/daughters to hear from God alone...and have that answer be different than what we would assume is correct.
5. Doctrinally unclear of what they believe.  Tradition varies...vs...a personal relationship. Ask yourself...is there clarity?  or is there confusion? Do we have clarity?
6. False cult tends toward strong denunciation of others...two kingdom children, are you with us...exclusive...you are either with us or you are going to the world...as I re-listened...did he really just say that out loud...no words here...tears only...no words...you will have to listen for yourselves...
7. Having Pet Doctrines, they will take one doctrine and ride it and ride it.  "He's probably not a Christian, he doesn't look like one"  Equality of Scripture...rather than a great pet doctrine that is over emphasized...at the expense of all others.  I could also ask do we put culture over scripture...are we willing to look at our traditions...and allow change?  Or are we called to live like they did in which ever decade we seem more Godly?
8. True church has a date when it started, they don't recognize the church through the ages.  Doesn't recognize the early church.  Even though the applications vary the true doctrines are almost identical.  Do I accept those that have different applications?  Do I acknowledge that others that claim to be believers as brothers and sisters in Christ?
9. Headquarters are impossible to visit, there are secret rooms you can't meet with the leaders.  Do we have secret rites? Can anyone meet with our leaders? The forefathers did it this way.  Can our beliefs be substantiated?  False cults will have much moral corruption. 
10. They deny the deity or the humanity of Jesus Christ  Know the Spirit of God.  A true Christian can test these things and know.

There is a great difference between the marks of the true church and the marks of a cult...are as different as black and white...cults have very good moral, and physical or financial assets...they be able to bring their families under a subjection in a way that has a tremendous show in the flesh...but hold them up to the scrutiny of the above tests.

Does my heart hold up?  Am I looking to Jesus to change or the churches standards.

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I'd encourage you to listen with open ears to this message...and ask yourself, ask the spirit of Christ in you to speak to your heart...do we have the spirit of a cult when we are dealing with others...be it our children, our friends or those we worship with?  

Can I say with a clear conscience that I can allow others to make their own choices before God?  Do I believe that I can trust that the very Christ that lives in me and guides me can guide my children and others that I have influence over in to the truth with out me forcing my way on them?

How much control over other believers does God expect parents, leaders, friends to have?  

We can warn, admonish, train, suggest...but control?  I don't think so.  To him who has ears to hear...let him hear.

Links below are to the sermon that the outline above has been taken from so that you can listen for yourselves.  Message is available for streaming, download and CD order.  Index number of the sermon is #129 from either site.
Marks of a Cult by Mose Stoltzfus Ephrata link

Marks of a Cult by Mose Stoltzfus