How to Recognize a Cult

A cult is religious groups whose teachings and practices distort, deviate and oppose historical, orthodox Christianity. G.K. Chesterton defined orthodoxy as “the Apostles’ Creed, as understood by everybody calling himself Christian until a very short time ago and the general historic conduct of those who held such a record.”1  To be orthodox is to hold to those beliefs and doctrines that the Christian majority in the first century of the church’s birth regarded as fundamental to the Christian faith.

The Scriptures are replete with warnings regarding those that err and pervert the Word of God. One such example is 1 Timothy 4:1,2: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” Obviously, it is absolutely essential that one know why he believes in the faith that he does.

Confronting the cults has a twofold effect. First, it will challenge one to know Scripture better. Secondly, it will help a person respond more effectively to those who are so grievously deceived.

There is a fivefold test that can be used to discern a cult.

Test #1

First, the question needs to be asked, “What is their source of authority?” The witness of Scripture is that the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is a divine revelation, the original autographs of which were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is absolute in authority, complete in revelation, final in content, and infallible in its statements (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). Though cults will usually say that they believe in the Holy Bible, in reality they believe other sources of authority in addition to and often of greater authority the Bible. A cultist may say he believes the Bible, but it is as his organization or particular charismatic leader interprets the Bible.

Test #2

Second, one must ask, “What is their belief of God?” There are three distinct personalities in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three Persons are one God, the same in substance, eternally equal in power and glory (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 6:8; Mt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Jn. 5:7).

Test #3

Third, it needs to be asked, “Who do they say Jesus Christ is?” Jesus Himself said, “For if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins.” The Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most important message of the gospel. At some point a cult will always deviate concerning the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, that is, He is Himself very God; He took upon Himself our human nature, being conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life; He died upon the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of all mankind; He died and arose bodily the third day in the body in which He was crucified; He ascended into heaven in that body glorified, where He is now, as interceding High Priest of all who believe in Him; He will come again personally, bodily, and visibly to set up His kingdom and to judge the quick and the dead (Col. 1:15; Phil. 2::5-8; Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 24; 1 Pet. 2:24, 25; Heb. 4:14-16; Acts 1:9-11; 2:31-36; 1 Thess. 4:16-18; Mt. 25:31-46; Rev. 11:15-17; 20:4-6, 11-15).

Test #4

Fourth, it needs to be asked, “What is their view of man?” It is critical to understand how God views man, and not as man thinks of himself.

Adam was created in the image of God, having freedom of his own will, but fell into sin, which resulted in being separated from God, and in that sense, is lost; this is true of all men, since Adam was the federal head of all mankind thus by one man sin entered the world, resulting in death entering the world, and so death was passed upon all man, so all have sinned. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God; man can in no way atone for his own sin which Christ who His own self bore the sins of mankind in His own body on the tree; the retribution of the wicked and unbelieving and the reward of the righteous are everlasting, and as the reward is conscious, so is the retribution (Gen, 1:26, 27; 3:1-13; Rom. 3:10, 23; 5:12; 7:18; 2 Cor. 11:3; Acts 13:38, 39; 4:12; Jn. 3:16; Mt. 25:46; 2 Cor. 5:1; Eph. 2:8, 9; 2 Thess. 1:7-10).

Test #5

Lastly, it is critical to ask, “What is their belief about salvation?” Salvation is a gift of God, by grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, who died a voluntary and substitutionary death upon the cross at Calvary as once for all sacrifice for sin. Those who receive Jesus Christ by faith alone have their sins forgiven; are born into the family of God by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, thus becoming children of God; and are made new creatures in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8, 9; Heb. 10:10-12; 1 Cor. 15:3; 1 Pet. 2:23-24; Eph. 1:7; Jn. 1:12, 13; 2 Cor. 5:17).

It is rare that today’s evangelicalism examines matters of faith and practice by one source of authority. Today, there is a great emphasis placed on experience. Often the emphasis is on “Do you love Jesus; are you born of the Spirit of God?” “Is God leading you today?” “Is God speaking to your heart?” “Did today’s worship make you feel good?” “Are you excited about the programs?” However, whether it be a tear flowing testimony or even a changed life, none of these establish a criteria of saving faith until such experiences are challenged by the sufficiency of Scripture and its authority in the life of a Christian.2

The Protestant Reformers firmly declared the scriptural truths of sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), sola fide (faith alone), and sola gratia (grace alone) insisting that in order to come to a right relationship with God, a sinner is saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. Martin Luther, the great Reformer, wrote, “Scripture should not be understood as meaning anything else than that people are nothing and Christ alone is everything.”3

Titus 3:5, 6 states, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” These verses give beautiful testimony to the saving work of the triune God. It also eliminates the false belief that man can contribute any works whatsoever to procure his salvation; it is the gift of God.

1 G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy (Wheaton, ILL: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1994), p. 7

2 John H. Armstrong, ed., The Coming Evangelical Crisis (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996), p. 22.

3 Bernhard Lohse, Martin Luther: An Introduction To His Life and Work (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986), p. 159