This document discusses cults from several perspectives. It defines cults as religious groups that claim to be Christian but deny essential doctrines like the Trinity or deity of Jesus. Cults are growing due to fulfillment of Jesus' warnings, family breakdown, and church failure. They are characterized by false teachings on God and salvation, extra-biblical revelation, and mind-controlling methodologies that pose spiritual, psychological, and domestic dangers. Christians must know the Bible well to confront false teachings and protect others from deception.

1. CULTS
 DEFINITION
 CHRIST’S WARNING
 GROWTH OF THE
CULTS
 CULT
CHARACTERISTICS
 CULT CATEGORIES
 DOCTRINAL
CHARACTER
 SOCIOLOGICAL
STRUCTURE
 CULTIC
METHODOLOGY
 DANGER OF THE
CULTS
 TYPE OF CULTS
 HOW TO DEAL WITH
CULTIST
 APOLOGETICS

2. Cults
 The word cult comes from the French culte, and is rooted in the
Latin cultus, which means "care" and "adoration." That idea comes
from the Latin cultus - the past participle of colere, which means "to
cultivate."
The word was used in the sense of "to worship or give reference to
a deity."
Today, the term "cult" can refer to:
 : formal religious veneration : worship
 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of
adherents
 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its
promulgator <health cults>
 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as
a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or
intellectual fad
b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
 Source: Merriam-Webster Definition

3. WHAT IS A CULT?
 A GROUP OF PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND
A SPECIFIC PERSON’S
MISINTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE.
 ARE GROUPS THAT CLAIM TO BE IN
HARMONY WITH CHRISTIANITY BUT
DENY FOUNDATIONAL CHRISTIAN
DOCTRINES (such as the TRINITY or the
Unique deity of JESUS CHRIST.)

4. 3 APPROACHES in DEFINING a
CULT
 SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH: DESCRIBES THE
LIFESTYLE OF CULTS
 BEHAVIORAL APPROACH: JUDGEMENT IN AREAS
OF PSYCHOLOGICAL OR BEHAVIORAL ABUSE, SUCH AS
AUTHORITARIANISM & SEXUAL ABUSE…
 EVANGELICAL APPROACH: PRIMARILY DOCTRINAL
OR THEOLOGICAL, & SEEKS TO EXAMINE THE GROUP’S BELIEF
SYSTEM & INCLUDES A VALUE JUDGEMENT FROM AN
EVANGELICAL PERSPECTIVE BASED ON A STANDARD OF
CHRISTIAN ORTHODOXY.

5. INCORPORATION OF THE APPROACHES
FOR A WORKING DEFINITION
 A CULT IS A RELIGIOUS GROUP WHICH
CLAIMS HARMONY WITH CHRISTIANITY
BUT WHICH EITHER DENIES OR
MISINTERPRETS ESSENTIAL BIBLICAL
DOCTRINES; AND/OR PSYCHOLOGICALLY
OR BEHAVIORALLY, WHICH TENDS TO
USE EXTREME & UNETHICAL
TECHNIQUES OF MANIPULATION TO
RECRUIT, ASSIMILATE, CONTROL &
RETAIN MEMBERS.

6. WARNING OF JESUS
 MATT. 7:15-17, 23; JESUS GIVES US
A WARNING ABOUT THE COMING OF
THE CULTS.
 “WATCH OUT FOR FALSE PROPHETS. THEY
COME TO YOU IN SHEEPS CLOTHING BUT
INWARDLY THEY ARE A FEROCIOUS WOLVES.
BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM.”
 WHAT JESUS WAS WARNING WAS THAT
CULTIST WILL LOOK , ACT, AND SOUND LIKE
CHRISTIANS.

7. FACTORS FOR THE GROWTH
OF CULTS
1. FULFILLMENT OF THE WARNING GIVEN
BY JESUS & THE APOSTLES. (Matt. 24:23-
26; 2Pet. 2:1-3.)
2. BREAKDOWN OF THE FAMILY.
3. FAILURE OF THE CHURCH. “The cults thrive
because Christians are lacking in biblical & theological
understanding.”

8. DOCTRINAL CHARACTER OF
THE CULTS
How do you know if a religious group is a cult? Cults deviate from
biblical Christianity in several key areas of doctrine.
 FALSE TEACHING ON THE NATURE OF GOD. The
central feature that distinguishes cults from biblical Christianity is
the doctrine of the Trinity.
 CULTS TEACH FALSE VIEW OF JESUS. 2Cor. 11:4,
Paul warned about false teachers teaching another Jesus…
 FALSE TAECHING ON SALVATION. All cults have a
work-oriented Gospel…
 EXTRA-BIBLICAL REVELATION & THE SOLE
AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE. Cults claim that extra-biblical
revelation is given to the leader whose words are seen inspired by
God & equal to the Bible. The leader’s words & writtings take
precedence over the Bible.

9. "Therefore I said to you that you will die in
your sins; for unless you believe that I am
He, you will die in your sins.”-John 8:24
CounterfeitChrists
A study of false saviors
and false salvation
Go to “ Counterfeit Christs
Introduction 1”

10. SOCIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE CULTS
 AUTHORITARIANISM
 ELITIST MENTALITY
 ISOLATIONIST
 CLOSED-
MINDEDNESS
 LEGALISTIC
LIFESTYLE
 DIFFICULT EXIT
PROCESS
 OPPOSITIONAL
 SUBJECTIVE
 PERSECUTION
CONTIOUS
 SANCTION-
ORIENTED
 ESOTERIC (mysterious,
private)
 ANTI-SACERDOTAL
Life in the cults is marked by fear of judgment, preassure,
and legalism. This is very different from what we are
taught in the Bible.

11. CULTIC METHODOLOGY
METHODS CULTS USE TO WIN CONVERTS
 MORAL DECEPTION, cults use Christian terminology to
win converts.
 AGGRESSIVE PROSELYTIZING, Although many
Christian groups use aggressive evangelism, they do so out of love
for God and a desire to see others come to know Christ. Many
cultist feel guilty if a day or so goes by without them proselytizing.
 SCRIPTURE TWISTING, Cultist quote verses in the
Bible that support their position, but skip over the verses that do
not, they interpret the text & not the whole context…

12. 1 PETER 3: 15
WE MUST BE PREPARED BY KNOWING
THE WORD OF GOD TO DILIGENT STUDY
OF IT.
WE MUST OVERCOME OUR FEARS AND
LOVINGLY REACH OUT TO CULT
MEMBERS
EXERCISING THE FRUITS OF PATIENCE
& GENTLENESS AS WE SHARE THE
TRUTH.

13. DANGER OF THE CULTS
The rise of the cults pose a serious challenge to the church because they
present several dangers to the church an families involved.
1. SPIRITUAL DANGER, 1 Timothy 4:1, “…that in later
times some will abandon the faith & follow deceiving spirits &
things taught by demons.” So the ultimate force behind the cults
is the evil one. Gal. 1:8,…
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL DANGER, The mind controlling
techniques used by the organizations can cause immense damage
mentally & emotionally. Living under the pressure, guilt, &
dependence on the organization has proven to have tremendous
negative effects on individuals.
3. DOMESTIC DANGER, Loyalty to the organization
supercedes loyalty to family,
4. PHYSICAL DANGER, …

14.  STUDY & KNOW THE WORD OF GOD.
 1 TIM. 3:15
 CHRISTIANS SHOULD MASTER THE BIBLE SO THAT
THEY WILL not BE DECEIVE BY ANY FALSE
TEACHING.
 TITUS
 A COMMAND TO BE ABLE TO CONFRONT & REFUTE
FALSE TEACHERS.
 ACTS 20
 EVERY CHRISTIANS IS CALLED TO KNOW THE TRUTH
SO WELL THEY CAN CONFRONT FALSE TEACHING, &
PROTECT THEIR CHURCH & FAMILY FROM IT.
CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO:

15. Cults use the Bible to support its position in
a host of interpretive errors:
 Taking verses out of their immediate context.
 Refusing to read verses in the entire biblical context.
 Inserting their theological presuppositions into the text.
 Altering the Biblical text to suit their needs.
 Latching onto one verse to interpret a host of others.
 Changing the meanings of words.
 Proclaiming some passages to be figurative when they
contradict their doctrines.
 Adding to the Word of God.

16. TYPE OF CULTS
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES
IN CULTIC GROUPS
 EASTERN MYSTICAL
 ABERRANT (departing from the right) CHRISTIAN
 PSYCHOSPIRITUAL OR SELF IMPROVEMENT
 ECLECTIC/SYNCRETISTIC
 PSYCHIC/OCCULT/ASTRAL
 ESTABLISHED CULTS
 EXTREMIST/POLITICAL/SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

17. 10 RULES IN DEALING WITH
CULTIST
 BE PRAYERFUL, 2 COR. 4:4; EPH. 6:18-20; 2 THES. 3:1-2, WE
ARE IN A SPIRITUAL WARFARE
 BE PATIENT, THEIR ANGER MAYBE ASIGN THAT YOU ARE
CONVINCING THEM YOU ARE RIGHT.
 BE POLITE, 1 COR. 13:5
 BE LOVING
 CHOOSE ONE, TWO or THREE MAIN ERRORS
OF THE CULT, BE ABLE TO REFUTE THEM
THOROUGHLY, AND STICK TO THESE MAIN
POINTS.