Local Church Discussions - View Single Post - How Not To Be Deceived By Cults (Even Christian Ones)

Evangelical · 06-08-2018, 03:30 AM

None of these points are biblical. I note the minimal use of Scripture. And there is no mention of any of the biblical tests for false spirits, prophets/teachers, that we have discussed in another thread. This is just the author's musings of what he thinks a cult looks like based on hollywood movies. His tests would make the Amish a cult, and Catholics too, and many other Christian groups.

And mention of the so-called "religious spirit" proves he does not know what he is talking about. There is no such thing as a religious spirit/demon in the bible, this term was invented by Pentecostals to characterize everyone who does not believe in receiving the power of the Spirit with signs of speaking in tongues and strange manifestations. It's a term used on charismanews and similar pentecostal sites, but there is no scripture which suggests that demons go around causing people to behave religiously. If there was then Jesus would have cast out that demon from the Scribes and Pharisees.

Use unbiblical tests like these and you're almost guaranteed to end up in a cult. Why? Because they don't test the spirits. A good place to start is a test of the spirits, do they confess Jesus or not according to 1 Cor 12:3. Do they confess Jesus is come in the flesh according to 1 John 4:2 and Jesus as the Son of God according to 1 John 4:15? Confession is a tried and true method of discernment in the church, more importantly, confession is biblical.

06-08-2018, 03:30 AM	#4
Evangelical Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 3,965	Re: How Not To Be Deceived By Cults (Even Christian Ones) None of these points are biblical. I note the minimal use of Scripture. And there is no mention of any of the biblical tests for false spirits, prophets/teachers, that we have discussed in another thread. This is just the author's musings of what he thinks a cult looks like based on hollywood movies. His tests would make the Amish a cult, and Catholics too, and many other Christian groups. And mention of the so-called "religious spirit" proves he does not know what he is talking about. There is no such thing as a religious spirit/demon in the bible, this term was invented by Pentecostals to characterize everyone who does not believe in receiving the power of the Spirit with signs of speaking in tongues and strange manifestations. It's a term used on charismanews and similar pentecostal sites, but there is no scripture which suggests that demons go around causing people to behave religiously. If there was then Jesus would have cast out that demon from the Scribes and Pharisees. Use unbiblical tests like these and you're almost guaranteed to end up in a cult. Why? Because they don't test the spirits. A good place to start is a test of the spirits, do they confess Jesus or not according to 1 Cor 12:3. Do they confess Jesus is come in the flesh according to 1 John 4:2 and Jesus as the Son of God according to 1 John 4:15? Confession is a tried and true method of discernment in the church, more importantly, confession is biblical.