What is a Cult?

One
They have a man or woman who claims to be a latter-day prophet.
Two
They claim to have received extra-biblical revelations and have a book in addition to the Bible that is equally "God's Word," and in most cases it is to them more authoritative than the Bible.
Three

They have a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible who is the Eternal Son of God.

GlobeFour
They have a works plus grace salvation.

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Five
They claim that their prophet is the final latter-day prophet and his followers are the only true people of God.

 

 

WHAT DO I MEAN BY THE USE OF THE WORD CULT?

If one were to talk with ten different people who are "cult experts," most likely he or she would get a different definition of what a cult is from each of them. Most people agree with the three main categories that group counterfeit religions. They are as follows: the occult, cults, and false religions. After one has these three categories, there is very little real clarity as to what group belongs where- at least with the last two groups there isn't. So for the sake of clarity, this is my criteria for classifying Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists, and Muslims as a cult.

1. They have a man or woman who claims to be a latter-day prophet.

2. They claim to have received extra-biblical revelations and have a book in addition to the Bible that is equally "God's Word," and in most cases it is to them more authoritative than the Bible.

3. They have a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible who is the Eternal Son of God.

4. They have a works plus grace salvation.

5. They claim that their prophet is the final latter-day prophet and his followers are the only true people of God.

 

 


Five marks of a cult