WHAT IS A CULT?

Updated May 5, 2004 (first published March 9, 1996) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

The term “cult” is from the Latin word “cultus,” which refers to worship and religious devotion. In Christianity it is used today of a religious sect, particularly those sects which seriously deviate from traditional Bible Christianity.

Since the term “cult” is not a Bible one, there is no absolute definition of it. Webster's College Dictionary gives three basic definitions of a cult: “a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies; a group that devotes itself to or venerates a person, ideal, fad, etc.; a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist.”

According to the Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult, a cult is “a relatively small, often transitory religious group that commonly follows a radical leader. In recent times, orthodox Christians have used the term to describe those religious groups that deny the Trinity and specifically the deity of Jesus Christ. Their teachings are contrary to historic Christian orthodoxy.”

Walter Martin, in The Kingdom of the Cults, defined a cult as “any religious group which differs significantly in some one or more respects as to belief or practice, from those religious groups which are regarded as the normative expressions of religion in our total culture.”

Because of this variation and uncertainty in the definition of the term “cult,” it should be employed cautiously and should be plainly defined by the user.

This editor believes Bible terms describing error are much more helpful. These are terms such as “false prophets” (Mt. 7:15; 24:24); “heresies” (2 Pet. 2:1); “heretic” (Tit. 3:10); “false teacher” (2 Pet. 2:1); “false apostles, deceitful workers” (2 Co. 11:13); “doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1); “tradition of men” (Col. 2:8); “evil workers” (Ph. 3:2); “another gospel” (2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6), “antichrists” (1 Jn. 3:18); “evil men and seducers” (2 Tim. 3:13); “deceivers” (2 Tim. 3:13); “every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14); “them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned” (Rom. 16:17).

One of the chief errors relating to the use of the term “cult” today is in limiting the basis of biblical separation to only a few “cardinal” doctrines. A book published in 1976 entitled Whom Then Can We Believe? (Maurice Burrell and J. Stafford Wright, Moody Press) dealt with a number of groups commonly labeled as cults: Christian Science, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Theosophy, Armstrongism, Spiritualism, and Christadelphianism. Note that such things as Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Theological Liberalism are not included.

We believe the authors erred in limiting their doctrinal tests to “that which all the churches, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant, including the denominational churches, have always regarded as the truth about the being of God as drawn from Scripture.” Thus not only do these authors not treat the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodoxy as cults; they treat them as largely sound.

Denominations are not the standard for truth; the Bible is! And Scriptural authority is not limited to part of the Bible or to certain teachings of the Bible, but extends to the whole Bible. God nowhere instructs us to base our judgments upon or to establish doctrinal unity by finding common ground between the major denominations.

We do not dispute the fact that some teachings of the Bible are more important than others, particularly in regard to salvation. The doctrine of the Gospel is more important than the doctrine of fasting, for example. Yet the Bible enjoins God's people to exalt all Bible doctrine. We are to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27; 2 Tim. 4:1-6). We are to earnestly contend for all the faith which was delivered to us (Jude 3). We are to forbid ANY doctrine which is contrary to Bible doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3). We are to observe Bible doctrine in every detail, to keep it without spot (1 Tim. 6:14), as a solemn trust which has been committed to us (1 Tim. 6:20).

Yes, there are “damnable heresies” (2 Pet. 2:1), which refers to doctrines that are “fatal,” meaning that if a person does not accept them he cannot be saved. These include doctrines such as the Person of Jesus Christ, including His Virgin Birth, Sinlessness, and Bodily Resurrection; the Nature of God, including the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the Trinity; Justification by Grace alone; and the Infallibility of Bible inspiration and its Authority as the Sole Standard for Faith and Practice.

Yet the passages of Scripture previously cited (Acts 20:27; Jude 3; 1 Tim. 1:3; 6:14,20; 2 Tim. 4:1-6) do not allow me to pick a few Bible doctrines and exalt these as the sole basis for fellowship. We must stand on the whole counsel of God, and that tends to limit fellowship significantly!

The doctrine of sanctification is important. The doctrine of eternity security is important. The doctrine of the church is important. Pastoral standards are important. The woman's role in Christian service is important. Prophetic doctrine related is important. The doctrine of separation is important. Doctrine related to evangelism and world missions is important.

Let me give a practical example of what I am talking about. Many refuse to label the Roman Catholic Church as a cult, because the Roman Catholic Church believes in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, and certain other “cardinal” Bible doctrines. In our estimation, this is a useless debate. Whether or not the Roman Catholic Church is defined as a cult is not very important. The fact is that it teaches a false gospel which mixes grace and sacraments, faith and works together; it teaches “another gospel”; and even if every one of its other doctrines were scriptural (and we know that is far from the case) it is cursed of God as were the Galatian heretics of old (Galatians 1).

Another example. I do not believe that the Assemblies of God are a “cult” by the aforementioned definitions or that all of those who are involved with the AG are unsaved. But I do know that the AG teaches many false doctrines which are contrary to the Word of God and I therefore cannot fellowship together with them. For me to contend earnestly for the whole counsel of God creates a barrier between me and the AG. This is only one example of countless which could be given.

Thus the term “cult” is not necessarily a helpful one. In fact, it can be dangerous.

[This is excerpted from the Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity, version 2.0, copyright 1996]

David Cloud dcloud@wayoflife.org
http://www.wayoflife.org/
1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277