December 20, 2007

Yahweh (the God of the Bible) vs. Allah (the god of the Qur’an)

In a 2007 interview with Al Arabiya TV, President George W. Bush said this in response to the charge that the Arab world sees the president as anti-Islam: “Well, first of all, I believe in an almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That’s what I believe.” The Qur’an seems to support the president’s view:

Do not argue with the people of the scripture (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) except in the nicest possible manner-unless they transgress-and say, “We believe in what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you, and our god and your god is one and the same; to Him we are submitters.” (29:46)

While it appears the president’s comments were intended to soothe the minds of Muslim viewers, they had just the opposite effect on me. The god of Islam and the God of the Bible clearly are different. In fact, whether you’re Christian or Muslim, every person can know the difference between Allah and Yahweh by asking three personal questions:

1. Does God know me?

Allah. The Qur’an teaches that Allah is the transcendent creator, all-powerful and all-knowing. He knows who you are; in fact, many Muslims believe he has fatalistically determined your thoughts, words and deeds – good and evil – and even your eternal destiny, which is why Muslims so often say, “If Allah wills it.” So, Allah does indeed know you.

But Allah is not truly personal, knowable, or approachable. The Qur’an depicts him more judgmental than gracious. He exists as a singular unity who has no “partners.” In fact, to call Jesus the Son of God is to commit the unpardonable sin, or shirk. Of the 99 names for God in the Qur’an, Father is not one of them. In Islam, it is considered blasphemous to “presume” that one can know God or claim any sort of close, personal fellowship with Allah. He reveals his will, not himself.

Yahweh, the God of the Bible, also is depicted as is the transcendent Creator. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere present. He knows us; but more than that, He is knowable and approachable. He created us in His image – with personality, thought, and will – for the purpose of enjoying an everlasting, unbreakable, intimate relationship with Him. He exists as a Trinity in eternal relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In fact, God is so knowable, He came in the flesh as Jesus of Nazareth.

Jer. 24:7 — I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord. They will be My people, and I will be their God because they will return to Me with all their heart.
Jer. 31:34 — No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying: Know the Lord, for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them”-the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”
John 7:28-9 — As He was teaching in the temple complex, Jesus cried out, “You know Me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on My own, but the One who sent Me is true. You don’t know Him; I know Him because I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
Heb. 8:11 — And each person will not teach his fellow citizen,and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them.
John 1:1-3, 14 — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created….The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 8:19 — Then they asked Him, “Where is Your Father?” “You know neither Me nor My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would also know My Father.”
John 17:3 — This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent-Jesus Christ.
Abraham was called “the friend of God.”

Does God know me? Allah and Yahweh are depicted as supreme beings who know everything and everyone. But … only the God of the Bible is truly personal and knowable.

2. Does God love me?

Allah.The Qur’an teaches that Allah loves those he chooses to love and hates those he chooses to hate. It appears his love or hate is in response to human behavior. “Allah loves not those that do wrong,” says the Qur’an (Surah 3:140), neither does he love “him who is treacherous, sinful” (Surah 4:107). “Those who reject faith and do wrong – Allah will not forgive them nor guide them to any way – Except the way of Hell, to dwell therein for ever. And this to Allah is easy (4:168-169). See also 5:49 and 40:10. Other types of people Allah hates:

Transgressors (2:190).
Ungrateful and wicked creatures (2:276).
Those who reject faith (3:32; 30:45).
Those who do wrong (3:57, 140; 42:40).
The arrogant, the vainglorious (4:36; 16:23; 31:18; 57:23).
Those given to excess (5:87).
Wasters (6:141; 7:31).
Treacherous (8:58).

Yahweh, the God of the Bible, on the other hand, loves all people (John 3:16). His love is not a response to our goodness, but in spite of our lack of goodness. He proved His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). The apostle John wrote, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sin” (1 John 4:10). Even though God hates sin, He loves the sinner and takes no pleasure in punishing him (Eze. 18:23). His love for all people is unconditional.

Does God love me? Only the God of the Bible loves all people.

3. Did God die for me?

Allah. The Qur’an teaches that Allah did not, would not, and will not die for you, nor would he send anyone to die for you. In fact, the Qur’an teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross, but was taken up into heaven, and Judas, or someone made to look like Jesus, was crucified in His place. Further, the Qur’an teaches that there is no need for Allah to provide a sacrifice for sin because ignorance of Islam, not sin, is man’s problem. (The possible exceptions are apostasy from Islam and refusal to convert to Islam.) Staying away from major sins (whatever those are) will automatically result in one’s “small” sins being overlooked by Allah (4:31).

Yahweh, the God of the Bible, on the other hand, loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us. This was determined in eternity past, before you and I were ever born and before any of mankind had fallen into sin; Jesus is declared to be the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21). But even more than dying for us, God the Son rose from the dead, conquering sin and death, and He offers us forgiveness of sins and eternal life by His grace through faith in Him.

A key difference between Islam and Christianity is that in Islam, Allah sends his followers to die for him, whereas in Christianity God sent His Son to die for us.

Did God die for us? Only the God of the Bible sent His Son to die for us, securing eternal life for those who trust in Him.

One God, two names?

So, are Allah and Yahweh just two different names for the same God, as President Bush suggested in his television interview? Absolutely not:

Allah is distant and unknowable. The God of the Bible is close and personal.
Allah does not love every person; Yahweh does, unconditionally.
Allah did not, would not, and will not die for you, nor would he ever send anyone to do so. But the God of the Bible loves you so much He sent His one and only Son to die for you. And He stands ready to grant you everlasting life if you will receive Him by faith.

Download this article as part of a package of articles on Islam (PDF)

December 20, 2007

Jesus vs. Isa (the Jesus of the Koran)

When comparing Jesus and Isa (the Jesus of the Koran),

we can see clear differences by exploring three questions:

Who is He?

Jesus	Isa
Virgin born; conceived by Holy Spirit (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:35).	Virgin born; created in womb of Mary by Allah; creation similar to Adam’s (Surah 3:59; 19:20-22; 21:91).
Son of God (Matt. 3:17; John 10:30).	Son of Mary (called by this name 23 times in Islamic scriptures; for example, Surah 34:45).Allah is not a father and has no sons or daughters; to say so is shirk, the unpardonable sin (see Surah 19:88-92; 112:3).
Eternal (John 8:58; John 17:5).	Created from dust, as Adam was (Surah 3:59).
Co-equal, co-eternal with the Father, Holy Spirit (John 1:1-14; Col. 1:15-20; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 1:1-13).	Only a man, a prophet. It is shirk, the unpardonable sin, to ascribe deity to Jesus. Allah is not Triune (Surah 4:171; 5:73, 116).
God (John 1:1; John 10:30).	Not God (Surah 5:17, 72-3, 75). Jesus was an apostle of Allah (Surah 4:171); a messenger only (Surah 5:75; 19:30).
Greater than any man (Matt. 12:42).	A great prophet; not as great as Muhammad. Jesus was a worshiper of Allah (Surah 3:51; 9:30).
Messiah / Christ (Matt. 16:16-7; John 20:31).	Messiah only to the Jews; will proclaim Islam and establish it on the earth at his return.
The way, truth, and life (John 14:6).	Preached the truth (of Islam).
Savior of the world (Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Acts 5:31).	Prophet of Allah; human messenger.
Sinless (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15).	Righteous; obedient to Allah, as all prophets were (Surah 3:45, 49; 4:158).

What Did He Do?

Jesus	Isa
Became flesh, retaining His deity; adding humanity (John 1:14).	Was only flesh. Created from dust by Allah (Surah 3:59).
Called God His Father (John 5:18; 8:54; 20:17).	Called Allah his Lord and worshiped him (Surah 5:75).
Performed miracles to demonstrate His authority as Messiah and to provide a foretaste of the kingdom of heaven (John 2:11; Acts 2:22).	Performed miracles as “signs from the Lord” (Surah 3:49; 5:110).
Died on the cross for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21).	Did not die on the cross. Opinions vary as to what happened to him (he hid while one of his companions died in his place; Allah made Judas Iscariot to look like Jesus and take his place; Simon of Cyrene took Jesus’ place). Atonement for sins not necessary (Surah 17:15; 35:18).
Rose physically from the dead (Matt. 12:38-40; Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:4-8; 1 Peter 1:18-21).	Did not die.
Ascended into heaven after His resurrection and is seated at the Father’s right hand (Matt. 26:64; Mark 16:19; Acts 7:55-6).	Called into heaven by Allah at the time Christians say he was crucified. Opinions vary as to whether he remains in heaven today or was sent back to earth, where he died a natural death.
Will return physically and visibly once day to establish His earthly kingdom (Matt. 24:30-1; Rev. 19:11-21).	Will return one day to proclaim Islam and establish Islam on earth. Will defeat Antichrist, kill all pigs, break all crosses, and establish 1,000 years of righteousness. Some expand on this and say he will then die and be buried beside Muhammad.

What Difference Does It Make?

Jesus	Isa
Sin is humanity’s problem and results in spiritual and physical death (Rom. 3:10, 23; 5:12; 6:23).	People are not fallen by nature. Sin is not humanity’s problem; ignorance of the teachings of Islam is the problem.
Christ’s finished work on the cross provides forgiveness of sin and eternal life by God’s grace through faith (John 3:16; 5:24; Rom. 4:4-5; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7).	Allah would never let his prophet die in such a way. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are achieved by submitting to Allah and performing good deeds; atonement is not needed (Surah 11:114; 17:15; 35:18).
Jesus is the only way of salvation (John 14:6; Rom. 3:24-26).	Jesus was only a man – a good man, a prophet, and a worshiper of Allah (Surah 3:51; 19:30).
Salvation is offered freely to all (Rom. 10:13).	Allah forgives whom he pleases and punishes whom he pleases; from mankind’s perspective, our eternal destiny is fatalistically determined (Surah 11:114).
Believers are eternally secure based on the promise of God to save us and the power of God to keep us saved (John 5:24; 10:28; 1 Peter 1:3-5).	Jihad is the only eternal security (Surah 3:157).
God deals graciously with people; worship is never forced (Matt. 11:28-30).	Worship may be forced upon people (Surah 2:193; 9:29).

Additional Resources:

Download this chart as part of a package of articles on Islam (PDF)

December 19, 2007

Comparing Christianity to Judaism

What the Bible says about God:	What Judaism says about God:

There is one true and living God, who exists as three distinct, co-equal, co-eternal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4; John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:13; 1 Peter 1:2). God is personal and is to be the only object of worship (Ex. 20:2-3; Isa. 43:10, 44:6; Matt. 4:10).	There is one God who is Creator, Deliverer, and Lord of history. He exists in absolute singularity (Deut. 6:4) and therefore is not triune, nor does He exist as more than one distinct person. He is somewhat less personal and more abstract than the God of Christianity.
What the Bible says about Jesus:	What Judaism says about Jesus:
He is the virgin-born Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:35). He is the eternal God, the Creator, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and Holy Spirit (John 1:1-14, 10:30; Col. 1:15-20; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 1:1-13). Jesus died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3), rose physically from the dead (Matt. 12:38-40; Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:4-8; 1 Peter 1:18-21) and is coming back physically and visibly one day (Matt. 24:29-31; John 14:3; Titus 2:13; Rev. 19:11-16).	Judaism rejects Jesus as the Messiah because he did not fulfill the required prophecies, which include worldwide peace, the return of all Jewish exiles to Israel, the cessation of sin, and the acknowledgement of God and the worship of God according to the Jewish religion. Some Jews see Jesus as a humble but insignificant prophet; others, as a fraud; still others as a pagan idol.
What the Bible says about man:	What Judaism says about man:
God created man in His image – with a human spirit, personality and will. A person’s life begins at conception and is everlasting, but not eternal; that is, our lives have no end, but they did have a distinct beginning (Gen. 1:26-28; Ps. 139:13-16).	God created man in His image (Gen. 1:26-28). Man does not inherit original sin. Therefore, mankind basically is good, free, and self-determining.
What the Bible says about sin:	What Judaism says about sin:
Sin is a violation of God’s perfect and holy standards. All humans are sinners (Rom. 3:10) and are under the curse of sin – spiritual and physical death (Gen. 2:17, 3:17-19; Rom. 3:23, 6:23). Only faith in Christ and His work on our behalf frees us from sin and its consequences (John 3:16, 5:24; Eph. 2:8-9).	Sin is seen virtually as criminal behavior. Therefore, most Jews do not see themselves as sinners. Ignorance of God’s law, or refusal to keep the law according to rabbinic tradition, not sin, is man’s biggest problem.

What the Bible says about salvation:	What Judaism says about salvation:
Christ’s death at Calvary completely paid our sin debt so that salvation comes by grace alone through faith in the person and work of Jesus (John 3:16, 5:24; Rom. 4:4-5; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7).	The solutions to man’s problem – which is either ignorance of God’s law, or refusal to keep the law according to rabbinic tradition – are education and greater effort applied to living moral and disciplined lives. Repentance, good deeds, and prayer take the place of sacrifice.
What the Bible says about the Bible:	What Judaism says about the Bible:
The Bible is the inerrant, infallible, inspired Word of God, and is His sole written authority for all people (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).	The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh, or the “Old Testament”), as interpreted by rabbinic tradition, is man’s guide. In practice, rabbinic tradition is more authoritative than Scripture.
What the Bible says about death and the afterlife:	What Judaism says about death and the afterlife:
Physical and spiritual deaths come upon all people as a consequence of sin (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1). A person becomes spiritually alive when he or she is “born again” by the Spirit of God (John 3:3-6; Eph. 2:4-5). At physical death, our souls and spirits separate from our bodies [which go into the grave to await resurrection and final judgment] and enter an everlasting state of blessedness [for those born again] or torment [for those who die in their sins] (Luke 16:19-31; 2 Cor. 5:8).	Jews hold a range of views: Orthodox Jews believe in reward in heaven (Garden of Eden) or punishment in hell. Conservative Jews hold to a vague view of the afterlife. Reform Jews deny the existence of life beyond the grave.
Hell is a place of everlasting conscious existence, where the unbeliever is forever separated from God (Matt. 25:46; Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 14:9-11, 20:10). As for Heaven, all believers have God’s promise of a home in Heaven, will go there instantly upon physical death, and will return with Christ from Heaven to earth one day (John 14:1-3; 2 Cor. 5:8; Rev. 19:14).

Additional Resources:

Download this chart as part of a package of articles on Judaism (PDF)

December 19, 2007

Judaism: An Overview

Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. It is based on the principles of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the Talmud (a record of rabbinic discussions about law, ethics, custom and history). The history of Judaism begins with the covenant between God and Abraham, in which God establishes the Jews as His chosen people and promises them future blessings, including a large population and land. Most significantly, the Jews are the people through whom the entire world would be blessed (in the coming of the Messiah). Judaism is one of the oldest religious traditions still in practice today. Jewish history and beliefs have influenced other religions including Christianity, Islam, and the Baha’i faith.

Jewish Texts

The Tanakh corresponds to the Old Testament and is composed of three parts:

Torah (law) – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Nevi’im (prophets) – Joshua, Judges, Samuel (2), Kings (2), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah and Malachi.
Ketuvim (writings) – Ruth, Chronicles (2), Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations and Daniel.

The Talmud comes mainly from two sources:

Mishnah – containing hundreds of chapters, including series of laws from the Hebrew Scriptures.
Gemara – including comments from hundreds of rabbis from 200-500 A.D. explaining the Mishnah with additional historical, religious, legal and other material.

Basic Jewish Beliefs

The closest thing to a creed in Judaism is the 13 articles formulated by rabbi and scholar Moses Maimonides, who lived from 1135-1204 A.D.

God alone is Creator.
God is one and unique.
God is incorporeal (without material existence).
God is eternal – the first and the last.
Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other.
The words of the prophets are true.
Moses was the greatest of the prophets, and his prophecies are true.
The Written Torah (first five books of the Bible) and the Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given by Moses.
There will be no other Torah.
God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
God will reward the good and punish the wicked.
The Messiah will come.
The dead will be resurrected.

Some additional beliefs found commonly among Jews are:

Jesus was a great moral teacher; or, Jesus was a false prophet or an idol of Christianity.
The Jews are God’s chosen people; that is, God selected Israel to receive and study the Torah, to worship God alone, to rest on the weekly Sabbath, and to celebrate the festivals.
The 613 commandments found in Leviticus and other books of the Torah regulate all aspects of Jewish life.
The Ten Commandments form a brief synopsis of the Law.
The Messiah will arrive in the future and gather Jews once more into the land of Israel. There will be a general resurrection of the dead at that time, and the Jerusalem Temple, destroyed in 70 A.D., will be rebuilt.
Boys reach the status of Bar Mitzvah on their 13th birthday. Girls reach Bat Mitzvah on their 12th birthday. Following these milestones, males and females can sign contracts, testify in religious courts, and marry (although the Talmud recommends 18 to 24 as the proper age for marriage).

Jewish Practices

Jewish practices include:

Observation of the weekly Sabbath.
Strict discipline, according to the Law, which governs all areas of life.
Regular attendance by Jewish males at synagogue.
Celebration of the annual festivals including: Passover, Rosh Hashanah (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkoth (Feast of Booths), Hanukkah (Feast of Lights), Purim (Feast of Lots), and Shavout (Feast of Weeks).

Main Forms of Judaism

There are five main forms of Judaism in the world today:

Orthodox – the oldest, most conservative, and most diverse form of Judaism. Modern Orthodox, Chasidim and Ultra Orthodox Jews share a basic belief in the Jewish Law, even though they differ in their outlooks on life. They attempt to follow the original form of Judaism as they see it. Every word of the sacred texts is considered inspired.
Reform – a liberal group including many North American Jews. The movement started in the 1790s in Germany. Reform Jews follow the ethical laws of Judaism but allow the individual to decide whether to follow dietary and other traditional laws. They use modern forms of worship. Many of their rabbis are females.
Conservative – a movement that began in the mid-nineteenth century in response to the Reform movement. It is a mainline movement midway between Orthodox and Reform.
Humanistic – a very small group composed mainly of atheists and agnostics who regard man as the measure of all things.
Reconstructionist – a small, liberal movement started as an attempt to unify and revitalize the religion. It rejects the concept that Jews are a unique people whom God favors.

It’s important to note what some call a sixth – and growing – form of Judaism: Messianic Judaism. These Jews believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah. Culturally and ethically they are Jews, but they have embraced Christianity. Some prefer to be called Hebrew Christians, Jewish Christians, or simply believers.

Moshiach: The Messiah

Traditional Judaism holds to a foundational belief in the eventual coming of the moshiach– the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek). Jews teach that the Messiah will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jer. 23:5). He will be well-versed in Jewish law and observe its commandments (Isa. 11:2-5). In addition, he will be a charismatic figure who inspires others; a great military leader who wins battles for Israel; and a great judge who makes righteous decisions (Jer. 33:15). But above all, he will be a human being who is in no way divine. It is believed that in every generation a person is born with the potential to be the Messiah.

Though many have claimed to be the Messiah – Jesus of Nazareth (1st century), Shimeon ben Kosiba (2nd century), and Shabbatai Tzvi (17th century) to name a few – Jews claim all of them died without fulfilling the Messiah’s mission, which involves:

Bringing about the political and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people by restoring the Jews’ homeland and capital city (Isa. 11:11-12; Jer. 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5).
Establishing a government in Israel that is the center of all world government (Isa. 2:2-4; 11:10; 42:1).
Rebuilding the temple and reestablishing its worship (Jer. 33:18).
Restoring the religious court system of Israel and establishing Jewish law as the law of the land (Jer. 33:15).

Before the time of the Messiah, there will be war and suffering (Ezek. 38:16). After he comes, the world will enter a period known as Olam Ha-Ba, or the world to come, or the Messianic Age, characterized by peaceful coexistence among people, and even animals (Isa. 2:4). Jews will return from their exile among the nations to Israel (Isa. 11:11-12; Jer. 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5). The whole world will acknowledge God and worship Him according to the Jewish religion (Isa. 2:3; 11:10; Micah 4:2-3; Zech. 14:9). Sin will cease (Zeph. 3:13). Sacrifices will continue to be brought to the temple, but these will be limited to thanksgiving offerings because there will be no necessity for sin offerings.

Jews do not believe that Jesus was the moshiach. They argue that he did not fulfill the mission of the Messiah as described above.

Additional Resources:

Download this article as part of a package of stories on Judaism (PDF)

December 19, 2007

Believe Not Every Spirit: An Introduction to the Cults (1 John 4:1-4)

What is a cult?

We are defining a cult as: a religious organization whose members claim to be Christians, and who use the Bible and Christian terms, yet who deny the central beliefs of historical Christianity. Simply put, a cult is counterfeit Christianity.

The Bible cautions us to beware of false messiahs, false prophets and false teachers who “disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” and promote “doctrines of demons” (see Matt. 24:23-27; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:1-4).

What are some words and concepts related to the word “cult”?

False religion/false belief system. From a New Testament perspective, a false religion is any system of belief that opposes the central teachings of the Christian faith. While all cults of Christianity are false religions, not all false religions are cults, because not all religions claim to be Christian. Islam, for example, is a false religion but not a cult, because Islam does not claim to be Christian.

Occult. The occult generally is classified in three ways: 1) spiritism or spiritualism – the view that spirit is a prime element or reality, or a belief that the spirits of the dead can commune with the living, usually through a medium; 2) fortune telling or sorcery – divination by the assistance of evil spirits; and 3) magic– the use of means such as charms or spells believed to have power over natural forces. Although cults should not be confused with the occult, some cults and cult founders, such as Mormonism’s founder Joseph Smith, do engage in occultic practices.

Heresy. This may be defined as a teaching that directly opposes the essentials of the Christian faith, so that true Christians must separate themselves from those who hold to that teaching. Examples of heresy include a denial of Christ’s deity, full humanity, virgin birth, or bodily resurrection.

Sect. Within Christianity, a sect is a distinctive, persisting and separately organized group of believers who reject the established religious authorities, but who claim to adhere to the authentic elements of the faith. So the term may refer to genuinely Christian groups that have distanced themselves from established churches or denominations – and to some degree the predominant culture they represent – in order to emphasize one or more beliefs or practices they feel have been lost. Example: The International Church of Christ, which adheres to a Biblical view of God and Christ but claims to be the only movement proclaiming the true message of salvation today.

How many people are in cults?

It’s difficult to know with certainty the number of people engaged in cults because of varying definitions of the term cult. But if you consider only Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses – the two largest cults that fit our definition – the number of cult members totals nearly 20 million.

What are common characteristics of cults?

While cults vary widely in beliefs and practices, some common threads run through them, for example:

A single charismatic leader or authority figure apart from Jesus Christ. Examples include Victor Paul Wierwille (now deceased), founder of The Way International; and the Unification Church’s Sun Myung Moon, the self-proclaimed messiah who came to complete Jesus’ failed mission.

Belief in “new” revelation, which often contradicts and always overrides previous revelations. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), for example, is led by a president who is called “prophet, seer and revelator.” He receives and passes down new revelation – such as the “new” and unscriptural revelation that humans are essentially “gods in embryo.”

Acceptance of new written authority, which either supercedes the Bible or is necessary to “properly understand” scripture. For example, Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is the Christian Scientist’s way to interpret the Bible. And The Book of Mormon is one of several “inspired” writings considered authoritative by Latter-day Saints.

Changed theology, which redefines Christian terms, remakes Jesus Christ and reforms His finished work at Calvary. Jehovah’s Witnesses, for example, claim Jesus was once Michael the Archangel, a created being; and Latter-day Saints believe that men may become gods. Key theological characteristics of the cults include:

A denial of the Trinity.
A denial of salvation by grace alone through faith.
Denial of Jesus’ bodily resurrection.
Reduction of the absolute authority of Scripture.
Rejection of the doctrine of eternal punishment.
Emphasis on experience over doctrine.
Emphasis on direct revelations and visions from God.
Unhealthy fixation on the end times.
Over-emphasis on minor points of theology.

To boil it down, cult leaders consistently counterfeit Christianity in three ways, according to the apostle Paul: They preach “another Jesus … a different spirit … a different gospel” (2 Cor. 11:4). By masquerading as “servants of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:15), they twist the doctrines concerning the person and work of Christ; the Holy Spirit and the spiritual realm; and the gospel message of salvation by grace through faith, apart from human effort.

Additional Resources

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Beloved, Believe Not Every Spirit