The Church of Christ
is Not a Cult
One man jokingly wrote that a cult
was any group he didn't like. He was pointing out the tendency to
use prejudicial or inflammatory language to describe those with whom
we disagree. People sometimes throw the word cult around out of fear
of the unknown and as a way to avoid open-minded investigation.
Of course, there are religious cults that are spiritually,
emotionally, and sometimes physically dangerous and damaging.
Deciding what is a cult and what isn't can be difficult because
there is not one, all encompassing, definition which can be applied
in every situation. While using care to avoid unsafe religious
groups, we also need to resist the temptation to label as a cult any
group we aren't familiar with or which seems different from what we
are used to.
Most cults are groups organized for the purpose of venerating an
authoritarian, usually self-proclaimed leader. This leader claims to
have a special relationship with God or with some other supernatural
force, a relationship that imbues him or her with special powers.
Here are some reasons why we do not fit the cult description:
- We do not have a human leader.
Christ is the Head of the church (Ephesians 1:22).
- We do not claim to have special
revelation (knowledge) which others do not have -- we believe
the Bible is our sole authority (II Timothy 3:16,17).
- Reason from Scripture is used in
teaching, not pressure, manipulation, or control tactics (Isaiah
1:18).
- Every member is to study and
understand God's Word, not following any man or group ideology
(I Corinthians 4:6; II Timothy 2:15).
- We do not isolate ourselves, but
are to be in the world while not being of the world (John
17:14,15; Matthew 5:13, 14).
- We are not closed minded, but
are willing to "test all things" (I Thessalonians 5:21).
- We are not antagonistic, but
believe, "if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live
peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18).
- Zeal is expressed in ways
controlled by God in the Scriptures (Romans 10:2).
- Without exception, we are
committed to God's high standard of morality, refusing to
compromise anything revealed in the New Testament.
Being a follower of Christ has always
been about faith based on personal study and investigation. True
faith and its expression may seem strange, even extreme, to those
who are unfamiliar with faith as revealed in the New Testament.
Different or devoted does not mean cultic.
Our desire to do what is right in the sight of God must drive us to
search for and find His true Will as revealed in the Bible. These
are the people you will find in God's true church. A cult tries to
decide for you -- God's people want you to look to God in His Word
to decide for you! |
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