1. The Bible says that the truth should set us free; please write a paragraph explaining this statement.
The Word of God states in Proverbs 16:25, "There is a way that may seem right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Pilate didn’t know the truth, and because of it, he made a grave mistake. In John 18:38 Pilate asked, "What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him no fault at all." Though Pilate couldn’t find a fault in Jesus, he bowed to the political pressure and surrendered Jesus to be crucified. He did not have a firm conviction about "the truth."
Jesus said in John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Real freedom does not come from experiencing "a truth" or our own bias truth; it comes from knowing "the truth." This Scripture does not say, "And you shall know truth." It is very specific; you shall know THE Truth.
Freedom is not born from a world without limits or without truth; it is born from discipline, and submission to the truth. In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul described himself as a slave of Jesus Christ, yet he also stated that he was content. It is hard to imagine a happy slave. It was through his total surrender of his self-liberty that he experienced and knew true freedom. He opens his letter in Philip. 1:1, "This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus." In Philippians 4:11 he wrote, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." The kind of freedom he found in Christ was a freedom from fear of Death, from lack of purpose, from hell and judgment.
Mankind can only know the real meaning of freedom when he knows The Truth. The only avenue that leads to that experience and truth is through a total yield of one’s will to His Will.
2. What constitutes a sect, a cult or a false religion?
The dictionary defines the term “cult” as: “a system of religious worship or
ritual”, “a devoted attachment to”, “an extravagant admiration for".
Its origin is based on a farming term in Latin meaning cultivation. Sociologists and anthropologists sometimes use the term cult to describe religious structure or belief patterns with meanings (usually non-pejorative) unique to their disciplines. In modern usage, the general public to describe any religious group they view as strange or dangerous often uses this term cult.
Thus, cult can describe religious leaders or organizations that employ abusive, manipulative, or illegal control over their followers’ lives. In addition to these usages, Christians generally have a doctrinal component to their use of the word. Cult in this sense is a counterfeit or serious deviation from the doctrines of classical Christianity.
Furthermore, a cult is a group that is unorthodox in its beliefs and teachings, and calls for devotion to a person, object, or a set of new ideas.
The term “cult” can range from any group of worshippers of any God who pay no attention to the Bible, to a small, highly paranoid, apocalyptic people who gather around a charismatic leader that uses the Bible to control them.
The basic characteristics of a “cult” are: 1) They all claim special revelation and privilege, 2) Those that use the Bible interpret it in disharmony with standard biblical understanding, 3) They distort the true biblical doctrines that effect salvation sufficiently to void salvation, 4) Those that do not use the Bible are considered non-Christian religions and do not participate in the benefit of divine revelation, while others add to the Bible.
Last, but not least, all the cults deny the full Divinity of Jesus Christ.
3. Tell us in your own words why people fall into a sect or cult.
Mankind has a need to feel cared for. These sects or cults focus on meeting basic human community, security, love and a general feeling of being needed, providing guidance and purpose to their lives. People who are attracted by these sects or cults do not investigate the foundation of what they are being taught. They are told strictly what to believe, how to think and how to behave. Followers blindly give up render their personal will to sect or cult leaders. These leaders provide simple answers to a complexity of situations that people endure in their daily life.
Acceptance is a basic need for every human being. Sects or cults focus particularly in this area, validating people’s anguish and opening their arms of non-judgmental, non-critical love. It is this sense of family warmth and unity that has attracted and deviated so many people. The sect is trained to reach the poor, the wealthy, the brilliant and the ignorant.
A Christian that does not nourish his spiritual life through the study of the Word of God seeking revelation from the Holy Spirit and incorporates into his daily Christian lifestyle the elements of prayer, fastening, praise and sincere fellowship with his brethren becomes a target for any false teacher. It is this superficial Christian life and the lack of deep-rooted convictions in his spirit that prepare the way to a total deviation from the Truth of God.
A modern time example is the people that fell for David Koresh in Waco, Texas. How could people be so influenced by a Jim Jones? It has been stated by more than one religious analysts that, “the greater tragedy of Jonestown was not that nearly a thousand people died, but that they died believing they were serving God."
Jesus Himself warned us in Matthew 24:24, "false Christ’s and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, as so to mislead, if possible, even the elect". The words of Jesus have definitely proved correct over the years and because they are true, Christians must seek to develop a spiritual capacity to discern the true from the false prophet.
Their fruits identify false prophets. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles. Every good tree bears fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 7:16-20)
Another area of good fruit has to do with sound doctrine. We are exhorted in the Scriptures to give attention to sound doctrine, or proper scriptural teaching and interpretation. A false prophet will cleverly pervert the teaching of the Scripture, delivering it in a slightly twisted way in order to serve his own ends. That is why it is so important for Christians to study the Bible for themselves, in order not to be deceived by those who manipulate the Bible.
I truly believe that if the followers of David Koresh or Jim Jones had been Biblically grounded, they would have probably never fallen for their deceptive arguments.
In summary, I believe that people get involved in cults and sects because 1) the church of our present days has lost much of its spiritual influence in the lives of its members, 2) reading has been substituted by television, 3) the pressures of life are overwhelming for many people, 4) many people find their lives void of purpose, 5) some find it’s a way to escape from stress and anxiety, 6) a large group get involved out of pure curiosity and next thing you know, they are captivated.
4. In two paragraphs explain “heresy”.
A modern meaning of this word is “departure from true belief” or a “distortion of a true belief”. It has its root in the Greek word heiress, which originally meant simply any cult or sect holding a special doctrine. As soon as the church was established the term came to be used for wrong beliefs held by some people within the Christian church. In the New Testament the word is only used once, but the presence of heresy is implied many times by such words as divisions, dissensions, and groups. II Peter 2:1. In contrast to genuine prophets who spoke God’s truth, Peter refers to the opposition of false prophets, specifically in Mathew 24:5; I Titus 4:1; Judas 4. Destructive heresy was introduced in a very subtle manner, denying even the Lord who rescued and opened the door to salvation through his death, burial and resurrection. The influence of these false prophets was demonstrated and still is today by an instant popularity, an apparent success in their opposition to the truth, and an economic exploitation of its followers. Its temporary sense did not develop in church thinking until well along in the second century, when the doctrinal deviation of various “heresies” became acute.
We identify an existent heresy when Jesus is not the center of the teaching, other means or resources are the source of the teaching in place of the Bible, hermeneutic principles are not used, humanism is strongly emphasized, and proselytism is employed to acquire followers.
There is a strong tendency to disregard its seriousness because ours is an age when we have made an idol of tolerance. We are told through many means that it does not really matter what anyone believes; it is what they do that counts. But it does matter what people believe. It is belief that produces action. Therefore, belief is extremely important.
The Word of God clearly affirms in John 2:18-19, “Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us”.
Also in Acts 20:29-30, "I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them."
The Bible gives us a clear and descriptive word of caution as to the effects of a spiritually immature person, “…tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting’. (Ephesians 4)
5. Who was the founder of the Hare Krishna sect? Give a brief history of this religion.
The Hare Krishna movement technically "began" about 500 years ago, its inaugurator being Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the 16th-century mystic, scholar and social reformer, who is accepted by Vedic scriptural evidence to be the supreme god himself. The essential scripture for the movement, the famous 5,000-year-old Bhagavad Gita, spoken by Lord Krishna, explains that religious principles, although beginning less, are revived periodically by him or his authorized representative only, the purpose remaining the same, although due to time, climate and circumstances, the details emphasized may vary. The final instruction of Lord Krishna in the Gita is that everyone should surrender unto him only and make him the ultimate goal of life.
The Hare Krishna movement’s western founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has written elaborate English commentaries on Bhagavad-Gita and other sacred Vedic texts, which have been translated into almost every language. Prabhupada, being a bonafide "guru" directly in the line of Sri Chaitanya, does not distort the Gita’s clear message of devotional theism. His writings, which have astounded literary communities worldwide, are used as standard textbooks in numerous educational institutions.
Therefore, "Hare Krishna" is a cultural, philosophical and religious movement, which is intended for the reformation of the entire human society. "Hare" means “the devotional energy of god," and "Krishna" and "Rama" mean "the supreme personality of godhead".
6. Is the Roman Catholic Church a sect or a denomination that has certain false doctrines established within their creed? Please give us detailed information as to why you believe what you have stated.
The Roman Catholic Church is a denomination that has numerous false doctrines established within their creed. My standpoint is based on a comparison research I performed while preparing this report, some of which I have noted below:
a. Jesus, the Savior
Christianity: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit”, Titus 3:5
The Roman Catholic Church: The RCC teaches that, “by His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ has ‘opened’ heaven to us” (1026).
Christianity: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is he gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast”, Ephesians 2:8-9
The Roman Catholic Church: Each person attains his own salvation by grace and by the Holy Spirit, good works (1477).
b. Jesus, the RedeemerChristianity: “And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ”, 1 Peter 1:17-19.The Roman Catholic Church: RCC teaches that Mary is the sinless co- Redeemer. “Without a single sin to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person and work of her son; she did so in order to serve the mystery of redemption with Him…being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race" (494).c. Jesus, Head of the Church: Christianity: “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all”, Ephesians 1:22-23The Roman Catholic Church: RCC teaches that the Pope, “by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has Full, supreme and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise un-hindered”.d. Jesus Finished the Work of Redemption Christianity: “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified”, Hebrews 10:14. “Who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law appoints a Son, made perfect forever”, Hebrews 7:27-28.
4. The Roman Catholic Church: RCC denies it is finished. “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice…the same Christ who offered Himself once in bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner" (1367). “Every time RCC denies it is finished. “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice…the same Christ who offered Himself once in bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner" (1367). “Every time this mystery is celebrated the work of our redemption is carried on" (1405). The sacrifice is “offered in reparation for the sins of the living and the dead" (1414).
7. How would you evangelize the person who has fallen into a sect, cult or false religion? Give us Scriptures to back up your plan of salvation.
There are certain guidelines that I would need to, 1) love the person in spite of their belief, 2) define the terms they use, 3) believe that they can be rescued, 4) understand that I am dealing with an enemy of Truth, 5) understand that It is a spiritual battle, not an intellectual one, 6) know my source of authority and theirs, 7) have my bible handy, 8) let them express themselves, 9) see the person as a human being, not as part of an evil, 10) Above all else, I must listen to the Holy Spirit and act on whatever He wants me to do or say.
The Word of God affirms in I Peter 3:15, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. And be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear", and in II Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Some scriptures that sustain the plan of salvation are: Psalm 3:8; 62:1; Matthew 1:21; John 3:16-18; Acts 4:12; 16:30; II Corinthians 6:2; Jeremiah 8:20; Hebrews 2:1; Romans 13:11; 3:23; I Timothy 1:15
8. What is the book of the Bible that you would use first to evangelize those into sects, cults or false religion?
There are many essential scriptures and biblical tools that are relevant to this type of evangelism, such as: intense prayer, fasting and researching the origin, beliefs and outreach of the diverse sects, cults and false religions. However, the book that I would mainly focus on when ministering to an individual living in such spiritual darkness is the book of John.
9. Give us the name of five religions that are false and explain why they are
wrong in their belief.
a. Scientology
L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, created scientology in 1952 allegedly because "the way to make some real money is to start a religion".
L. Ron Hubbard allegedly alone wrote or dictated the materials constituting the "scriptures" of Scientology. He produced several hundred taped lectures, a hundred or so books, and numerous bulletins, orders, and other papers. Scientologists consider this material and Hubbard as "Source". They depend on these almost exclusively in all aspects of their lives, including ethics, interpersonal relations, and physical, mental, and spiritual health. Although Scientology does not formally claim to adore Hubbard, in practice he is idolized. L. Ron Hubbard died in seclusion in 1986. His body was cremated and his ashes spread in the Pacific Ocean.
Scientology has three stages of belief on what is called "The Bridge to total freedom". The final stage is to be revealed only after sufficient "preparation".
The book “Dianetics -The Modern Science of Mental Health,” describes the first stage of belief as a pop psychology. Dianetics alleges that the mind has two major components: the unconscious reactive mind and the rational mind, and that all mental and physical illness is the result of the reactive mind retaining and reacting on bad memories, called engrams. Dianetics claims that the cure to all these ailments is to rid the reactive mind of the engrams by a process called auditing, thereby enabling the rational mind, which supposedly is perfect, to take control. The auditing process is reminiscent of Freudian psychoanalysis, and requires the practitioner to think back and locate these memories, whereupon their effect is eliminated.
The second stage of belief is what most practicing Scientologists know. It attributes the reactive and rational minds to a spiritual entity called the thetan. The thetan is considered to be immortal and reincarnates through many lives. The auditing process introduces the use of a simple galvanometer, called the e-meter, to supposedly assist the identification of engrams, and extends the location of engrams not just to past this-life experiences, but to experiences in previous lives as well. This process is supposed to produce a "clear" person with perfect memory, healthy, spiritualist, and immensely intelligent.
The final stage of belief asserts that people are composed of clusters of thetans that are the spirits of dead space aliens, who were brought to earth 75 million years ago by an evil intergalactic tyrant named Xenu (or Xemu), and who were killed with hydrogen bombs in volcanoes by him. These spirits were captured afterwards by Xenu on electronic ribbons, and were given implants (a form of engram) that kept them from remembering any of this. Since each of these thetans has a reactive mind, auditing must be performed on all of the millions or billions of these to get them to be exorcised, at which point the primary or operating thetan controlling the body will realize his godhead, with power over matter, energy, space, and time, including the power to create galaxies and life. Scientology claims that Jesus Christ did not exist, and that religions are simply implants designed to control the thetan.
People may be brought into scientology seduced by enthusiastic family, friends, and acquaintances. It also draws people in through various front companies. Sterling Management, for example, is a consulting company whose answer to improving performance includes Scientology training.
People will typically enter Scientology as "publics". Publics are people who pay for their courses. Courses are provided only after the payment of large, fixed fees for them, although the fees are called donations. Publics without large cash reserves may take out loans to pay for the courses, or max out their credit cards. People without money to pay for courses may become "staff". Staff members perform administrative work, and may receive training to become auditors. In return, they are promised free coursework and auditing. Staff members work very long hours for typically very little pay, and additionally find they do not receive the coursework they believe they were promised.
Especially zealous Scientologists may join the Sea Organization, the elite corps of Scientology, and the source of many of the abuses and a large amount of the controversy surrounding Scientology. These members occupy the top management positions of Scientology, and are the actual rulers of Scientology. They operate in accordance with policies established by Hubbard.
Scientology claims to have 8 million followers. Best estimates of the number of practicing Scientologists indicate that there are between 50,000 and 100,000 worldwide, with the majority of these residing in southern California.
The primary practice of Scientology is taking courses. Courses generally consist of blocks of time for the review of Scientology materials related to the belief stage of the scientologist.
b. Unitarianism: The rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity in favor of the idea that God is exclusively one person the Unitarianism views Jesus as a mere human being. Specifically, the term refers to the Unitarian movement that originated in late 18th-century New England and to the denominational body that merged with the Universalists in the 20th century to form the Unitarian-Universalist Association.
c. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Main body of Mormonism; recognizes Brigham Young as Joseph Smith’s successor. Joseph Smith claimed that the Father and Son appeared to him and called him to restore the true Church. Latter-day Saints Church teaches that God the Father was once a man and was exalted to Godhood. God (and his heavenly Wife) begat billions of spirit children, the firstborn of whom was Jesus. Lucifer was the leader of God’s rebellious spirit children. Those spirits who did not rebel became human beings in order to begin process potentially leading to exaltation to Godhood. Jesus, however, became a God while only a spirit. He organized our world and is Jehovah, the God of Israel. He is a separate and subordinate God to Elohim, the Father. A distinction is made between the Holy Ghost, who is a personage of Spirit, and the Holy Spirit. The latter is a divine energy, force, or spiritual essence that fills the universe and is used by all three members of the Godhead in the exercise and accomplishment of their will. The Church rejects the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity. It also redefines salvation by grace to refer simply to resurrection. Almost all humans will be resurrected into one of three kingdoms of glory, the least of which is far superior to anything known in this life. Entry into the higher kingdoms, and one’s rank there, depends not only upon the atonement of Christ, but also upon one’s good works. Achievement of the highest potential within the highest kingdom—Godhood—requires complete “obedience to all the laws and ordinances of the gospel.” Mormonism is said to be one of the fastest growing religions, especially in the western United States. Mormonism celebrates the central feature of the mental orientation of modern, western societies. Mormonism structures itself in opposition to a fundamental principle of the modern belief system. Mormonism considers itself to be the ultimate, religious validation of a key aspect of modernity, the belief in the superiority of western, European civilization. Many people born into the culture of the United States find in Mormonism an affirmation of what they already believe.
d. The Bahá’í Faith: A sect of Islam evolving into a major independent religion with approximately five million believers worldwide. Buddha, Muhammad, Bahá‘u’lláh and others are viewed as a succession of divine messengers. A 19th century Persian teacher, the Báb, (or “Gate”) predicted Bahá’u’lláh’s coming. Bahá’í advocates a new global order of sexual equality, a one-world economic system to eliminate poverty, and a one-world religion.
e. Buddhism: The Buddhist worldview is monistic. That is, the existence of a personal creator and Lord is denied. The world operates by natural power and law, not divine command. Buddhism denies the existence of a personal God. India, where Buddhism was born, had so many Hindu gods that no one could number them. They were often made in the image of men, but Buddhism was made in the image of concepts about life and how life should be lived. If the truth were known, you often tell yourself, Buddhism has no God in the Hindu or Christian sense, nor does it have a savior or messiah. There is also no such thing in Buddhism as sin against a supreme being. In Christianity sin is ultimately against God although sinful actions also affect man and his world. This necessitates a savior to deliver man from his sins, whom Christians identify as Jesus Christ. According to Buddhist belief, man is worthless, having only temporary existence. In Christianity man is of infinite worth, made in the image of God, and will exist eternally. Man’s body is a hindrance to the Buddhist while to the Christian it is an instrument for glorifying God. For example, Paul writes to the Corinthian Church: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? Buddhism also takes many forms. Consequently, there is a wide variety of belief in the different sects with much that is contradictory. One writer comments, "The rather odd fact is that there is ultimately developed within Buddhism so many forms of religious organization, cults and belief, such great changes even in the fundamentals of the faith, that one must say Buddhism on the whole is really like Hinduism, a family of religions rather than a single religion." Christianity also takes many forms but all confessing Churches subscribe to the same basic creeds, statements of faith formulated in the early centuries of the Church, which have always been upheld by Christians. Finally, while the Bible tells Christians to ’test all things’ (1 The. 5.21-22) Buddhism in many of its forms, mocks critical analysis.
Some of the major errors found in these doctrines are: 1) they deny the total truth of the Bible, 2) they deny that God is a person, 3) they deny many truths about Christ, 4) they deny the ascension and presently heavenly rule of Christ and/or of His Second Coming, 5) They deny the Biblical teaching on the Trinity, 6) they always another or newer Savior, 7) they deny salvation by grace alone, etc.
10. God does not need for us to defend Him, however, we need to know how to defend our faith. What is the name of that which we use to defend our faith? Please explain in two paragraphs what this means.
The Sword of the Spirit
This spiritual weapon depicted in Ephesians 1:17, is given to the church by the Spirit, who inspired the writers of the word of God. Here again the Trinity is implied: the Spirit here; and Christ in "salvation" and God the Father. The two-edged sword, cutting both ways (Psalms 45:3,5), striking some with conviction and conversion, and others with condemnation (Isaiah 11:4, Revelation 19:15), is in the mouth of Christ (Isaiah 49:2), in the hand of His saints (Psalms 149:6). Christ’s use of this sword in the temptation is our pattern as to how we are to wield it against the Satan and his power of darkness.