“What are the defining elements in taking a group of people and determining or classifying them as a cult?”

Welcome and God's blessing in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

When we hear the word “cult,” we often think of a group that worships Satan, sacrifices animals, or takes part in evil, bizarre, and pagan rituals. However, in reality, most cults appear much more innocent. The specific Christian definition of a cult is “a religious group that denies one or more of the fundamentals of biblical truth.”

In simpler terms, a cult is a group that teaches something that will cause a person to remain unsaved if he/she believes it. As distinct from a religion, a cult is a group that claims to be part of the religion, yet denies essential truth(s).

A Christian cult is a group that denies one or more of the fundamental truths of Christianity, while still claiming to be Christian.

The most common teaching of cults are that Jesus was not God manifested in the flesh and/or that salvation is not by faith alone in the name of Jesus Christ such as with the LLDM and the Roman Catholic churches who teach that mankind must believe in either an apostle (Samuel Joaquin) or the Pope in order that we might have salvation through them than to the Father through Jesus Christ. So in other words their formula for salvation is (a man on earth + Jesus Christ = Salvation) and not the true (Jesus Christ = Salvation).

A denial of the deity of Christ results in Jesus’ death not being a sufficient payment for our sins. A denial of salvation by faith alone results in salvation being achieved by our own works, believing in someone other than Jesus Christ alone, something the Bible vehemently and consistently denies.

(Ephesians 2:8-10)

-8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

(Romans 4:1-3) Abraham Justified by Faith-

"1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this
matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast
about—but not before God. 3What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

Other well-known examples of cults are the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons. Both groups claim to be Christian, yet both deny the deity of Christ (Jesus Christ is God) and salvation by faith alone. LLDM, Roman Catholic Church, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons believe many things that are in agreement with or similar to what the Bible teaches. However, this one all important fact that they deny the deity of Christ for salvation alone in his name and preach a salvation by works qualifies them as a cult. Many LLDM, Roman Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and members of other cults are “good people” who genuinely believe they hold the truth.

As Christians we who believe with all of our hearts in the biblical truth of salvation in and only in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12) and he is God manifested in the flesh at the time of his birth (John 1:1-2 &14), our hope and prayer must be that many people involved in the cults will see through the lies and will be drawn to the truth of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

It is my hope in Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit that this is of help to those who read it.