"Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son" (1 John 2:22).
"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11).
"Christ is the exact likeness of the unseen God. He existed before God made anything at all, and, in fact, Christ himself is the Creator who made everything in heaven and earth" (Colossians 1:15–16, TLB).
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17, NIV).
"The Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Helping Strategy
1. The Christian who has been deceived into joining a cult should be encouraged to:
A. Reassure himself or herself about his or her personal relationship
with Jesus Christ. Happy indeed is that believer who can say with the apostle Paul, "For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day" (2 Timothy 1:12).
B. Constantly reaffirm his or her faith and commitment by adhering to
the teachings of the Bible: "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ" (Colossians 2:6–8, NIV).
C. Be sure he or she is identified with an evangelical church and takes
an active part in the ministry of that church.
D. Pray with the person for definite deliverance from the cult and
commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word.
2. If you are talking with an aggressive cult member, you will find it necessary to assume command of the conversation; otherwise, you may
be overwhelmed with an endless defense of the cult's false doctrines and organization. If this happens, you might try interrupting with a statement such as, "Yes, I understand that this is very meaningful to you, but let me ask you a few important questions."
Here are some questions you should ask the cultist:
A. What do you think of Jesus? Is He God's Son? Is He the only Savior?
(Recite John 3:16 and Acts 4:12.)
B. What do you believe about sin? Are you a sinner? If you don't trust
Jesus Christ for forgiveness, how will you find it?
C. Whether you receive positive or negative answers to the above, ask
the most important question of all: Have you ever received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Or: Do you know God's plan for peace and life? (See page 11.)
D. Encourage the person to take a definite stand for Christ by leaving
the cult and former associations. There must be a complete break with the past.
E. Encourage him or her to get into a church that holds to the historical
evangelical Christian position, where he or she can begin to study the Bible for what it actually says.
F. Pray with him or her for complete deliverance and for complete
commitment to Christ and to the Word of God. Scripture False Teachers, False Doctrines Prophesied:
"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:13–15, NIV).
"But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.' These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit" (Jude 17–19, NIV). How to Discern Error:
"At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will
appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time" (Mark 13:21–23, NIV).
"Evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:13–15, NIV).
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world" (1 John 4:1–3, NIV). How to Resist Error:
"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38).
". . . that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:10–11).
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).
"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh" (Jude 20–23, NIV).
Other suggested Scriptures: 2 Timothy 4:3–5, NIV See also False Teaching
DEATH
Background
The Bible contains hundreds of references to death. It is a formidable foe: "The last enemy that will be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26); but also a conquered foe: "Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Corinthians 15:54).
Jesus Christ has changed the meaning of death, as Scripture amply shows. At death, the spirit of the believing Christian enters immediately into the presence of the Lord. Physical death is but a transition from life on earth with Christ to life in heaven with Christ. Death does not alter the continuity of relationship; it only enriches it.
"To be with Christ is far better," says Paul (see Philippians 1:23); and he confirms that the transition to that new state is immediate: "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8).
The Bible teaches that someday the "dead in Christ" are going to be resurrected, at which time we shall be given new bodies. We don't know exactly what these new bodies will be, except that they will be spiritual, permanent, and glorious: "And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:49, NIV). "But we know that when [Christ] is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2; see also 1 Corinthians 15:51–58).
Billy Graham writes of the "resurrection that blasts apart the finality of death, providing an alternative to the stifling, settling dust of death and opens the way to new life."
At the second coming of the Lord Jesus, the believing dead will be resurrected and joined immediately to Him: "The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
We have hope beyond the grave! "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men" (1 Corinthians 15:19, NIV).