It is not a biblical term! Who decides what should be classified as cultist?

WHAT IS A CULT?

The term "cult" is from the Latin word "cultus," which refers to
worship and religious devotion. In Christianity it is used today of a
religious sect, particularly those sects which seriously deviate from the orthodox traditional church which in themselves are far away from Bible Christianity.

Let's have a look at the bigger picture. True Christianity is biblical. When pagan Rome morphed into papal Rome, it persecuted anyone who promoted and lived according to the Bible. They were burned to the stake and often tortured until the found relief in death. This Anti-Christ became the norm for today's Christianity and is considered by most to be true Christianity when it is not. Rome's cult of Mary is popular today. Yet most Bible loving Christians stand condemned as cults and sects.

Since the term "cult" is not a Bible one, there is no absolute
definition of it. Webster's College Dictionary gives three basic 
definitions of a cult: "a particular system of religious worship,
especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies; a group that
devotes itself to or venerates a person, ideal, fad, etc.; a religion
or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist."

According to the Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the
Occult, a cult is "a relatively small, often transitory religious
group that commonly follows a radical leader. In recent times,
orthodox Christians have used the term to describe those religious
groups that deny the Trinity and specifically the deity of Jesus
Christ. Their teachings are contrary to historic Christian orthodoxy."

Walter Martin, in The Kingdom of the Cults, defined a cult as "any
religious group which differs significantly in some one or more
respects as to belief or practice, from those religious groups which
are regarded as the normative expressions of religion in our total
culture."

Because of this variation and uncertainty in the definition of the
term "cult," it should be employed cautiously and should be plainly
defined by the user.

This editor believes Bible terms describing error are much more
helpful. These are terms such as "false prophets" (Mt. 7:15; 24:24);
"heresies" (2 Pet. 2:1); "heretic" (Tit. 3:10); "false teacher" (2
Pet. 2:1); "false apostles, deceitful workers" (2 Co. 11:13);
"doctrines of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1); "tradition of men" (Col. 2:8);
"evil workers" (Ph. 3:2); "another gospel" (2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6),
"antichrists" (1 Jn. 3:18); "evil men and seducers" (2 Tim. 3:13);
"deceivers" (2 Tim. 3:13); "every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14);
"them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine
which ye have learned" (Rom. 16:17).

One of the chief errors relating to the use of the term "cult" today
is in limiting the basis of biblical separation to only a few
"cardinal" doctrines. A book published in 1976 entitled Whom Then Can
We Believe? (Maurice Burrell and J. Stafford Wright, Moody Press)
dealt with a number of groups commonly labeled as cults: Christian
Science, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Theosophy, Armstrongism,
Spiritualism, and Christadelphianism. Note that such things as Roman
Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Theological Liberalism are not
included.

We believe the authors erred in limiting their doctrinal tests to
"that which all the churches, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant,
including the denominational churches, have always regarded as the
truth about the being of God as drawn from Scripture." Thus not only
do these authors not treat the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodoxy as
cults; they treat them as largely sound.

Denominations are not the standard for truth; the Bible is! And
Scriptural authority is not limited to part of the Bible or to
certain teachings of the Bible, but extends to the whole Bible. God
nowhere instructs us to base our judgments upon or to establish
doctrinal unity by finding common ground between the major
denominations.

We do not dispute the fact that some teachings of the Bible are more
important than others, particularly in regard to salvation. The
doctrine of the Gospel is more important than the doctrine of
fasting, for example. Yet the Bible enjoins God's people to exalt all
Bible doctrine. We are to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts
20:27; 2 Tim. 4:1-6). We are to earnestly contend for all the faith
which was delivered to us (Jude 3). We are to forbid ANY doctrine
which is contrary to Bible doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3). We are to
observe Bible doctrine in every detail, to keep it without spot (1
Tim. 6:14), as a solemn trust which has been committed to us (1 Tim.
6:20).

Yes, there are "damnable heresies" (2 Pet. 2:1), which refers to
doctrines that are "fatal," meaning that if a person does not accept
them he cannot be saved. These include doctrines such as the Person
of Jesus Christ, including His Virgin Birth, Sinlessness, and Bodily
Resurrection; the Nature of God, including the doctrine of the Holy
Spirit and the Trinity; Justification by Grace alone; and the
Infallibility of Bible inspiration and its Authority as the Sole
Standard for Faith and Practice.

Yet the passages of Scripture previously cited (Acts 20:27; Jude 3; 1
Tim. 1:3; 6:14,20; 2 Tim. 4:1-6) do not allow me to pick a few Bible
doctrines and exalt these as the sole basis for fellowship. We must
stand on the whole counsel of God, and that tends to limit fellowship
significantly!

The doctrine of sanctification is important. The doctrine of eternity
security is important. The doctrine of the church is important.
Pastoral standards are important. The woman's role in Christian
service is important. Prophetic doctrine related is important. The
doctrine of separation is important. Doctrine related to evangelism
and world missions is important.

Let me give a practical example of what I am talking about. Many
refuse to label the Roman Catholic Church as a cult, because the
Roman Catholic Church believes in the deity of Jesus Christ, the
Trinity, and certain other "cardinal" Bible doctrines. In our
estimation, this is a useless debate. Whether or not the Roman
Catholic Church is defined as a cult is not very important. The fact
is that it teaches a false gospel which mixes grace and sacraments,
faith and works together; it teaches "another gospel"; and even if
every one of its other doctrines were scriptural (and we know that is
far from the case) it is cursed of God as were the Galatian heretics
of old (Galatians 1).

Another example. I do not believe that the Assemblies of God are a
"cult" by the aforementioned definitions or that all of those who are
involved with the AG are unsaved. But I do know that the AG teaches
many false doctrines which are contrary to the Word of God and I
therefore cannot fellowship together with them. For me to contend
earnestly for the whole counsel of God creates a barrier between me
and the AG. This is only one example of countless which could be
given.

Thus the term "cult" is not necessarily a helpful one. In fact, it
can be dangerous.

[Distributed by Way of Life Literature's Fundamental Baptist]

Most cultic is the belief held by many, is, pre-destination. This doctrine paints CHRIST as a fiend and not as a Friend, who brings
 men and women into the world who possess no choice, for according to Presbytarianism and others, they have been eternally 
predistined to spend a few years on this earth and then burn in hell for ever and ever. This ranks with the vilest affronts against
 our GOD who is love.
"The Lord is not  slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that
 any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.--2 Peter 3:9

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds 
should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth 
another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have 
not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him." 
2 Cor. 11:3-4

Note: How did Satan using a dumb animal to deceive Eve? By using the tongue! We believe
 that the first deception will also be the last, Satan uses speaking in tongues! 

What is another JESUS? If it is the Lord of the Sabbath, then I can rest assured, that I have 
the right Lord JESUS! 

What is another Spirit? One that does not convict the Sinner of sin! One that does not 
produce the fruits mentioned in Galatians 5.

What is another Gospel? We preach the one and only Gospel of Revelation 14:6, but with
 the added emphasis of the arrival of GOD'S judgment hour [in 1844] resulting in 
keeping all the Commandments of GOD by the faith of JESUS [Revelation 14:12].
Salvation is free. Eternal life is a free gift from GOD. We cannot add any good works, but we are
 saved in order to do good works [Ephesians 2:10] and JESUS had to die to atone for us
 habitual lawbreakers, so that the righteousness or right doing of His law might be fulfilled
 inside us [Romans 8:3+4].

If the simplicity of CHRIST in our minds is being corrupted, it is by cultic attitudes or sin. The
 notion that cultic teachings is always contrary to orthodoxy is a false one. Have a look at
 the Greek Orthodox churches and see the worship of icons and idols!

 

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, 
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Colossians 2:8

It was the western Orthodox church that introduced Greek philosophy into Christianity and 
having removed the second out of the 10 Commandments, introduced idolatry. Instead of 
orthodoxy, a cult should be detected by the Bible and nothing else because tradition is often 
contrary to the holy Word of GOD!

So called Christian Apologists condemning biblical practices as cultic only because they 
themselves do not wish to practice true and faithful Christianity!

THE GALATIAN HERESY