Apologetic / Counter Cult Ministry

[JohnD]

For those who teach and believe any generic Jesus will do...

Galatians 1:8–9 (AV)
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

2 Corinthians 11:3–4 (AV)
3 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.
4 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.

↑

that ends with a snide remark from Paul, meaning they are too gullible or plastic (as we would say today).

No only the genuine Jesus can save, and the genuine gospel given by the genuine Holy Spirit will get us into the right ballpark to make the choice:

do we believe God or not?

[Reinitin]

11 minutes ago, JohnD said:

Mark 7:7–13 (AV)
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

 

Yep

[JohnD]

John 3:16–18 (AV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Believe / not believe

Ephesians 2:8–10 (AV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Galatians 3:24–28 (AV)
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

We are his workmanship (he paid the price for all human sin) activated only by our belief that he did it. Is that so much to ask?

[JohnD]

If we strip away the phony rites and rituals and robes and all the pretenses and judgment we pass on everyone and everything... we get down to the meat of the matter (fellow believers having a one to one relationship with God trying their best to perform their ministries and make their way through this life). Pretty simple stuff. But most are kept from realizing it to prop us the large part of the Church traditions and organizations.

Big difference in the Church organism and the Church organization.

 

[JohnD]

Point being... if we cannot get our own house in order... 

[angels4u]

6 hours ago, JohnD said:

I have some insight as to how President Trump must feel at times... like the whole world is against you when all you are trying to do is the right thing or get at the truth.

I was once a counter-cult apologetics minister. Let me qualify that. I was once an active / aggressive counter-cult apologetics minister. The barbs and hack-jobs (with a sword) I got from the enemy I could handle. It's the assault from friendlies (fellow believers) that wore me down.

I used to laugh now I just roll my eyes when I hear a zealous believer carry on about the disciples of Christ and how they would [never] make the blunders those guys did.

Believers cannot be possessed of the devil. Impossible. The Holy Spirit lives in us and he's not accepting roommates. 

But believers can be influenced by the devil, by the devil using their family members and their spouse... certainly their children.

The worst are Christians who are steeped in Church traditions and other traditions of man which they believe are true. And when you show them they are not... you have a religious war on your hands.

I used to buy into the "we can all agree to disagree agreeably" in (lesser) doctrines... til one day it occurred to me that this is another way of saying we agree to ignore untruth and even at times defend untruth as truth alongside actual truth making it (actual truth) seem untrue to unbelievers.

So what's the point?

If Kwik Philly is still interested in what a cult actually is, there are several good apologetics ministries out there. But be warned, they are just as filled with human traditions as the Church is.

I am not saying people or ministries have to be perfect to be credible.

And I am certainly not implying I have all the answers. I make mistakes all the time.

But I listen to the Holy Spirit and I verify with scripture it's him.

And it's amazing what he will show you and teach you when you listen and let him (God) make the decisions and teach the class.

I found my own definition of a cultist spilling over into what most consider "orthodoxy." For what is at the root of cultism and false religion and atheism and humanism is not taking God at his word.

Christians do this all the time. And they pummel other Christians for pointing this out to them.

You want all hell to oppose you? Go into apologetics. You'll catch hell from every side including our side.

 

 

 

 

You said :

Quote

If Kwik Philly is still interested in what a cult actually is, there are several good apologetics ministries out there. But be warned, they are just as filled with human traditions as the Church is.

 

Can you please edit your post and remove her name? 

You are not allowed to use members as an example, that's getting too personal and people are getting banned for being too personal . I'm just giving you heads up before one of the mods might take actions.

Thanks , Angels

[JohnD]

2 hours ago, angels4u said:

You said :

Can you please edit your post and remove her name? 

You are not allowed to use members as an example, that's getting too personal and people are getting banned for being too personal . I'm just giving you heads up before one of the mods might take actions.

Thanks , Angels

No.

I am not saying she is a cultist.

If I was, then you would have a point.

I said she was asking about the topic of cultism / its definition / what a cult is considered to be...

Ask Kwik Philly if she felt I was singling her out. I'm certain she knows enough about me and my posts and my respect for her to give me the benefit of the doubt in my original post (if there even was any doubt). 

I agree with Kwik Philly's post in May of 2016 wondering if or when someone would being up the subject.

I did not even read what was written beyond that so how could I possibly be making a derogatory or insulting or isolating point?

I simply brought up her curiosity about the subject and spring boarded from there into my point which is:

The error that defines a cult... might also make "believers" (in general / by and large / not singling anyone out here / not even talking about Kwik Philly here / get it? / got it? / okay...

uncomfortable.

Amen.

BTW thank you for the kind way you asked me to revise my post!!!

I hope I have cleared up any misunderstandings.

I am contacting Kwik Philly (in case she might have misunderstood or I was not clear enough in my post) to show her this post in respect and that in no way was I mentioning her in any other light than as a believer bringing up the point about apologetics in general terms.

Again, thank you.

☺

[JohnD]

Oh, and yes I will gladly remove the entire topic or edit the OP

IF

it is still a bone of contention!

Gladly!

 

 

 

[JohnD]

But

I will be seeking an inquiry / investigation / a rethink about rules that

impose political correctness upon such obviously non innocuous statements

as mine was to the misinterpretation of those who oppose everything arming

them with oppressive powers to silence the truth. 

Even if

pleasantly done.

I am just hoping 

I was sincerely misunderstood

and now that the light has been shed on the

subject we can move on.

Have a blessed day! ← sincerely meant!!!

[JohnD]

I know I tend to go a little further than most folks are comfortable with...

...I am just following the Bible.

One the subject of cultism alone, for example, we are programmed to believe it is anything outside the pail of Christian Orthodoxy. Strong stop.

The definition of what makes one a cultist or a thing a cult is quite simply error. Error about:

1. Jesus Christ

2 The Gospel

3. The Spirit

I am not singling anyone out here. I am trying to get people to think / rethink / perspective check / to make double sure on the subject of our own personal eternal destiny.

Were I to singe out anyone:

Nothing could be more important to an individual! Nothing!

____________________________________________________________

1. John 8:24

2. Galatians 1:8-9

3. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4