In many churches or religious groups there has been a trend where various items such as anointing oil, holy water, handkerchiefs, and many other “anointed” products are sold to church members with the belief that the purchase and use of such objects or products will attract God’s blessings, favour and protection.
Therefore church leaders will encourage their followers to purchase their products with the promise that if the followers purchase and use their “anointed” products, then God will answer their prayers.
However, what does the Bible say about the sales of anointing oil and holy water? Should Christians use various “anointed” objects or church products in order to attract God’s favour and protection in their lives?
In the Bible, there is no record of Jesus Christ nor His disciples ever selling anointing oil, holy water or any product with the belief and promise that these products will attract God’s blessing or protection.
Jesus said the following in Matthew 10:7-9: “And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts,”
There is no record in the scriptures where Jesus or His disciples healed anyone for a price.
God does not sell miracles. The gifts of God are for free and God’s gifts and blessings cannot be bought or sold by anyone.
Selling of “Anointed” Objects Is a Form of Witchcraft and Idolatry
In Acts 8:9-24 there is the story of Simon the Sorcerer who was strongly rebuked by Peter for thinking that the gifts of the Holy Spirit could be purchased.
Acts 8:18-22 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
The selling or purchasing of “anointed” items or products such as anointing oil or holy water in exchange for blessings and miracles is equivalent to practicing witchcraft.
God’s word does not teach that people must purchase “anointed” or “holy” objects in exchange for God’s miracles because the power to heal or bless does not come from objects but the power comes directly from God.
It is a form of practicing witchcraft when people purchase objects and trust in those “anointed” objects in exchange for blessings and miracles. It is the same practice when a person visits a sorcerer or witchdoctor. Such practices are therefore cult-like and demonic in nature. Any power or results that are experienced because of trusting in various objects for miracles is likely sourced from satan and not from God.
Having faith in an object for miracles and blessings is also similar to practicing idolatry. Our trust and faith must be directed towards God alone (Mark 11:22) and not towards objects.
Our function as Christians is simply to pray to God whenever we have a problem or petition (Philippians 4:6-7).
We do not need to pray PLUS purchase an “anointed” object for God to answer our prayers.
God is sovereign. Therefore God cannot be manipulated or coerced by the purchase and usage of “anointed” or “holy” objects or products which are sold by various church leaders.
God will answer our prayers without the need for us to pay anybody any money.
False Teachers Are Profiteering From Sales of “Anointed” Objects
The crux of the matter is that the selling of such products as anointing oil or holy water is done for the purposes of making money and exploiting gullible followers.
The Bible warns that there will be many false teachers who will exploit people for the purposes of making money and enriching themselves.
For example, 2 Peter 2:1-3 (KJV) speaks about false teachers and says “through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you” 1 Timothy 6:3-5 says that we must beware of anyone who teaches false doctrines and of false teachers who “think that godliness is a means to financial gain” Romans 16:18 says “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.”
Therefore, one of the primary objectives of many false teachers is to make a lot of money by exploiting the gullibility of their followers. They deceive their followers by suggesting that their products have the power to miraculously change the lives of their followers if their followers purchase and use their “anointed” products.
These false teachers exploit people who are in genuine need of help and who are desperate by selling them “anointed” oil and water. Yet this was never what Jesus did nor what Jesus taught.
It is therefore necessary to avoid any religious group or persons who exploits followers through selling “anointed” objects and products. Such people are false teachers who seek monetary gain and they are used as instruments of the devil to lead people into both witchcraft and idolatry.
The Unification Church is a religious group that was founded in 1954 by Rev. Sun Myung Moon (1920–2012). Another name that the group is known by is the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.
It was started in Seoul, Korea and it is believed to have a worldwide membership of more than one million followers. Currently the group is led by Moon’s wife, Hak Ja Moon.
This organization has attracted members from more than 100 countries, from America to Asian countries such as Korea and Japan, to African countries such as Zimbabwe.
Members who join The Unification Church are also sometimes known by the nickname the “Moonies”.
The Unification Church has been categorized as a cult by many Christians and ex-members primarily because their theological beliefs and practices veer off from Biblical orthodox Christian beliefs even though they claim to believe in the God of the Bible.
The Unification Church is also known for practicing cultic mind control and brainwashing techniques upon their members in order to intimately control and manipulate the lives of their members. In addition they have been known to use deceptive recruitment techniques in order to get people to join them.
Some of the beliefs and practices of the Unification Church are as follows:
They do not believe that the Bible is God’s infallible word. They do not believe that the Bible is God’s final authority. Sun Myung Moon instead wrote a book called The Divine Principle which is promoted by the Unification Church as having more weight and authority than the Bible.
The Moonies are also famous for organizing mass wedding ceremonies for couples or their members. A single mass wedding can consist of more than 30000 couples or participants.
Moon teaches that “God-centered families are the building blocks of a world of peace, stability, and love,” and that only those who are married through their group will be saved, or qualified, for the kingdom.
The Moonies also believe that the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was because of sexual sin where they believe that Eve had sexual relations with Satan / Lucifer.
They do not believe in the deity of Jesus Christ. Instead they believe that Jesus was just a man and not God.
Only Unification Church members are considered the “True Family” and Moon and his wife are the world’s “True Parents”. Members celebrate as “birthdays” the day they joined the Unification Church.
The theology of the Unification Church is believed to be a mix of Christianity, Shamanism and Confucianism.
The Unification Church does not believe that salvation is totally by grace through faith in Jesus but instead they teach that members should earn their salvation by their devotion to the religious activities of the group and also by marrying and producing sinless children (Divine Principle, p. 148).
There have also been many allegations by Moonie ex-members who have testified of being subjected to brainwashing and mind control techniques by leadership. There have also been allegations of authoritative teachings in order to subdue followers and prevent followers from exercising their free will and critical thinking.
It is believed that the Unification Church organizes arranged marriages and many couples who participate in their mass weddings have had no previous mutual or genuine relationship prior to their wedding.
The above beliefs and practices are just a few issues which reflect that even though the Unification Church may claim to be Christian, there is consistent and verifiable evidence that this group does not follow nor believe in orthodox Christianity.
What Does The Bible Say About the Beliefs of The Unification Church?
The Bible is clear that we should be careful to avoid false teachers and we are warned about false prophets who preach a different gospel and a different Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6-9)
The word of God is clear that the Scriptures were inspired by God and that the Bible is our final authority for what Christians should believe and how Christians should live (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Therefore there is no other book that is written about mankind or spiritual matters that should be elevated or obeyed above God’s word.
When any group claiming to be Christian denies the deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ then such a group is not a true church. It is a cult or a false church. The deity and the finished work of Jesus Christ are essential to the beliefs of the Christian faith and the Bible tells us that Jesus was not only a man – but He was also God (John 1:1-3,14).
The sin of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden had nothing to do with sex or adultery. Instead Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of knowledge (Genesis 3:1-24).
The Church is the body of Christ. All true Christian believers around the world are members of the universal Church or body of Christ. Therefore we must be careful of any single group or “church” that promotes itself as being the “only true church” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
Our salvation is not through our own effort or personal works. Instead, we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus Christ alone is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Christ (John 14:6).
Conclusion
The Bible clearly teaches us that false teachers and false prophets are on the rise (Matthew 24:11).
Therefore we must be careful to avoid the growing cultic deception that is attempting to distort and destroy orthodox Christianity.
Due to the rise of false teachers and false doctrines, the Bible warns us to not believe every spirit but instead we should test every spirit to see whether it is of God (1 John 4:1-2).
It is important for every Christian believer to be vigilant and to be like the Bereans who studied the scriptures and fact-checked whatever they were taught (Acts 17:10-11).
We are not to esteem any person or religious leader above Jesus Christ. We must realize that we are all equal before God’s eyes and Jesus Christ alone is supreme above any man or founder of any ministry or religious group.
God’s word and God’s teachings must be valued above the teachings of man. We must therefore beware of being deceived by the doctrines of demons and the philosophies of men.
The Word of Faith or Word-Faith Movement is neither an organization nor a denomination. This movement traces its roots from the “positive confessions” and New Thought teachings of E.W Kenyon who is said to be the originator of the movement. However Kenneth Hagin is said to be the “father” of the Word-Faith Movement because he was responsible for popularizing Kenyon’s theology and teachings since the late 20th century.
To this day, the Word of Faith Movement consists of a wave of popular but heretical teachings that have been popularized by other preachers such as Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Mike Murdoch, Benny Hinn, TD Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Paula White, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Hagin and many others.
This movement is known as Word of Faith / Word-Faith mainly because of their false teachings and distorted perceptions regarding faith. Many Word-faith preachers such as Kenneth Copeland for example are on record as teaching that faith is a “force” which can be used to get or achieve whatever you desire.
Since this movement consists of some of the most popular preachers and televangelists, it is no surprise that the Word-Faith Movement and some of its heretical teachings have been very popular all over the world.
The heart of what word-faith preachers teach is that God promises health and wealth to anyone who practices their faith related formulas and theologies.
Some of the theology and false teachings of the Word of Faith Movement are as follows:
1. Faith is a “Force” Controlled By The Words You Speak
One of the foundational theologies of the Word-Faith movement is the belief that faith is a “force” through which a person is able to acquire whatever he wants if he conjures up enough faith.
They believe that the words you speak or the words you confess will control or manipulate the faith force in order to get the outcome that one desires.
Therefore your success and experience of material prosperity is dependent on how successful you are able to manipulate the faith force through your positive confession so that you get your desired outcome.
The Word-Faith movement subtly or indirectly promotes faith in faith instead of faith in God. Their theology clearly attempts to remove or ignore the sovereign will of God as it puts man as being the one who has the control and power to create whatever he so desires by simply using his words to control the faith force.
2. Prosperity Gospel / Health & Wealth
The prosperity gospel is the teaching that every born again believer is meant to obtain material wealth and riches. These riches are available by using faith and positive confessions whilst making deliberate and practical effort to seek the riches that one desires.
The Word-Faith movement also believes that the death of Jesus Christ extends to Christ giving every born again believer the ability to obtain the material riches and possessions that one desires.
Word of Faith preachers therefore teach their followers that one of the primary objectives in a person’s life must be the pursuit of material wealth. In the theology of this movement, the possession of material wealth is a visible sign that a person has the “favour” and “blessings” of God upon his life.
Therefore, a bankrupt bank account can be translated as one having a bankrupt faith. Or if you do not get healed from a sickness, then it is because you lacked enough faith to receive your healing.
Therefore the Word of Faith Movement teaches that if you desire to have whatever you wish, then you must use enough of the faith force to bring your desires or material wealth into existence. (see article:What Does The Prosperity Gospel Teach?)
3. Men Are Little Gods
The Word of Faith movement also teaches that men are like “little gods”. They have the belief that people are just like God in that they can control their reality and destiny by the use of their words.
The Word-Faith movement believes that since man is made in the image of God and if God created the universe by the power of His words, then it means that man also has creative power by the use of his/her words.
The Word-Faith movement therefore believes that just like God, man can control the weather; or just like God, man can change any reality or destiny.
The Word-Faith movement also heretically teaches its followers that God cannot do anything without the permission of man.
Therefore the subtle deception of this movement is that not only is man a “little god”, but that man can also control the Creator of the universe.
4. Seed-Faith Teachings
The Word-Faith movement also promotes the false doctrine of seed-faith offerings. Oral Roberts is known as one of the initial originators of this false teaching.
It involves followers being coerced into “seeding” or giving their money in “faith” with the belief that God will give them back a multiplied harvest or return of their initial offering.
For example, the belief is that if a person gives or “sows” $10 in “faith” to a prosperity preacher or his ministry, then God will be obligated to give that person a monetary or material reward of $20 or more in return. (see article: Can A Man Bribe God? What Is The Seed-Faith Teaching?)
5. Name It & Claim It
The Word of Faith Movement teaches that by using the power of your words, combined with the faith force, you will be able to use the technique of naming whatever you want into existence. Therefore a car, a house, a job and many other things can be acquired simply by naming it, claiming it and declaring it into existence.
So it is believed that positive confessions and declarations for the items you need will result in obtaining the possessions or reality you want in life. However, they also believe that “negative confessions” will create a negative reality or destiny since they believe that man is a “little god” who has the power to create his own reality by the words that he/she speaks.
6. Other False Doctrines & Beliefs
They believe that Jesus died spiritually and that He had to be “tortured in hell” and “born again in hell” before He rose from the dead.
They believe that the office of apostles and prophets still exists today. While most Word-Faith teachers do not outright claim to have an authority that matches or supersedes the Bible, they do allege that God gives them direct or special revelation in the form of words of knowledge, prophecies, and visions. Therefore the teachings of word-faith “apostles” or “prophets” cannot be questioned or challenged by their followers as they allege to hear from God alone because they claim to hold the spiritual offices of prophet and apostle.
They believe that Jesus and His disciples were rich and that to be poor is a sin or to be sick is a sin.
What Does The Bible Teach About Word-Faith Movement Beliefs?
The Bible teaches us that God alone is Sovereign and He alone is able to create something from nothing (Genesis 1:3). Therefore God cannot be commanded and neither do we have the ability to manipulate Him based on our faith.
We are not supposed to have faith in our faith nor faith in our own words. Therefore God alone should be the object of our faith (Mark 11:22). We must have faith in God and God decides when and in what manner He will respond to prayer or our requests
We are not “little gods”. We are not deity. Instead we are God’s creation. Therefore we do not have the power to change the weather or create nothing from something by the power of the faith force or “positive confession”.
Therefore there is only one God who exists in 3 Persons (The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit).
The prosperity gospel is a false doctrine according to scripture (1 Timothy 6:3-10). We cannot bribe or manipulate God with our monetary offerings. The seed-faith teaching encourages manipulation and coercion. The teaching is an insult to the divine nature of God and it promotes money as having some kind of power to influence the hand of God.
The Word of Faith movement is deceiving countless people around the world. It is a cultic and deceptive movement that uses both subtle and blatant methods to promote the self and individual interests rather than the genuine pursuit of Christ.
Most Word of Faith teachers have become enormously rich and wealthy because of the Word-Faith doctrine. Their prosperity gospel has made these preachers rich whilst their followers either become poorer, covetous or seek an unbiblical lifestyle in the pursuit of monetary riches.
Word-Faith preachers have managed to commercialize Christianity and make merchandise of their followers (2 Peter 2:1-3).
We must therefore be vigilant and careful to avoid being deceived by any preacher or religious groups that teach Word-Faith theology as such teachings have distorted genuine Biblical Christianity.
The term spiritual covering is an authoritarian false teaching that is usually used by the Charismatic movement and various religious cults in relation to authority and submission.
The spiritual covering doctrine basically teaches that your leader, your pastor, your prophet or your apostle is a human “spiritual covering” over your life or the personal affairs of your life. Therefore if you are not under the spiritual covering of your leader then you are not “covered” or “fathered” or protected from spiritual curses or from problems in life.
Believers of this false teaching therefore teach that every Christian believer needs a human spiritual covering to protect the believer from deception, curses, problems and even the devil himself.
The spiritual covering doctrine also teaches that without your human spiritual covering, whatever you do will not be blessed by God unless it has the endorsement of your particular human spiritual covering.
The spiritual covering theology has its roots in The Shepherding Movement of the 1970s which came out of the Charismatic movement. The Shepherding Movement created cult-like manipulation techniques and intimidation tactics over its followers through its emphasis on the non-biblical teaching that every follower needs a human “spiritual covering” in his life.
Today the spiritual covering doctrine is either openly taught or subtly imposed by certain religious sects and cult leaders upon their followers as a method of control and manipulation over people’s lives. The acquiring of money and the control over people’s lives is at the heart of this doctrine.
Religious groups that teach the spiritual covering theology can be identified by the following teachings and practices:
Followers cannot make any major life or personal decisions without the input, knowledge or endorsement of one’s spiritual covering
Approval from your human spiritual covering is more important than approval from God or from God’s word.
Approval from your human spiritual covering is also believed to be equivalent to being approved by God. Therefore if your spiritual covering does not approve, it is presumed that God does not also approve. Or if your spiritual covering approves – then it means that God also approves.
Followers must have unquestioned loyalty and obedience to one’s spiritual covering. The doctrines or teachings by the spiritual covering cannot be questioned or challenged even by those considered to be the “lowest” members or followers within the hierarchy.
Followers have an obligation to confess sins and problems to their spiritual coverings, accountability partners or “shepherds”
The group has a hierarchical system of accountability; the hierarchical system looks more like a pyramid than the Biblical church body.
Followers must conform to the group’s traditions and beliefs even if these traditions oppose the scriptures.
Biblical and spiritual knowledge and revelation only flows downwards from the spiritual covering to the followers. The spiritual covering is seen as the source through which all spiritual revelation flows. Therefore without the revelation and protection of your human spiritual covering – you are deemed to be “lost” or in “rebellion”.
There is legalism, manipulation, intimidation, fear and coercive control by leadership over members. The followers are taught to be spiritually, psychologically and practically dependent on their human spiritual covering.
There is total dependence by the followers for their spiritual covering’s approval and endorsement.
There is information control. Followers are prohibited from information or literature that is likely to free them from deception or from discovering the truth.
Anyone who disagrees with their spiritual covering can be subjected to humiliation or expulsion for questioning the leadership or its teachings.
Anyone who questions or does not conform to the standards of his/her human spiritual covering is categorized as being “rebellious” or unsubmissive.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE TRUE AND ONLY SPIRITUAL COVERING
Jesus Christ is the only true spiritual covering that any Christian believer needs. Ultimately if we do not have Jesus Christ in our lives, then we do not have any genuine spiritual covering.
We must beware of any religious group that practices “shepherding,” “submission” and “spiritual covering” concepts. Though these groups may speak about Christ, they do not ultimately point people to Christ but instead they subtly point people to controlling and manipulative men for spiritual direction instead of God. These groups can create a counterfeit Christianity or hinder a genuine relationship with God because it promotes a mere man as being a type of mediator between you and God. It promotes the concept that you should always seek the approval and endorsement of man instead of seeking the approval of God. It also promotes the concept that the human spiritual covering is “perfect” or “infallible” in his advice or teachings when in fact every man is a sinner who is subject to error and deception. Unfortunately many people have fallen for this spiritual covering manipulation, especially in many coercive religious groups where the followers are taught to seek the approval of their “spiritual covering” or “spiritual father” rather than the approval of God.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.
Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
When leaders view themselves as a “spiritual covering” over others, they also directly make themselves to become spiritual mediators between God and their followers. 1 Timothy 2:5 says: For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
Christ died for our sins and His blood provided the ultimate covering from curses and from all kinds of sin so that because of His blood there is freedom in Christ and forgiveness of sins. We have been bought by the precious blood of Christ Jesus and “brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God”(Romans 8:21). “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”(Galatians 5:1).
Jesus Christ is our true protection and our only covering from all curses, bondage and sin because of His finished work on the Cross.
There is no human being who can copy or imitate the effects or results of what Christ did on the Cross and the functions that Christ plays in the life of an individual. Without Christ we are nothing.
Jesus Christ is Lord over your life – not man. Colossians 3:23-24 says that we are to do everything “as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ”.
Therefore Jesus Christ is your true and only spiritual covering because He is with you wherever you go; He resides in you and He knows you more than you know yourself.
Therefore when various leaders, false teachers and cult leaders elevate themselves to the unbiblical status of a “spiritual covering”, they’re in fact making themselves a “false christ” over the people they lead because they claim to mediate between God and man. The “spiritual covering” leaders claim that their approval or disapproval of what you do is equivalent to God’s approval or disapproval.
Matthew 23:8-12 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
A “spiritual covering” leader is the exact opposite of what Christ expects from a Biblical leader. A “spiritual covering” leader lacks humility but instead seeks to be served by his followers rather than to serve them. The spiritual covering leader sees himself as a “spiritual father”.
In the body of Christ there are no “spiritual coverings” or “spiritual fathers” – but instead according to Matthew 23:8 we “are all brothers”.
In the body of Christ we have different gifts and different functions (Romans 12:5-8) but we are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of God. Nobody is more important than the other in the body of Christ. The functions and gifts may be different but we are all equal and play a pivotal role in the body of Christ.
According to Romans 12:5 we are “members of one another” and NOT members over one another.
However, the spiritual covering or Shepherding Movement doctrines are used by cult leaders and false teachers who seek to have unbiblical control, power and influence over people’s lives for their own self-ambition and personal gain. The spiritual covering doctrine creates a culture of manipulation, control, fear and intimidation of which the followers become the victims and false teachers become the benefactors. It also opposes Christ’s leadership model of servant leadership.
Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Many religious cults and high control groups control the lives of their followers because of the spiritual covering doctrine. Many people are controlled and manipulated both for selfish and monetary gain by their leaders because of unbiblical methods of leadership that are being used. We must therefore beware of leaders who demand or coerce people into blind loyalty and submission. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and 1 John 4:1 says that we must “test everything” or “test the spirits” because “many false prophets have gone out into the world”. God’s word therefore encourages us to test, question and verify whatever we are are taught in order to avoid being deceived or being led astray by false teachings.
The spiritual covering teaching shifts the focus of our spiritual relationship away from Jesus Christ and His Lordship. Instead the false doctrine shifts people’s focus into following man or the “spiritual covering’s” personal desires instead of following God. Such an unbiblical relationship indirectly blinds people from individually exercising discernment regarding their spiritual life.
The Bible indeed teaches us to obey those who are in authority – but only as far as what they teach and say is in agreement with God’s word. It’s therefore important for every Christian believer to study the word of God as a Berean and Biblically research and verify the things we are taught (Acts 17:10-15).
Christian believers should not rely on a human “spiritual covering” for truth and revelation but instead Christians must learn to check what they are taught against the word of God to see if what they are taught is actually true.
Christians also need to get into the habit of personal study of the word of God (2 Timothy 2:15).
Christians need to be led by the Holy Spirit who is the revealer of all truth (John 16:13) and not only look to man as a revealer of truth.
The reason why so many people are led astray is because they look towards man or “spiritual coverings” to lead them instead of looking towards Jesus Christ who is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
According to many studies, cult leaders are people who tend to be narcissists and they generally exhibit sociopathic and abusive characteristics. Within Christianity they are hardly shepherds, but instead they are actually wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15).
The Bible speaks of false teachers existing in the world and the cult leader is a type of false teacher who exists within the religious realm.
Many cult leaders will claim to be Christians, but in fact, they are deceived instruments of satan who seek to deceive their followers for personal gain and for demonic motives.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 says the following: For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
Throughout the world, many cult leaders will exhibit the same character traits and employ the same manipulative and coercive techniques. By nature, a leopard cannot change its spots. A bad tree will always bear bad fruit (Matthew 7:15-19).
Below are at least 12 Traits or Characteristics of a Cult Leader:
A Spiritual Abuser
The cult leader is a false teacher who not only teaches false doctrines, but he also seeks to intimately control and abuse the lives of his followers. For example, he can control who you should and should not marry; he separates members from their families; he destroys marriages; No major personal decisions are made by various cult members without consulting the cult leader or without his knowledge; He brainwashes his members to perform unethical activities on his behalf or on behalf of the cult.
The cult leader is obsessed with manipulating and controlling his followers through authoritative leadership style and coercive techniques. This ultimately leads many members of the group into a state of spiritual bondage.
They Twist The Scriptures For Personal Gain
Cult leaders will constantly twist and misinterpret the Bible in order to justify their scandals or justify their sinful lifestyle. For example, many cult leaders are known to twist the Scriptures to their followers in order to justify their sexual immorality or polygamous relationships. Some will also twist the scriptures for monetary gain or for demonic mind control purposes. 2 Peter 2:3 says “And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Narcissistic Sense of Self
Cult leaders basically believe they were born to be better than others. In fact, they are tempted to believe that nobody can be better than them. They are basically arrogant and are driven and motivated by a spirit of pride.
Eventually cult leaders tend to claim or insinuate to have power, position and authority that is exclusively godlike. They not only claim to speak for God, but they believe and teach their followers that disobeying the leader is equivalent to disobeying God. Matthew 24:24 speaks of the rise in false christs or false messiahs. This scripture does not only refer to people who claim to be Jesus Christ, but it also refers to narcissistic people who will claim to have equal authority to Christ. (see article:What Does The Bible Say About Narcissism?)
Superficial Charm & Charisma
Cult leaders are actors and pretenders. They understand that discovering your weaknesses, needs and desires are a gateway to putting you in bondage. Projecting superficial charm and charisma to members or potential followers is a method of disarming people from seeing the true deceptive and controlling nature of the leader.
In their mind, it’s essential that they draw followers to themselves and therefore they feel the need to stand-out and be noticed because inwardly cult leaders consistently crave attention and recognition from their members. Therefore the charm offensive is an important part of a cult leader’s act to gain trust and admiration from unsuspecting followers.
Lack of Guilt or Remorse
The cult leader is sociopathic by nature and is therefore incapable of showing genuine empathy, guilt or remorse for any sinful behavior. For example, a cult leader may feel no remorse for destroying marriages or for exploiting and abusing his members, because cult leaders are generally proud and arrogant at their core. Sociopaths are generally known to be incapable of showing genuine love or empathy. Instead they project superficial “love” and emotions which always has the deceptive motive of desiring something back in return for their own personal gain and agenda. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 makes reference to false teachers who are hypocritical liars and have a seared conscience. This alludes to the fact that false teachers are incapable of having a good conscience because they feel no sorrow or guilt for sinful behavior. They also see no need to repent as a result. Instead a cult leader usually projects his faults on others such as his own members. Therefore their conscience is so seared or so deceived that they cannot truthfully differentiate between right and wrong.
Pathological Liars
Cult leaders are very skillful speakers and they are never at a loss for words. However, they are also pathological liars. Lying and deceit is part of their inbuilt nature and culture. Hypocrisy is their second nature. Deception is integral to achieving their objective of power and control over others. Even Jesus said of the Pharisees (who were religious leaders) “You are of your father the devil who has been a liar from the beginning”(John 8:44).
In Matthew 23:1-38, Christ also addressed the culture of lying and the hypocrisy by the Pharisees. He not only exposed their deception but He warned them of the consequences of their wickedness.
Therefore a culture of lying, hypocrisy and deception is common among cult leaders.
Authoritarian Leadership Style
Cult leaders are always authoritarian in the manner in which they lead their members.
For example, some cult leaders demand obedience from their members at the expense of obeying the scriptures. Cult leaders will also equate obeying them as being equal to obeying God, therefore insinuating that God and the cult leader have equal authority. It creates fear within the cult members so that they live to please the cult leader instead of living to please God. Cult members are taught to obey the leader even if he is wrong. The cult leader therefore creates the false perception that he is infallible and that his teachings and wisdom cannot be challenged even when he is wrong. For example, many cult leaders will also lean towards teaching authoritarian and submission false doctrines such as spiritual covering theology or shepherding movement doctrines (see article:Who Is Your Spiritual Covering? Is It Biblical?)
They Take Sexual Advantage of their Members
The issue of money, power and sex are intertwined within a cult. When cult leaders have unquestioned power and authority, it is evident that a cult leader will begin to take sexual advantage of his members.
Cult leaders often have a history of extramarital affairs. Therefore adultery and many different forms of sexual immorality are very common among cult leaders due to their grandiose sense of self and the imbalance of power that exists within the group.
With various cults, sex or sexual immorality is used as a method of control. Therefore the cult leader will have sexual relationships with his own followers as a method of emotional and psychological control over his members. For many cults, sexual immorality is also used by cult leaders as a method of initiating new members into the cult or for purposes of supposedly “bonding” with cult members (see article:How Cult Leaders Use Sex To Control Followers)
Cult Leaders Lack Boundaries & Exploit Weaknesses 2 Timothy 3:5-6 speaks of men who have the “appearance of godliness” but yet they take advantage of “weak women”. Paul tells Timothy in verse 5 that such people should be avoided.
Cult leaders do not respect individual or relationship boundaries. They feel entitled to impose or worm their way without any respect for the personal or relationship boundaries of others.
They are always looking for weaknesses in an individual’s life so that they can manipulate for their own personal gain.
Cult leaders also tend to look for followers who are gullible, easily exploited and weak minded.
They Use Sycophants to Ensure Compliance from Members
Sycophants are informers and self-seeking cult members who usually praise the cult leader in order to gain advantage. The cult leader uses them to spy on other members and to ensure that members are complying with the cult’s values and traditions. Sycophants pass information upwards to the cult leader about who is complying and who is rebelling within the group. They also update the cult leader about what individual members are saying, feeling or behaving within the group.
Cult Leaders View Outsiders as Enemies or Inferior
Cults generally have an Us versus Them mentality where anybody who is outside of the cult is seen as inferior to the cult. This mentality also forms the basis of why cults generally tend to promote themselves under the deceptive guise of “evangelism” as they feel that anyone who is not part of the cult is not fully enlightened. Therefore cults believe that people require the cult’s specific indoctrinations or to be recruited into the group.
The cult leader therefore projects himself as the “best” among preachers and he presents his doctrines as the “best” among other religious groups and anyone who is not part of the cult is considered to be “lost” or unenlightened.
Any non-members who disagree with the cult leader’s theology are seen as potential enemies and likewise cult members are not allowed to associate with any outside religious groups or individuals who are likely to discover the cult’s true deceptive nature.
The leader therefore isolates his group from ex-members or from families or from religious groups that are likely to discern and expose the true nature of the group.
They View People as Assets & Objects
Sociopaths do not really view people as friends. Instead to a sociopath, people are assets; people are victims; people are accomplices; people are fools who can be conned for his own personal gain.
Just like a sociopath, cult leaders are interested in only achieving the objective that meets their personal and selfish gain. As a result, a cult leader views his cult members as inferior to himself and as people whom he is meant to control, manipulate and dominate.
Conclusion: You Shall Know Them By Their Fruits
Jesus said that false teachers are inwardly like “ravenous wolves” by nature. He also said that we shall know false teachers by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20).
The character and nature of cult leaders clearly reflects that their fruits are demonic and ungodly. Ultimately the majority of cult members become deceived and fall into spiritual bondage as a result of following cult leaders.
It’s important to note that cult leaders are self-deceived individuals. They are also spiritually and psychologically dangerous. Based on the strange activities and tragedies that happen within many cults such as mass suicides, mind control techniques, cultic behaviour, family separations, scripture twisting, sexual scandals and a culture of lying and deception – it is clear that cult leaders are either demon possessed or demonically inspired in their actions.
Cult leaders do not represent Jesus Christ and they preach a false gospel that is filled with false interpretations of the scriptures. Even though they read or preach from the Bible, it is important to realize that these type of false teachers are used by the devil in an attempt to deceive, distort and destroy the Body of Christ. Titus 1:16 says the following of false teachers: “They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work”
It’s therefore very important that people be vigilant and aware of the false deceptions and the many deceivers who now exist in the world.
1 John 4:1 says: “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.”
Is there a relationship between sexual immorality and the activities of demonic sects such as cults, the new age movement and even the occult? How do cult leaders use sex as a method of control over some of their members?
Jim Jones, a cult leader of the People’s Temple was one of the most well-known cult leaders in the world. He had so much control over his followers to the extent of causing the mass suicide of more than 900 of his own cult members as he manipulated them into drinking poisoned Kool-aid or Flavor-aid.
The other thing that Jim Jones was also known for was his immoral sexual behavior. According to Wikipedia, “while Jones (hypocritically) banned sex among Temple members outside of marriage, he voraciously engaged in sexual relations with both male and female Temple members. Jones, however, claimed that he detested engaging in homosexual activity and did so only for the male temple adherents’ own good, purportedly to connect them symbolically with him (Jones).”
So Jones’ cultic reason for being promiscuous was that having sex with his followers would “connect” his followers “symbolically” to himself.
Jones is also on record as telling his followers that he was “the only true heterosexual”.
In the religious world, there are thousands of cult leaders that exist. One of the major marks of all cult leaders pertains to their desire to manipulate, control and exploit their members for their own personal gain and also for the gain of the group.
Almost every cult leader is known to be abusive, spiritually corrupt and manipulative by nature (see article: 12 Characteristics Of A Cult Leader).
However, one of the key methods that cult leaders use to control their followers is through sex.
Just like Jim Jones and many false teachers throughout the world, it’s difficult to find a single cult leader who leads a group and yet has never had promiscuous affairs with members of his own group. It’s also difficult to find a cult leader who has not manifested any obvious signs of sexual perversion.
2 Timothy 3:5-6 Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions
2 Timothy 3:5-6 addresses the fact that there are religious men who are predatory in nature and they deceptively desire to “capture weak women”.
These men have the “appearance of godliness” but in fact, they are hypocrites.
They have the “appearance of godliness” but the truth is that they are demonic and ungodly in nature.
These men even enter into people’s homes but their intentions are never truthful or innocent. They seek to seduce, manipulate, control and exploit people.
The cult leader uses his position of leadership to take advantage of his members. He does this to satisfy his sexual lusts and to gain control over them.
Therefore under the guise of “counselling”, “ministering” and “assisting” women with their problems, the cult leader exploits a woman’s vulnerabilities in order to eventually manipulate her for sex.
All over the world many false teachers have been exposed for their promiscuous behaviour. This clearly points to the fact that there is a connection between the unbiblical power that cult leaders give themselves and their immoral sexual relationships.
So the question is this: Why are most cult leaders inevitably sexually immoral? Why do these leaders use sex to control their members?
The answer is found in the fact that the core inspiration behind using sex to control people is simply rooted in demonic doctrines and demonic foundations.
Sex and the Demonic
The demonic concept about sex is the complete opposite to God’s original intention for sex. According to God, sex is an expression of union between 2 married people and it is to be performed only within the confines of marriage for enjoyment and for procreation. Sex is not only physical but it is also spiritual.
However, satan has corrupted the meaning of sex. The demonic concept of sex encourages fornication, adultery, incest, homosexuality and even bestiality. Sexual immorality has a negative spiritual effect in that it causes a person to corrupt his soul and to sin against his own body (1 Corinthians 6:18).
The demonic expression of sex is not related to godly union between married couples but instead the demonic purpose for sex is to express self-gratification, domination, perversion, manipulation and initiation.
Jim Jones hypocritically preached against premarital sex and he banned his members from having sex outside of marriage. Yet ironically, Jones had both homosexual and heterosexual relationships with the very same cult members whom he banned from having sex. What Jim Jones did was an example of him using sex to control his followers.
A cult leader’s motive for having sex with multiple members within his group is also a method of initiating and solidifying the member’s emotional loyalty to himself and towards the group. Jim Jones claimed to use promiscuous sex to “connect” his followers “symbolically” to himself.
Just like Jim Jones, a cult leader does not care if he is behaving hypocritically; he does not care if he has sexual relations with a man or a woman; he does not care if he is committing adultery; he does not care if he’s causing his members to commit fornication or adultery; he does not care if he is disobeying the word of God.
What the cult leader cares about the most, is that he fulfills his demonic sexual appetite and perversions whilst achieving “connection” and control over his followers through the sexual relationships. Therefore sex is one of the tools that he will use in order to accomplish his goal to control.
It’s no wonder that doctrines of demons such as witchcraft, occultism, new age movement and many other sects also include sexual immorality as part of their rites, rituals and initiations.
Even in the Bible, the worship of Baal, a fertility god, had infiltrated the Jewish people according to Judges 3:7.
Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic sex and prostitution in the temples. Even Jezebel who was a woman associated with sexual immorality, control and witchcraft was a champion for the worship of Baal.
Jezebel married and controlled Ahab who happened to be the King of Israel (1 Kings 16:30-31). Her exploitation and control of Ahab caused the widespread worship of Baal and the demonic doctrines associated with Baal.
1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Leviticus 20:13 and Exodus 22:19 all speak against sexual immorality. However, whilst these verses might be preached by the cult leader just as Jim Jones may have done, the cult leader will behave as if such verses do not apply to himself.
Anything that is demonic will ultimately meet its destruction before the Lord. The cult leader and every other false teacher will ultimately meet their demise before God’s mighty hand.
Those who willfully practice sexual immorality and seek to manipulate and deceive others will face a predictable end. 1 John 4:1 tells us to test the spirits because of the existence of false prophets and teachers. The reason we should test the spirits is because false teachers are spiritually motivated by the demonic.
It is therefore imperative that those who fear the Lord should always hate what is evil and cling to what is good (Romans 12:9).
The Illuminati is believed to be a group or secret society of the most influential and powerful elite in the world. It is believed that the Illuminati has been existing for many centuries and they maintain the same bloodlines.
It’s also believed that the Illuminati also consists of branches of other secret societies such as freemasonry and these secret societies consist of international bankers, top government officials, leaders in the media, entertainment, sports and energy sectors.
It is believed that the Illuminati controls all major sectors of the world from the entertainment industry to the world financial markets and also the political world.
The name Illuminati comes from the Latin word illuminatur which means the “enlightened”.
This group believes that they are more “enlightened” than the rest of the world. They believe that they possess secret knowledge about many issues including knowledge of the future and world events. They believe that they are meant to dominate and control the masses and the world systems.
Therefore most people theorize that this group will be responsible for ushering the New World Order where there will be a one world government, one world currency and a one world religion.
It is believed that the group prefers to operate covertly but uses various symbols as a spiritual method of communication and worship. Some of the symbols most associated with the Illuminati include occult symbols, triangles, pentagrams, the all-seeing eye – pyramids – the number 666 and symbolism associated with Egyptian mythology. It is also believed that the group is heavily linked to many occult practices and that the Illuminati ultimately serves at the pleasure of the devil.
Is the Illuminati mentioned in the Bible?
The Illuminati is not specifically mentioned in the Bible. However the Bible does speak of a type of globalism or new world order scenario that will exist in the future or in the end times.
The presence of the Antichrist will usher in a one world government, a one world currency and a one world religion where the Antichrist will ultimately demand to be worshiped (Revelation 17:1-18; Revelation 13:1-14).
The devil is the master of all evil in the world and he is the creator of the demonic world systems that operate in the world.
The Illuminati and many other groups and individuals who perform wicked acts to dominate, manipulate and control the world are merely puppets of the devil who is their puppet master.
How should Christians respond to secret societies?
Christians need to always remember that it is God who is ultimately in control of all things and all situations. There is nothing that will happen in this world that will ever surprise God. There is nothing that is hidden from God.
Therefore God is the alpha and omega. Everything begins and ends with God.
This means that whatever the devil and his puppets may try in their attempt to control and dominate the world will ultimately end in failure.
God will remain God and the devil and all his followers will be cast in the lake of fire.
The role of every Christian believer is to continue to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and the need for people to repent and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (Matthew 28:19-20).
Christians are also to expose evil in all its forms and warn people from being deceived by the devil and his followers (Ephesians 5:11-12).
The New World Order is defined as the period in time where there will be a one-world religion, one-world money system and a one-world government. It is also known as the age or era of Globalization.
There is the theory that an elite group of influential people, especially those people associated with secret societies such as freemasonry and the Illuminati are linked towards systematically and gradually introducing and implementing the New World Order system.
The ideology or philosophy of the New World Order or Globalization is that of bringing supposed unity, oneness of belief systems and an end to human suffering for all mankind.
Therefore to achieve such a goal, all nations must socially, economically and politically adopt the same value systems.
Socially and spiritually, different religions or cultural beliefs must be gradually eliminated and a one-world religion system must eventually be embraced. For example, a culture of tolerance and acceptance should be embraced in relation to such issues as homosexuality or transgenderism even if these lifestyles contradict Christian beliefs and Biblical values.
Therefore the ideology of the New World Order system will attempt to remove any systems or beliefs that oppose its own so that the New World Order becomes the dominant value system.
Economically, many nations will be forced to adopt a one-currency system under the New World Order. Therefore a borderless society will exist. The world will literally become a global village and the one-currency system will be the strongest evidence that the era of Globalization has arrived. Therefore, under a New World Order, attempting to economically operate outside a one-currency system would be difficult for any business or nation.
Politically, many nations around the world will be under a one-world government. Therefore control of the entire world will be officially centralized to an elite and powerful body of people who will make political, social and economic decisions for the entire human race. Individual nations will no longer have autonomy but will be accountable to a centralized one-world government.
The idea & philosophy behind the New World Order is also reminiscent of the ideology behind the Tower of Babel where mankind believed that anything was possible as long as they were united with a common cause (Genesis 11:1-9).
However, unity without God is dangerous. Unity that is based on a false philosophical system eventually leads to utter rebellion against God.
Therefore Globalization or the New World Order system may outwardly appear to be beneficial and noble for mankind, but the root inspiration behind this ideology must be closely scrutinized, not only from a worldly viewpoint but also from a spiritual perspective.
Scriptures such as Revelations 13:1-18, Revelations 14:9-12 and Revelations 20:4-6 refer to the Antichrist beast system that will dominate the world in the future. The beast system is very much likened to the New World Order because of the gradual and systematic attempt to introduce a one-world religion, one-world money system and a one-world government.
Biblically, the chief architect of the New World Order system is the devil himself. Therefore the New World Order is a prelude to the ushering of the Antichrist.
The Bible describes Satan as being the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) or the “ruler of this world”(John 12:31).
Satan once tempted Jesus by offering Christ “the kingdoms of the world and their glory” if Jesus would agree to worship him (Matthew 4:8-10).
The devil therefore has massive influence and control on the systems of this world. Satan is responsible for creating many philosophies, ideologies, false religions and economic systems that manage this world that we live in. The devil is therefore able to influence people, cultures, religions and governments. Globalization or the New World Order will not bring freedom, unity or an end to human suffering. Instead it will introduce the Great Tribulation through an Antichrist dictatorship.
One thing history should teach us is that since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, there is no earthly government that can bring peace, unity or an end to any kind of human suffering.
Therefore, if mankind looks towards human controlled governments with the hope of ending human suffering and becoming united, then such a hope will be in total vain.
Therefore the New World Order offers a false hope and false promises.
True unity, oneness and the end of human suffering will occur when mankind embraces God and the Kingdom of God through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
A life with God and a life in the kingdom of Heaven is the ideal lifestyle for mankind.
What are false apostles? 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 says the following about false apostles: For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
If we are to take a definition from 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, false apostles are deceitful workmen who
1. deceive their followers
2. disguise themselves as Christian leaders
3. imitate the deceptive characteristics of Satan
False apostles are false teachers, false prophets & cult leaders who masquerade as Christian leaders by infiltrating the church of Christ in order to attempt to lead astray and deceive not only unbelievers but also they attempt to deceive the elect or genuine Christian believers.
They are pretenders and imposters. Deception is at the crux of whatever they do. They are fake Christians who “disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” but yet they bear bad fruit (Matthew 7:15-20).
Inwardly false apostles are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Therefore Jesus warned that one of the ways that we can spot false apostles or prophets is by their fruits of which characteristics such as hypocrisy and deception are part of the bad fruit that they bear.
In Acts 20:29-30, Paul warned us to guard ourselves against false apostles by saying “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves”.
Therefore it is the duty of every person to guard oneself from deceitful people who masquerade as Christian leaders but yet their deception and work is inspired by Satan who is also able to disguise himself as an angel of light. 1 John 4:3-4 urges people to test every spirit because of false prophets who have gone out into the world. Therefore we should not be quick to trust anyone who claims to be a Christian leader, but we should test and receive insight from the Holy Spirit about the true nature of every person who claims to be a Christian leader.
Below are some of the practical ways in which you can protect or guard yourself from false apostles
1. You Must Know The Word of God
It’s important to consistently study the word of God for yourself (2 Timothy 2:15). Avoid the habit of being “spoon-fed” but instead learn to study the word of God on your own. The disadvantage of being spoon-fed is that you will be given poisonous teachings and doctrines and you will accept them without discernment. Not everything that is spoken from the pulpit is true.
Therefore studying the word of God on your own will bring you closer to God and will enable the Holy Spirit to give you His personal revelation and truth. The only way to spot a fake is to study the genuine thing. Therefore the more you study God’s word, the more you will spot false teachings and false apostles.
The Berean Christians are a good example of people who studied and examined the scriptures to check if what they heard on the pulpit was really true (Acts 17:11).
2. Do Some Research About The False Apostles & Their Doctrines
Jesus warned that MANY false prophets will rise and that these false prophets will deceive MANY people (Matthew 24:11).
Since there are many false apostles that exist, it’s very important to do the appropriate research about the characteristics of false teachers in general and also to research any specific leaders whom you may be considering to follow.
The Bible always encourages people to test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). We are also encouraged to exercise caution, discernment and wisdom in our walk (Proverbs 14:16). Therefore, due to the fact that many false apostles exist, the importance of research, caution and wisdom has become more important than ever (Ephesians 5:15)
3. You Must Have a Personal & Genuine Relationship with God
A genuine born again Christian will eventually discern a false apostle. In every born again believer there resides the Holy Spirit who will reveal any veil of deception and reveal the truth to us (John 16:13). As you engage the Holy Spirit in your daily life, He will guide you from anything and anyone who sets out to deceive you through hypocrisy, deception and false doctrines.
Therefore becoming a genuine born again believer is the most important decision to make in order to be protected from false apostles who exist not only within Christianity, but also for one to be protected from the false prophets of other religions and sects.
The ultimate destiny of all false apostles is that they will face destruction according to 2 Corinthians 11:15. Their end will correspond with their deeds.
DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN or A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST???
1. ACKNOWLEDGE: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13).
You must acknowledge that you are a sinner and that you therefore need Jesus in your life.
2. REPENT: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19)
Repenting means: to change your mind; a sincere turning away, in heart, mind and action;
Therefore God wants you to repent of sinful values and of sinful living. God wants you to decide to
follow Him and to make Jesus the Lord of your life.
3. CONFESSION: “If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)
God is a forgiving God. God will forgive any sin that you have done because Jesus died for ALL your sins and to set you free from the bondage of all types of sin in your life.
4. BELIEVE: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
You must believe that ONLY Jesus can save you and restore your relationship with God. You must believe that Jesus is the ONLY way by which you can have everlasting life and escape from eternal separation from God. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and resurrected from the grave.
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive him, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12)
By faith, You must receive Jesus as Your Lord & Savior and therefore; you become a child of God; you become born again; you become a Christian; you restore your broken relationship with God.
Why Not Make Your Eternal Decision NOW?
We become born again Christians by GRACE through FAITH or TOTAL TRUST in Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior (Galatians 3:26) & (Ephesians 2:8,9). Salvation is a FREE gift received through FAITH in Christ.
PLEASE NOTE: You can choose to pray in your own words. This prayer is a sample prayer and it is only an EXPRESSION of your faith, belief & trust in Jesus. Salvation is by GRACE through FAITH or BELIEVING in Christ Jesus as your Lord & Saviour.
“Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your love. I thank You that You died on the cross for me and resurrected so that I may have life through You. I confess Lord that I have sinned against You and today I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins, past present and future. I repent of all of my sins and I ask You to cleanse me Jesus. Thank You for forgiving my sins. From this moment, come into my life Lord Jesus & take full control of my life. I want to follow You Jesus and I want to follow Your ways. Save me and from today, make me the person You want me to be. I receive You Lord Jesus right now by faith. I trust You as my Lord and Savior – Amen”
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The Mormons also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith in the 1820s.
Joseph Smith claims to have experienced a series of visions of God the Father and Jesus Christ and also visitations by an “angel” called Moroni who directed him to a buried book of “golden plates”. According to Smith, the angel Moroni was the guardian of the golden plates, which Latter Day Saints believe were the source material for the Book of Mormon, which is a sacred text of the Mormon religion and beliefs.
Therefore the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith said he translated into English, the Book of Mormon.
It’s important to note that while the Latter Day Saints claim to be Christians and claim to believe in Jesus Christ, it is evident from their literature such as the Book of Mormon and other writings of Joseph Smith, that the Mormons do not believe in the essentials of the Christian doctrine.
The Mormons have many beliefs that are contrary to foundational Biblical teachings and as a result, they have been classified as a non-christian cult.
Some of the beliefs of the Mormons which totally contradict the Bible and the Christian faith are as follows:
The Mormons believe that god was once a man who lived on a planet just like we do (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321). They also believe that god earned his divinity while living on that planet. Essentially they believe that god is an exalted person but who has a body of flesh and bones
The Mormons also believe that god has a wife. They believe that god and his wife had children (Mormon Doctrine, p. 516). The first born was Jesus and then after that Lucifer was born and then later other spirit children were born through the procreation of god and his goddess wife.
The Mormons believe that if men on earth practice Mormonism to its fullest, then we too can become gods who also procreate so that we can create our own dynasty of other gods.
So the Mormons do not believe in just one God, but the Mormons believe in MANY gods (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163) and that if humans practice Mormonism, they too can eventually become gods (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345-347).
Therefore Mormons believe that Jesus is literally the first born created child and that Lucifer is a brother of Jesus (Mormon Doctrine, p. 192) and that both Jesus and Lucifer have other godlike brothers and sisters.
Also Mormons do not regard the Bible as being their spiritual authority. Instead they believe that the Book of Mormon which was published by their founder Joseph Smith as being the ultimate spiritual authority (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 461).
2 Corinthians 11:4 says “For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough”.
So the Bible speaks of people who will come and proclaim a different Jesus. They will also proclaim a different spirit. And they will proclaim a different gospel.
Unfortunately, the Mormons are one those groups who proclaim a different message and a different God than the God who is mentioned in the Bible.
The god of the Mormons and the God of the Christians are totally different.
The Bible teaches that there is only ONE God (Deuteronomy 6:4) who eternally exists in 3 Persons; that is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
In Isaiah 43:10 God says that He is the only God and there was no other god before Him and there will be no other god after Him.
The Bible also says that God is not a man that He should lie / sin, but God is perfect and God is Spirit and those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The Bible certainly teaches that God does NOT have a wife. God did not need a wife to create humanity or any other creature on this planet (Genesis 1).
The Mormons believe in the literature of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. However, the Bible is the inspired word of God and the Bible should be the ultimate spiritual authority in a Christian believer’s life (2 Timothy 3:16).
Most importantly, the Bible also teaches that salvation is only through one Person – Jesus Christ (John 14:6) – who paid for our sins on the cross & resurrected on the 3rd day so that you and I may have eternal life.
Do Christians and Mormons worship the same God? No they don’t.
If you are a Mormon or if you have never genuinely accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour – you have the opportunity to put your total trust and faith in the Jesus Christ of the Bible as your Saviour.
True salvation comes only through Jesus Christ and eternal life is a free gift in Christ.
DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN or A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST???
1. ACKNOWLEDGE: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
This means that we have all broken God’s laws and God’s 10 Commandments like those mentioned in Exodus 20:1-17. For example, if you have told a lie; if you have stolen something; if you have lusted after somebody or if you have coveted. This means you are guilty of breaking at least one or more of God’s 10 Commandments. Breaking God’s commandments makes us sinners. The fact that we are sinners who have broken God’s law means that we are accountable to God who is the Lawgiver. Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death BUT the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
You must acknowledge that you are a sinner who has broken God’s commandments and that you therefore need Jesus in your life
2. REPENT: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19)
Repenting means: to change your mind; a sincere turning away, in heart, mind and action;
Therefore God wants you to repent of sinful values and of sinful living. God wants you to decide to follow Him and to make Jesus the Lord of your life.
3. CONFESSION: “If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)
God is a forgiving God. God will forgive any sin that you have done because Jesus died for ALL your sins and to set you free from the bondage of all types of sin in your life.
4. BELIEVE: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
You must believe that ONLY Jesus can save you and restore your relationship with God. You must believe that Jesus is the ONLY way by which you can have everlasting life and escape from eternal separation from God. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and resurrected from the grave.
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive him, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12)
By faith, You must receive Jesus as Your Lord & Savior and therefore; you become a child of God; you become born again; you become a Christian; you restore your broken relationship with God
Why Not Make Your Eternal Decision NOW?
We become born again Christians by GRACE through FAITH or TOTAL TRUST in Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior (Galatians 3:26) & (Ephesians 2:8,9). Salvation is a FREE gift received through FAITH in Christ.
PLEASE NOTE: You can choose to pray in your own words. This prayer is a sample prayer and it is only an EXPRESSION of your faith, belief & trust in Jesus. Salvation is by GRACE through FAITH or BELIEVING in Christ Jesus as your Lord & Saviour.
“Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your love. I thank You that You died on the cross for me and resurrected so that I may have life through You. I confess Lord that I have sinned against You and today I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins, past present and future. I repent of all of my sins and I ask You to cleanse me Jesus. Thank You for forgiving my sins. From this moment, come into my life Lord Jesus & take full control of my life. I want to follow You Jesus and I want to follow Your ways. Save me and from today, make me the person You want me to be. I receive You Lord Jesus right now by faith. I trust You as my Lord and Savior – Amen”
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Bible Verse of the Day
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
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