How do you know if you're in a false religion? How can I find out if I'm in a cult? Can I trust what I've been taught in church? Does it matter what church or denomination I attend as long as it is Christian?
It is very logical that if there are many religious teachings in the world & those teachings are in contradiction with one another, then they cannot possibly all be true such as pop culture would have us believe (religious pluralism). Therefore, there must be many false teachings in existence today. No doubt, because God is all-knowing, He used a good portion of Scripture to warn us about false teachers, false prophets & false religions - even those under the guise of being "Christian" (Mt 7.15-20, Acts 20.28-30, Jude 1.4). But His motivation for doing so was two-fold.
First, since religious teachings deal with God & His character – whether He exists or not, whether He is this way or that – He wants Himself to be portrayed accurately. When He is not, idolatry & blasphemy result. Secondly, religious teachings directly or indirectly imply something about our relationship with God – whether or not He is concerned about us & our behavior - whether there are consequences for our behavior. Since God cares tremendously about both His character & humanity (the pinnacle of His creation), He wants us to make sure we get it right. So if you are having doubts about what you believe or if you are questioning the “system” you are now in, know that God wants you to know the truth. Please consider the following questions:
First, since religious teachings deal with God & His character – whether He exists or not, whether He is this way or that – He wants Himself to be portrayed accurately. When He is not, idolatry & blasphemy result. Secondly, religious teachings directly or indirectly imply something about our relationship with God – whether or not He is concerned about us & our behavior - whether there are consequences for our behavior. Since God cares tremendously about both His character & humanity (the pinnacle of His creation), He wants us to make sure we get it right. So if you are having doubts about what you believe or if you are questioning the “system” you are now in, know that God wants you to know the truth. Please consider the following questions:
- Does your salvation (state of eternal life or status with God) depend on what some other human does or says instead of God? – Ps 49.7-8, Jn 14.6, Acts 4.12
- Have the teachings of your leaders changed over time? – Mal 3.6, Mt 24.35, Heb 13.8
- If you stop doing something will your eternal salvation be in jeopardy? – Mt 7.21-23, Rom 9.16, Eph 2.8-9
- Do Jesus’ teachings in the 4 Gospel books (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) support or destroy what you believe? – Mt 10.34, 12.30
- Have you really given thought to the validity of your beliefs? – Hos 4.6, Mt 7.24-29
- Have you ever read the Bible in order to learn first-hand from it & verify what you have been taught? – Mt 11.29, Acts 17.11
- Do your leaders indicate that the Bible cannot be trusted in part or in whole? – Ps 119.160, Jn 17.17, 2 Tim 3.16-17
- Have your leaders had special revelations from God of new or secret knowledge? – Jer 23.30-32, Col 2.18
- Are other religious writings or teachings just as important as the Bible or more so? – Eccl 5.7, 2 Cor 11.3-4, 2 Tim 4.3-4, 2 Jn 1.9-11
- Do you feel like you will or are falling short of God’s requirements? – Rom 3.9-18, 23-24, 27-28, Jas 2.10
- Do you know what God requires? – Jn 6.28-29
- Are you afraid to find out that what you believe is false? – 2 Tim 2.25-26
- How would you know if what you believed wasn’t true? – Col 2.8
- Are you more concerned about what others think or doing what other people say you should do than what God says you should do? – Acts 5.29
- Is discovering the truth more important than disappointing others? – Pr 29.25, Lk 12.4-7
- If your life was at stake for what you believe, would you die upholding it? – Mk 8.35
- When you think about what is on the other side of death, does it scare you? – Jn 5.24, 20.31, 1 Jn 5.13
Ask questions of your leaders. It will be revealing If they make you feel humiliated or embarrassed for asking, but know that you can always ask questions by submitting them >here<. Because false teachings are not based on truth, they will not fit in with the teachings of the Bible & will ultimately be contradictory. Consequently, false teachings are usually tied to many other false teachings in order to make them seem more legitimate or logical. Also, know that the truth of God never changes – it’s perfect & doesn’t need to. Therefore you can also recognize false teaching if it changes or gets added to over time.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. - Col 2.8
The best way to spot them is to know the truth of the Bible. Start reading it yourself - I recommend starting with the books of Matthew, John & Romans. God wants you to read & know it, that's why He had it written for you. And most importantly, ask God to show you what is true. He loves you & wants to help you learn more about Him!
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. - Col 2.8
The best way to spot them is to know the truth of the Bible. Start reading it yourself - I recommend starting with the books of Matthew, John & Romans. God wants you to read & know it, that's why He had it written for you. And most importantly, ask God to show you what is true. He loves you & wants to help you learn more about Him!
...Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - Jn 8.31-32
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Buy the truth and do not sell it--
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.- Pr 23.23 |