Is The Church of Christ a Cult?

If you are a Christian, you may have been slandered by the denominations who are in the habit of calling the churches of Christ a cult. It is not uncommon for Christians (defined here as those who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible) to be accused of various evils.  In fact, Christ himself was verbally persecuted (Matt. 11:19), and “a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matt. 10:24). If Christ was falsely accused of evil, so will be his disciples. Calling the churches of Christ a cult indicts not only the individual Christian on whom the accusation is thrown, but also all Christians everywhere.

What Constitutes a Cult?

The word cult in current popular usage is a pejorative term for a new religious movement or other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre by the larger society. Usage of the word has been controversial. One reason is that the word “cult” (as used in the pejorative sense) is considered a subjective term, used as an attack against groups with simply differing doctrines or practices, and without a clear or consistent definition. By this definition all religions could be considered a cult.

Examples of a Cult Would Be:

The Branch Davidians, who under David Koresh’s leadership, met their demise in a bloody standoff with U.S. federal agents; Heaven’s Gate, who committed mass suicide in the belief that a spaceship in the tail of the Hale-Bop comet would transport them to paradise; The Moonies, who believe that their founder, Sun Yung Moon, and his wife, are the perfect human couple. The people’s temple, under the rule of Jim Jones who met their end in a mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.

Is it fair to call any religious group a cult just because they worship differently and their doctrine can’t be proven by the new testament? If it is, then it is easy to classify the Catholic church a cult for they are under the authority of one man, the Pope, and their doctrine is not found in the new testament. The Mormons is another religion which came about by the pure imagination of Joseph Smith which was revealed in the book he wrote called the Mormon bible. It would be just as easy to classify the Church of Scientology, Christian Science, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Seventh Day Adventist, and the Worldwide Church of God (Armstrongism) as cults because none of these have their doctrines founded in the new testament. In fact, all denominations are cults by this definition because they have intermingled both the old and new testaments into one to form strange and perverse doctrines which are contrary to the doctrine of Christ.

Is The Church of Christ a Cult?

According to denominations, yes. Nevertheless, what saith the scriptures. Gal 4:30 The churches of Christ takes its name from its founder, Jesus Christ. Rom 16:16 f; Col 1:18 The churches of Christ requires obedience to the gospel of Christ for one to be added to it by the Lord. Acts 2:47 The gospel defined in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 requires one to believe with the heart and confess with the mouth that Jesus is the Christ; Rom 10:9,10 Then one must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; Acts 2:38 And then one must remain faithful unto death. Rev 2:10 The churches of Christ worships God in Spirit and in truth according to the doctrine of Christ. Jn 4:23,24 f; 2 Jn 9 They worship on Sunday; Acts 20:7 They take the Lord’s Supper and give of their means freely. 1 Cor 11:24-26 ff; 1 Cor 16:1,2; 2 Cor 9:6,7 They sing with the mouth and make music with the heart to the Lord. Eph 5:19 They hear the Word by the means of preaching. Acts 20:7 f; 2 Tim 4:2-5 They stand on the principles of not adding to or taking from God’s Word. Rev 22:18,19 f; 1 Cor 4:6

I admit that there are many liberal minded brethren who have drifted from the truth, though they bear the same name and resemblance to the church of Christ. These churches are the ones who don’t believe God’s Word was entirely inspired. 2 Tim 3:16 These are they who go beyond what was written. 1 Cor 4:6 In many instances, these are no better and in some cases worse than the denominations. Beware and withdraw from the error such as these, for they do not abide by the doctrine of the apostles or Christ, but rather follow the traditions of men. Col 2:8 f; Mt 15:7-9

Conclusion:  If the church of Christ is a cult then color me crazy and pass the crayons, because there is no church on earth which derives its teaching directly from the new testament only, but the churches of Christ. If, the churches of Christ is a cult, then it is the only one whose only leader is Christ. Eph 1:22,23 It would be the only one whose gospel and doctrine derived from Christ and His apostles. 2 Jn 9 f; Acts 2:42 To call the church of Christ a cult is to indict God the Father, for Christ truly revealed that the doctrine he taught derived from God. Jn 7:16,17

The church of Christ is not a man-made organization that quarantines, manipulates, brainwashes, or deceives its members in any way, shape or form; but rather it is a group of gospel obeyed Christians who are trying their best to serve God according to apostolic doctrine, Acts 2:42 to convert and to save souls from death, Jam 5:19,20 and to obtain eternal life promised by God before the world began. Tit 1:2 Anyone who charges otherwise is ignoring the evidence, and committing slander against each of its members, to the apostles, to Jesus Christ, to God the Father, and to the Holy Spirit which revealed every part of their doctrine. Jn 16:13 Remember, to slander Christians, Christ or even God is forgivable, but to slander the Holy Spirit, this we know is unforgivable! Mt 12:31 ff; Mk 3:29; Lk 12:10