I was somewhat saddened and disturbed recently when a member of my Bible Study group said that, while she was still “attracted to Jesus”, the public pronouncements and policies of our political leaders, claiming to be “Christian”, left her profoundly uneasy and wondering if she was believing the right things about her relationship with God. Unfortunately, this is far from being a new problem, and we do well to look to scripture to give us guidance and solutions.
Discernment has never been an optional virtue for the people of God. Wherever the light of the gospel shines most brightly, counterfeit versions inevitably swarm toward it. The late theologian H. A. Ironside famously remarked, “Where there is light, there are bugs.” He was referring to those cults, false teachers, and political and religious movements that seize a portion of truth, distort it to an extreme, and then lead people away from the simplicity of faith. In our world, saturated with political and religious fads and "new revelations," the greatest need of the modern believer is the gift of discernment, allowing us to “keep the main thing the main thing” in our spiritual lives.
The apostle John gives us a clear, uncompromising command: “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world” (1 John 4:1, NLT). John’s instruction is not just a suggestion for the cautious; it is a requirement for the faithful. Spiritual gullibility is not a sign of holiness; it is a doorway to deception.
This warning is not exclusive to the New Testament either. The standard of truth was established long ago in the Law of Moses. In Deuteronomy 13:1-3 (NLT), Israel was warned that even if a prophet promised a miracle that actually came to pass, they were to reject the messenger if the message was, “Come, let us worship other gods.” Apparent material success, miracles and supernatural experiences are not the final validation of a messenger—Truth is. The prophet Isaiah declared, “Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark” (Isaiah 8:20, NLT).
At the heart of every false teaching or system lies a corrupted view of Jesus Christ. Cults often use the historic language of Christianity, calling themselves "The Church of Jesus Christ" but redefining His nature. John provides us a definitive “litmus test" for these claims: “If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God” (1 John 4:2-3, NLT).
The Holy Spirit always exalts the true Christ—the eternal Son of God, fully divine and fully human. Any group that demotes Jesus to a "created being," a "brother of Lucifer," or merely a "good teacher" has failed the test. Inarguably they possess the spirit of the antichrist, which mimics the form of godliness but denys its power.
A second mark of a cult is the addition of human authority to the Word of God. Most deceptive groups rely on a "prophet, seer, or revelator" who claims to have received direct revelation that supplements or supersedes the Bible. However, the Bible claims total sufficiency for itself. Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives” (2 Timothy 3:16, NLT).
If a group requires a specific human leader to interpret the Bible for you, or if they possess "new" scriptures that "correct" the historic record, they are in error and have stepped onto dangerous ground. The biblical canon is closed; we do not need secret revelations to find God.
The third test concerns salvation. The true gospel declares salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. When the Philippian jailer asked how to be saved, Paul’s answer was simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31, NLT).
In contrast, cults almost always add "works of obedience" to the finished work of Christ. They may require baptism by their specific clergy, tithing to their organization, or membership in their "temple" as a condition for eternal life. The prophet Jeremiah warned against this: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength” (Jeremiah 17:5, NLT). If your salvation depends on your performance or your affiliation with a specific human organization, it is no longer grace. Paul emphasized, “Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:9, NLT).
We must not let ourselves be intimidated by the "vicious wolves" that Paul warned would come in among the flock (Acts 20:29, NLT). While these teachers may sound articulate, they are deceptive, and cannot withstand the light of the Word. By applying the “litmus test"—scrutinizing a group’s view of Christ, their source of authority, and their definition of the gospel—we can remain grounded. We need not live in fear, for as John concludes, “The Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world” (1 John 4:4, NLT).
If the label “Christian”, as re-defined by the world and political opportunists, leaves you queasy, let me suggest you do as I do and just re-classify yourself as a “Jesus Follower”. There can be no higher calling or aspiration! Make sure what we believe passes the scriptural litmus test.
Blessings on you and yours, Jim Black
P.S. if you’d like to read previous ruminations of mine they can be found at https://blog.salvationarmyconcordca.org