Overview of Cults
    

A Brief Overview Of What Major Non-Biblical Religions & Philosophies Teach About Jesus Christ And Salvation



First...
Minimalist Definitions:

Salvation: To eternally exist in a consciously joyful and pleasant state after death. This necessitates the avoidance of any deserved punishment for one's individual sins against a personal, perfectly righteous and just Creator. All men have sinned, and therefore, all are in danger of this judgment. Romans 3:23 tells us, "All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God."

Christ: The Human/Divine Person of the Biblical Jesus of Nazareth.


The Watchtower Bible And Tract Society

Populary Known As: The Jehovah's Witnesses

Salvation: You are saved if you "endure to the end" by legalistically keeping all of the commandments of JW's "Watchtower" headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.

View Of Christ: He is a created being also known as the Archangel Michael and not God (YHWH) become man.


The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints

Populary Known As: The Mormons

Salvation: You are saved unto exaltation and godhood if you keep the rules of the LDS authorities as revealed in their writings.

View Of Christ: Spirit brother of Lucifer and one of the "gods" who are the spirit grandchildren of many "gods" and "goddesses."



"Jesus Only" Pentecostalism

(Oneness Groups)

Salvation: Achieved by believing in their concept of Christ, rigid legalism and finally by baptism using the proper formula in the name of "Jesus only" thus their nickname.

View Of Christ: He is not the Second Person of the Triune God but the only Person in the Godhead making Christ's prayers a charade.


Roman Catholicism

The Vatican's Magisterium

Salvation: By keeping the many sacraments of the church, doing good works and after death by spending time in purgatory, one merits the merits of Christ and may, therefore, enter heaven.

View Of Christ: Contains many Biblical elements but denies He is the "...only mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus" (1Timothy 2:5). This is so because they wrongly exalt Mary to the position of Co-Mediatrix and even Co-Redemptrix.



Islam

Salvation: Keeping the laws of the Koran or being a martyr for Allah (not YHWH of the Bible) may earn you paradise.

View Of Christ: They deny the deity of Christ and instead view Him as a great prophet.



The New Age Movement

Salvation: The NAM has many facets and teachers. Most hold to a modified Hindu worldview or cosmology that would allow for reincarnation, as a human but not as an animal. Reincarnation continues until the goal of "higher consciousness" and eventual spiritual evolvement into a "higher plane of existence" is achieved.

View Of Christ: Jesus is usually viewed as a great psychic teacher/guru who embodied the ideal concept of "Higher Christ Consciousness".


Atheism/Humanism

Salvation: There is no God and therefore no hope beyond the grave! When you die you're just a banquet for the worms. There is no ultimate personal meaning as the universe moves by random chance.

View Of Christ: Everything from denying His existence to saying He was just a good moral teacher, a lunatic or a liar.

All of these religions/philosophies have one thing in common. If they believe in salvation at all, they believe you must earn it. Man's pride insists that salvation must be earned so he can have something to boast of. Biblical faith is quite different and is based on

Ephesians 2:8,9 which says, "You have been saved grace through faith, and that not of yourselves, not of works lest any man should boast.".


Evangelical (Biblical) Christianity

Salvation: Jesus, the Second Person of the Triune God, allowed Himself to be crucified in payment for all the sins of mankind. An individual becomes saved by trusting in Him and His sacrifice. You can show this trust by asking Him to save you from the tyranny of sin and God's just punishment. Since He exists everywhere you can just talk to Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).

Christ: The real Jesus is the Second person of the Triune God (YHWH) fully God and fully man Who will return to rule and reign. Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father: [but ] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also (1John 2:23)."Unless you believe that I Am (the divine name of God) you will die in your sins. He who believes in Me shall never die but have eternal life"-Jesus as recorded in John 8:24;11:26. Without Christ mankind is dead in "trespasses and sins" (Eph..2:1) and because death begets death their religions are spiritually dead.

Do you agree with man's cults & world religions? Or do you trust the God of the Bible? Your answer determines your eternal destiny!



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