Is the Church of Christ a cult?

[JonC]

Such churches are in the dominant minority these days in my experience. But then again I live in a major city. However when I was in Greenville, SC yes there were churches out there that did not have websites, or did not have developed ones. But I never contacted churches out there, because 99% of them were Baptist and all believed the same thing pretty much.

I also like to read doctrinal statements posted clearly on websites. But at the same time I find it ironic that Scripture itself does not offer the concise statements that many look for as fundamental expressions of faith or confessions (not, mind you, that they are not there...just that they are not spelled out in a form to which we seem to expect others to adhere).

 

[BobRyan]

They believe in Baptismal Regeneration yet affirm the essentials of the faith. Does this one variance make them a cult?

Only if "Cult" is a magic word that we can slap onto every denomination with which we differ on some point of doctrine.

So while I do not agree with their "Baptismal regeneration" doctrine -- I also don't subscribe to the "everyone is a cult if they differ with me on at least one doctrine" ideas.

 

[evangelist6589]

Only if "Cult" is a magic word that we can slap onto every denomination with which we differ on some point of doctrine.

So while I do not agree with their "Baptismal regeneration" doctrine -- I also don't subscribe to the "everyone is a cult if they differ with me on at least one doctrine" ideas.

Okay so churches such as Unitarian Universalists that deny Jesus being the only way to salvation are not cults? Okay so Progressive churches that teach a "pro-gay theology" are not false churches?

 

[Jerome]

Wouldn't the mainline sister to the Churches of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, better fit what you're trying to target?

Former LU and TTU staffer Eric Lovett now pastors a Disciples of Christ church in California. Check it out:

http://missiongathering.com/our-story/

 

[Rob_BW]

Maybe it's me, but when I hear the word cult, I think of a group like the Peoples Temple or something similar. UUs? Yeah, they're so wrong in doctrine I wouldn't consider them as falling within the boundaries of Christianity, but I still wouldn't think of them as a cult.

 

[BobRyan]

Okay so churches such as Unitarian Universalists that deny Jesus being the only way to salvation are not cults? Okay so Progressive churches that teach a "pro-gay theology" are not false churches?

all of that is false doctrine - and so also do Catholics and EO and Methodist and Lutherans and.. have false doctrine on at least one point.

But you use the term "cult" as if to say "non-Christian" --- and non-Christian would be Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. Christian groups are all claiming that Christ is the Son of God - born of a virgin - the Savior of mankind and that the God of the Bible is the only God that there is.

No other world religions teach that.

So while I do agree with you that all the things you list are doctrinal error as per the Bible - I am not convinced this makes them Hindu or some other religion other than Christian.

If you mean "sect" -- well the Christian Church was born as a "sect of Judaism"

 

[BobRyan]

I would be more inclined to argue that evolutionism is a "cult" a non-Christian religion -- than to say that about the Church of Christ.

 

[evangelist6589]

all of that is false doctrine - and so also do Catholics and EO and Methodist and Lutherans and.. have false doctrine on at least one point.

But you use the term "cult" as if to say "non-Christian" --- and non-Christian would be Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. Christian groups are all claiming that Christ is the Son of God - born of a virgin - the Savior of mankind and that the God of the Bible is the only God that there is.

No other world religions teach that.

So while I do agree with you that all the things you list are doctrinal error as per the Bible - I am not convinced this makes them Hindu or some other religion other than Christian.

If you mean "sect" -- well the Christian Church was born as a "sect of Judaism"

You did not answer the question.

Are Unitarian Universalists a false church? Are Progressive Christians also false?

 

[evangelist6589]

Maybe it's me, but when I hear the word cult, I think of a group like the Peoples Temple or something similar. UUs? Yeah, they're so wrong in doctrine I wouldn't consider them as falling within the boundaries of Christianity, but I still wouldn't think of them as a cult.

Progressive Christianity?

 

[Rob_BW]

Progressive Christianity?

I'm not a fan. But are they preventing members from contacting their families, managing members finances for them, claiming that their pastor is a messiah or prophet? Those are the things I associate with a cult, not just bad doctrine.

Branch Davidians, Scientologists, Heaven's Gate; those are what I consider cults.

 

[evangelist6589]

I'm not a fan. But are they preventing members from contacting their families, managing members finances for them, claiming that their pastor is a messiah or prophet? Those are the things I associate with a cult, not just bad doctrine.

Branch Davidians, Scientologists, Heaven's Gate; those are what I consider cults.

They are not a cult, they are false teachers.

 

[BobRyan]

You did not answer the question.

Are Unitarian Universalists a false church? Are Progressive Christians also false?

Bad doctrine - false etc -- yes.

But not hindu, not budhist, not muslim, not agnostic, not atheist - they are all Christian churches.

Is false doctrine Christian? -- no.

the Christian Bible, the Christian gospel, the Christian God - does not teach false doctrine - ever.

But Peter was "still a Christian" -- even before Acts 10 -- when he thought the gospel was not for Gentiles.

 

[evangelist6589]

Bad doctrine - false etc -- yes.

But not hindu, not budhist, not muslim, not agnostic, not atheist - they are all Christian churches.

Is false doctrine Christian? -- no.

the Christian Bible, the Christian gospel, the Christian God - does not teach false doctrine - ever.

But Peter was "still a Christian" -- even before Acts 10 -- when he thought the gospel was not for Gentiles.

So you are saying that churches that deny the essentials of the faith and the gospel are true churches? It sure sounds like it.

 

[BobRyan]

Okay so churches such as Unitarian Universalists that deny Jesus being the only way to salvation are not cults? Okay so Progressive churches that teach a "pro-gay theology" are not false churches?

False doctrine in a Christian denomination is not the same as being agnostic, Buddhist, Hindu.

Saying such a thing does not endorse the false doctrine - it is still false doctrine.

 

[BobRyan]

So you are saying that churches that deny the essentials of the faith and the gospel are true churches? It sure sounds like it.

I don't use terms like "true church" with "false doctrine"

 

[evangelist6589]

False doctrine in a Christian denomination is not the same as being agnostic, Buddhist, Hindu.

Saying such a thing does not endorse the false doctrine - it is still false doctrine.

They are not Christian no matter what they may claim to be.

 

[evangelist6589]

I don't use terms like "true church" with "false doctrine"

Hell will be populated by more than just the false religions that you mentioned.

 

[BobRyan]

They are not Christian no matter what they may claim to be.

I would not be so legalistic as to claim that there are no saints among the Church of Christ, or Catholics or ...

But that does not mean I endorse the errors taught within those denominations.

It also does not mean that I think all in any denomination are all saints.

 

[JonC]

They are not Christian no matter what they may claim to be.

I need to clarify what you mean in reply to Bob's comment that false doctrine within a Christian denomination is not the same as non-Christian religion. You replied that "they are not Christian no matter what they may claim to be." Are you saying that a member of the CoC, Catholic Church,.....maybe SBC, Methodist, Presbyterian, SDA, Free-Will Baptist, Reformed Baptist, etc. (depending on what you view as a "false doctrine" are not Christians no matter their claim (no matter if they hold to the gospel of Jesus Christ) because they also hold to error?

 

[evangelist6589]

I need to clarify what you mean in reply to Bob's comment that false doctrine within a Christian denomination is not the same as non-Christian religion. You replied that "they are not Christian no matter what they may claim to be." Are you saying that a member of the CoC, Catholic Church,.....maybe SBC, Methodist, Presbyterian, SDA, Free-Will Baptist, Reformed Baptist, etc. (depending on what you view as a "false doctrine" are not Christians no matter their claim (no matter if they hold to the gospel of Jesus Christ) because they also hold to error?

That's not what I said. I said the Unitarians, Progressives and such are false churches. Yes there may be false converts in legit denominations and churches that you mentioned but I never write letters to those churches for I do not know.