Cults Part 3

Eternity Online: John Edmiston (Editor)



(John 10:10 NKJV) "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
In John 10 Jesus compares Satan to a thief that comes among the sheep and He compares cult leaders to sheep stealers. The purpose of cults is not to bless the sheep but to steal, kill and destroy. genuine Christianity, in Jesus Christ brings life and brings it abundantly.

Thus one of the tests of a cult is "does it bring abundant life or does it leave a trail of people who are ripped off (stolen from), dead (killed) or destroyed in some way or the other?" Forget about doctrine for a moment (only for a moment) - some orthodox churches leave a trail of damaged people behind them if an abusive pastor gets in control. The sign of a bad shepherd is injured sheep.

Cruel orthodoxy and seductive heresy can both be of the Devil. The first beats the sheep with the shepherds staff until they are limping broken and dead. The other feeds them on poison pasture. Either way we end up with injured or dead sheep. What then is the alternative? The alternative is kind, gracious and godly Truth. Truth that feeds people on the right pasture and which treats the sheep with loving care. The good shepherd follows Paul's growth formula for sheep: (Eph 4:14-16 NKJV) that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, {15} but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; {16} from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Speaking the truth in love is the good shepherd's growth formula and is my aim in ministry - I hope you experience it in these devotionals. Let us be bringers of abundant life to those who know us and may people say of our service to them "our lives were made richer, better and more abundant with joy because we knew you and came to know Christ in you."

Prayer:
Lord bring abundant life to us and may we be bringers of abundant life to others. In Jesus name. Amen.

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John Edmiston ([email protected])
Editor - Eternity Online Magazine http://www.eternity-magazine.org/
Cults, exegesis, bible teaching, Christian life and leadership.
For the thinking Christian!