Christian Cults

This page displays a list of modern day Christian Cults who claim to believe in Jesus and the Bible but deny the historical Jesus as He is revealed in the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures.

Errors occur in churches when changes or distortions take place in the true nature of Jesus, from who He is as described in the Bible, to a representation that is understood by the church or religious organization. There are also errors that occur when a misunderstanding of the text or doctrine takes place.

These things happen because people simply do not take the time necessary to really study the Bible and discover who Jesus is. In every case when there is a problem found that ultimately distinguishes these churches as a “cult,” it is due to a diminishing or Jesus or a change in nature that is attributed to Jesus that the Bible dose not support.

The authority for all matters concerning Jesus’ church rests upon the word of God, not the doctrines, principles, or traditions of men. Jesus said that it is “My church.” Because it is Jesus’ church, only He has the right to determine the correct doctrine and practices of His church.

Jesus condemned the leaders of Israel because they had elevated their tradition above the word of God and changed what God had said to suit their desires.

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,  “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?  ~Matthew 15:1-3

The mistake that many modern cult churches make and even amongst some of the oldest mainline denominations is to elevate the authority of the churches leader above the doctrines and principles of the Bible.

The Traditions of Men, False Religion, and the True Intent of God’s Law

We gain our most compelling evidence for the true nature of Jesus as the Messiah, when we study the many prophecies of the Old Testament which reveal precisely who the Savior of the World will be:

Without Sin, Born Of A Virgin

The Messiah will be Jehovah God

  • Prophecy 20: The Messiah will be the Great “I AM” of the Old Testament.
  • Prophecy 26: The Messiah will be called “Yeshua”, “The LORD (Jehovah) is Salvation”.
  • Prophecy 88 The Messiah will be The LORD (Jehovah), a Shepherd who will lead His people into eternal life.
  • Prophecy 132: The Messiah will be the eternal Jehovah God, who made all things.
  • Prophecy 165: The Messiah will be God, living in the body of a man.
  • Prophecy 174: The Messiah will come to earth and be called: “Mighty God”.
  • Prophecy 175: The Messiah will come to earth and be called: “Everlasting Father”.
  • Prophecy 183: The Messiah shall be anointed with the fulness of the Spirit: The Spirit of the LORD (Jehovah), wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord.
  • Prophecy 186: The Name of the Messiah (YAHWEH) will mean “Salvation”
  • Prophecy 208: The Messiah (Jehovah) shall clearly define the true meaning of God’s law.
  • Prophecy 209: The Messiah (YAHWEH) will be the only Savior available to all mankind.
  • Prophecy 291: The Messiah shall be a descendant of David, who is called “THE Lord (Jehovah) OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”.

The Eternal Son Of God

  • Prophecy 39: The Messiah shall come out of eternity, Himself being eternal
  • Prophecy 50: The Messiah will have God as His Father.
  • Prophecy 57: The Messiah will call God; “His Father”, and be called, “The Son of God”, by the Father.
  •  Prophecy 63: The Messiah will be “The Son of God”. Prophecy 106: The Messiah to be given the title of “God”
  • Prophecy 132: The Messiah will be the eternal one who made all things.
  • Prophecy 155: The Messiah existed eternally as God, but from eternity in His wisdom, decided that He would offer His life for the sins of all men.
  • Prophecy 171: The Messiah will come to earth as the “Son” of God
  • Prophecy 174: The Messiah will come to earth and be called: “Mighty God”.
  • Prophecy 199: The Messiah will be presented to Israel as “Your God”.
  • Prophecy 212: The Messiah shall be referred to as “The first and the last.”
  • Prophecy 292: The Messiah will be both David’s Son and God’s Son, a King and the great Jehovah God who created the universe.
  • Prophecy 323: The Messiah will be the Eternal God, Creator of the universe.
  • Prophecy 348: The common people knew that the Messiah was the LORD, Jehovah.
  • Prophecy 354: The nation of Israel and the Jews will finally “look upon” the crucified One and understand that He is their Messiah, their God.
  • Prophecy 357: The Messiah will be the Son of God, the Companion of the Father.

A common thread of error that is present when other religions of the world evaluate the Jesus of the Bible, is their consistent diminishment of Him and His nature, by their statements. The Jesus portrayed by the declarations of many religions–makes Jesus a common, ordinary man–without the power to save anyone.

Other Religions:

  • Islam: Jesus was only a man, a prophet below Mohammed.[16]
  • Hinduism: Do not believe that Jesus is God but just one of many incarnations of Vishnu the Hindu God.[17]
  • Buddhism: Jesus is not God. In fact, they do not believe in any personal God at all.[18]
  • Baha’i Faith: Jesus is just another man whose career as lord ended when Mohammed founded Islam.[19]
  • Christian Science: “The Blood of Jesus was no more able to cleanse sin when it was shed on the cross than when it was flowing in His veins”.[20]
  • Evolution: “There is no purpose or meaning to life. All mankind is one cosmic accident…” “The man called Jesus is a mythical person created by religious zealots.”[21]

The New Testament is replete with a staggering amount of evidence for any reasonable person to conclude that Jesus is both; Messiah and Jehovah or Yahweh.

Many people are confused by the term “begotten” or “firstborn” when used in the New Testament to describe Jesus Christ. Some people believe that because Jesus is described with terms used for those born of a natural birth, that Jesus must be a created being, and not the eternal God.

The Jehovah’s Witness church uses these verses from John 1:14, Colossians 1:18 and Revelation 1:5 to affirm their doctrine that Jesus Christ is not God.

The fact is: The Greek words used in these verses, “prototokos”s and “monogenes,” do not define Jesus as as created. The term “firstborn,” prototokos, indicates that Jesus is “first in order of importance” over all creation.[22]

The second Greek word that has been used to translate, only begotten, is “monogenes.” This Greek word is very specific in that it conveys the idea that the object of the term, only begottenis unique, meaning “the only one.”[23]

Jesus is the only Son of God, who is first in order of importance over all creation, since He Himself, is the Creator of all that exists. In no way does the term firstborn imply that Jesus is a created being. To use this word for the purpose of trying to prove that Jesus is a created being, violates every scholarly usage of the original Greek language in which this text was written.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten (monogenes) of the Father, full of grace and truth.  —John 1:14

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn (prototokos)from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.  —Colossians 1:18

…and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn (prototokos) from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood…  —Revelation 1:5

Jesus is portrayed throughout the New Testament as the Eternal Son of God, who spoke the universe into existence, in Genesis 1:1. The book of Colossians describes Jesus as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, by three specific points:

  1. All things in the universe were created for Jesus.
  2. He existed before all things.
  3. In Him, all things consist.

For by Jesus all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  —Colossians 1:16-17

As Jesus is uniquely begotten (First) as the only Son of God, Peter wrote that each one of us who love and follow Jesus have also been begotten again to a living hope…

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you…  —1 Peter 1:3-4

As monogenes defines the term begotten as unique and unlike any other,[24] the intent here is clear:

Those who follow Jesus have a unique and very special place in eternity. We are heirs of an inheritance which will never grow old, decay, or be destroyed: It is perfect. Only those who place their complete trust in Jesus Christ now have been given this distinctive designation as joint heirs with Christ Jesus. This means that in eternity, all of the wonderful blessings that the Father has bestowed on His Son are ours also.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  —Romans 8:16-18

How The Name: “Jesus,” Originated

The actual name: “Jesus,” was originally written as “Lesous.”[25] When the Bible was translated into Greek, there was no Greek word for Jesus. In each subsequent translation of the Greek text from the Hebrew, the name Lesous became Jesus in the New Testament.[26]

Jesus is His Greek name. His Hebrew name is Yeshua. The term Yeshua means Salvation, Deliverance, Victory, Help, or Welfare.[27]

The literal meaning of the name Jesus is: The Lord (Yahweh) is my Salvation. This is interesting because the angel who came to Joseph told him that his son should be called Jesus because “He will save His people from their sins.”

When Phillip asked Jesus to show him the Father, Jesus told Him that if he has seen Jesus, he has seen the Father—for Jesus is God, even as the Father is God.

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ ”  —John 14:9

“I and My Father are one.”  —John 10:30

Jesus is claiming that He is Jehovah-God, even as the Father is also Jehovah-God. If we want to know what God is like, all we have to do is look at Jesus. The words that He speaks and the things that He does are the words and actions of the Eternal God.

David described the future Messiah as LORD (Jehovah), exalted above all other gods.

For You, LORD, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.  —Psalms 97:9

In the New Testament, Paul clearly understood that the “LORD” of the Old Testament scriptures, is the risen “Christ,” or “Messiah,” of the New Testament.

(Jesus) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  —Philippians 2:6-11

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God…  —Hebrews 10:12

…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  —Hebrews 12:2

Psalms 97:9 is validated as a prophetic, Messianic, scripture–by what Jesus accomplished in the New Testament. Psalms 97:9 speaks of the LORD being exalted above all gods. The Old Testament term: “LORD,” is “Yahweh.” In the New Testament Greek, Jesus is frequently referred to as “Lord,” or Yahweh.

The names of God from the Old Testament:

  • El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
  • El Elyon (The Most High God)
  • Adonai (Lord, Master)
  • Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
  • Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
  • Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
  • Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
  • Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
  • Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
  • Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
  • El Olam (The Everlasting God)
  • Elohim (God)
  • Qanna (Jealous)
  • Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
  • Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
  • Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

Three principle name for God from the Old Testament, the number of occurrences, and their meaning:

Adonai: 434 times, 200 just in Ezekiel
Strong’s# H136
In the Septuagint: kurios, Lord, Master

  • The term; Adonai is equivalent to Yahweh and Jehovah
  • Singular: Adon
  • Plural: Adonai

Yahweh: 6.814 times
Strong’s # H3068
In the Septuagint: kurios, Lord, Master
Also spelled: YHWH, YHVH, Jehovah

  • Considered by the Jews: too Holy to speak—the name of God (Yahweh), was changed to YHWH, lacking vowels, making it impossible to pronounce.
  • YHWH: also called a “Tetragrammaton, 4 letters), originating from the Hebrew letters; Yud, Hay, Vav, and Hay.
  • The command from Exodus 20:8; “you shall not take the Lord your God in vain,” caused the Jews of the third century to cease from pronouncing the name of God, and simply referring to Him as, Adonai, instead of Yahweh, or YHWH.

Elohim: 2,000 times
Strong’s # H430
In the Septuagint: Theos, the conventional Greek word for “God,” a transcendent being who exercises control sovereignly over all creation.

  • Some scholars describe Elohim as originating from ‘êl.
  • Other scholars believe Elohim came from ‘wl (strong).
  • Additional scholars state that Elohim originated from ‘lh (god) and ‘elôah (fear).
  • A few scholars describe Elohim as originating from ‘êl (elohim) and ‘eloah.

The New Testament Greek translation of Jesus as “Lord,” was understood by those who translated the original language into English, as the same person referred to in the Old Testament as Yahweh, or Jehovah. Clearly, it was the intent of the translators to convince their readers that Jesus is the Christ, or Messiah, the same as Jehovah God, and Yahweh of the Old Testament.

Further evidence of this fact is observed by the Apostle Paul when he speaks of Jesus as “God” while taking the form of a man, in order to become a bondservant and die for the sins the world. Because of Jesus’ faithfulness and great sacrifice, His name has been exalted above all other names on earth and in heaven (Philippians 2:6-7).

“(Jesus) who, being in the form of God (Theo, Elohim O/T), did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant…”

Paul describes Jesus as “Theo” in the Greek language, “God,” the same God who is described in the Old Testament book of Genesis, chapters 1-3 as “Elohim.”[28] Taking the form of a servant, Jesus, completed the sacrifice required for all of man’s sin. After Jesus rose from the dead, He was restored to His former place of honor in heaven. The complete fulfillment of this 134th prophecy will occur when Jesus is established as ruler of the earth during His one thousand-year reign. All those who inhabit His kingdom will bow their knee in submission to Jesus’ authority—if not willingly, by force (Philippians 2:10-11).

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

As we examine this 134th prophecy, the validity of its prophetic and Messianic application can only be understood by the coming of Jesus Christ. We would have no way of knowing that this was a Messianic prophecy if it were not for the testimony of Paul, in the New Testament, concerning the purpose for Jesus’ arrival on earth.

According to Psalms 97:9, the LORD (Jehovah) will be exalted above all gods.

  • Jesus is called LORD and God (Philippians 2:6-8).
  • Jesus will be exalted above all other gods (Philippians 2:9-11).
  • Therefore, Jesus is the same as Jehovah of the Old Testament.

A Useful Method Of Interpretation

Following this line of deduction—if both the Messiah (in Psalms 97:9) and Jesus (in the Book of Philippians) are called “God,” (there is only one) and both are exalted above all other gods, then they are logically one and the same.

This is a method of evaluation that I have found useful in determining whether a particular Old Testament verse can rightly be applied to Jesus in a New Testament fulfillment. This is, however, not a method that is used by many scholars, although it is certainly reasonable and follows the laws of reason and exegesis.

James Whitcomb Riley is credited with the saying: “If it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck.”[29]

In reciting this candid illustration, we see that the simplest explanation for any question is often the most obvious. A person can define any uncertain subject by observation and comparison with other known and previously defined subjects.

When this method of interpretation is used in the evaluation of several of the questionable prophecies that I have included in this article, their true application to Jesus and His identity as the Messiah is very profitable. I will leave it to my peers to evaluate whether they concur or find fault. It is certain that even those prophecies which may come into question cannot be discounted altogether, in light of their striking similarities to their New Testament counterparts.

It is by diligent study that we discover the prophetic application of all these verses when we compare what they say with what Jesus did.

When we have an Old Testament prophecy which appears to be speaking of the Messiah, we then search for a possible New Testament counterpart in which Jesus’ actions or words fall into alignment as a fulfillment of those prophecies. We carefully check the context and theme of both scriptures and ask: “Did Jesus or any of the disciples attribute what He said or did to an Old Testament verse?”

We should understand that all of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah cannot be fully understood apart from the events of Jesus’ life, as recorded in the New Testament.

Matthew’s testimony is that when the people saw Jesus coming into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday in 32 A.D., they understood that He was both the Messiah and the LORD who was promised by the Old Testament Prophecies, such as Psalms 97:9.

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!”  —Matthew 21:9

See Prophecy 348, When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on Nissan 10, 32 A.D., the common people knew that the Messiah was the LORD Jehovah. It is reasonable then that when we see a reference to the Lord being described as God above all gods, that we apply these verses to Jesus since He is both LORD and God.

When we examine Prophecy 88 that concerns Psalm 23, we notice that the LORD (all caps) is called my shepherd.

“The LORD is my shepherd….”  —Psalms 23:1

The term LORD in Hebrew is Yahweh. Jesus is called both Lord and Shepherd, in the New Testament. Therefore, it is clear that the object of this first verse in the twenty-third Psalm is the Messiah, Jesus the LORD.

  • In the Old Testament, the term LORD in Hebrew is Yahweh.[30]
  • In the New Testament, the word Lord in Greek is Kyrios.[31]

Kyrios is often used as a polite way to address a person, such as when we address a man today as “sir.” It can also mean master, as in one who rules over a servant or slave. The Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint was widely used during the time that Jesus was here on the earth. The word Kyrios or Lord was understood to mean Yahweh or Jehovah. The Greek Old Testament translates Kyrios as Lord, 6,814 times.[32]

Any person who was able to speak Greek during the time that Jesus was here on the earth would understand that the New Testament word Lord was the same as the Old Testament word Yahweh. The Lord of the New Testament was understood to be the Creator and Sustainer of all life described as Yahweh in the Old Testament.

There are several places in the New Testament where this same translation of Lord from Jehovah is used to describe Jesus Christ. Clearly, the New Testament translators intended we understand that Jesus is the One called Yahweh in the Old Testament.

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ (Messiah) the Lord(Yahweh).  —Luke 2:11

A Jew who reads this Greek New Testament account of the angel’s announcement to Mary that her Son would be the Messiah, also known as Jehovah, would be shocked and amazed. Nevertheless, this is what the original language demands, as it is written:

“Today, in the city of Bethlehem, the baby who has been born is the Messiah who is God Himself.”

This is why the shepherds were so amazed at the angel’s statement.

These are just a few of the many examples of how obscure verses from the Old Testament, which are clearly alluding to the Messiah, can be rightly applied to something that Jesus said or did, in the New Testament. These descriptions of Jesus as recorded by the writers of the New Testament, were intended by them as fulfillments of the Old Testament scriptures which describe the Messiah.

The evidence from the Bible is clear: Jesus is not the person described in the doctrines and statements of the Mormon and Jehovah’s Witness churches–therefore, they are not Christian Churches. The statements made, regarding Jesus of Nazareth–as described by many of the other religions of the world, are intended to diminish and malign the true Jesus of the Bible.

Salvation is only found in the true Jesus, as He is revealed  in the pages of the Old and New Testament Scriptures.

See The Section On Jesus For More Information

NOTES:
[1] The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 47, The Kingdom is at Hand, p. 46, 47, 49
[2] John 1:1, Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1
[3] Reasoning from the Scriptures,
1985, p. 306, “In His Pre-existence, Jesus Christ was the angelic being described in the Bible as Michael the Archangel. He has only the power and nature of a created angelic being,” (The Watchtower Publication)
[4] Milton R. Hunter, First Council of Seventy, The Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15
[5] Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, V7, page 333
[6] Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 547, 742
[7] Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons, Vol. 5, pages 613-614
[8] Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons, Vol. 5, pages 613-614
[9] Orson Hyde, Apostle, Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p. 82 Bruce R. McConkie, Apostle, Mormon Doctrine, p. 516
[10] John 1:1, Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1
[11] John 3:16, John 1:1
[12] Luke 1:31
[13] Luke 1:35, John 8:46, 1 Peter 1:18-19
[14] 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 1:1
[15] There is no record of Jesus marriage in any of the testimony of the entire Bible.
[16] The Koran, A very great prophet, second only to Muhammad. Jesus is not the son of God (9:30) and certainly is not divine (5:17, 75)) and he was not crucified (4:157
[17] The Bhagavad Gita, tr. Juan Mascaró (Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1962
[18] Buddhism and Interfaith Dialogue by Masao Abe and Steven Heine (Jun 1, 1995) ISBN pages 99-100
Mysticism, Christian and Buddhist by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki ((Aug 4, 2002)) ISBN 1605061328 page 113
[19] Stockman, Robert. “Jesus Christ in the Baha’i Writings”. Baha’i Studies Review
[20] Christian Science: Science & Health, 25:6-9
[21] Lawrence Krauss: From a Cosmic Perspective, We’re IrrelevantBecause if the universe doesn’t care about us and if we’re an accident in a remote corner of the universe, in some sense it makes us more precious.  The meaning in our lives is provided by us; we provide our meaning.  And we are here by accidents of evolution and the formation of planets.
[22] Strongs Concordance, 4416 prōtótokos (from 4413 /prṓtos, “first, pre-eminent”
[23] John V. Dahms, “The Johannine Use of Monogenes Reconsidered,” New Testament Studies 29 (1983) 222-32.
[24] Ibid.
[25] Liddell and Scott. A Greek–English Lexicon, p. 824
[26] Strong’s Concordance of Greek words #2424 and Englishman’s Greek Concordance.
[27] Ibid.
[28] Strong’s # 2316 theós (of unknown origin) – properly, God, the Creator and owner of all things (Jn 1:3; Gen 1 – 3).
[29] 1. Davis, Robin S. (2007). Who’s Sitting on Your Nest Egg?. BookPros, LLC. pp. 7. ISBN 978-1-933538-80-8.
2. Heim, Michael (2007). Exploring Indiana Highways. Exploring America’s Highway. pp. 68. ISBN 978-0-9744358-3-1.
[30] Strong’s Hebrew Concordance # 3068
[31] Strong’s Greek Concordance # 2962
[32] “Systematic Theology, an introduction to Biblical Theology,” by Wayne Grudem. Page 544b