Posted on 09/15/2009 8:21:31 AM PDT by Colofornian
“HI, we’d like to talk to you about Jesus Christ!”
Standing tall, two young and well-dressed American boys at my door broke the ice instantaneously. Happy to see them, I said that we were Christians too. What happened next, however, took me by surprise and left me scrambling for words. Stating that they were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they said they wanted to talk about a prophet and a book given to the prophet by God. Though a little shaken, I refused to hear their ideologies — they left only to return another day in a bid to coax me.
In today’s world, cults are very much a reality. Cults are widely prevalent in our country, in our city too. An unexpected encounter with cult members can leave us disturbed. As Jesus warned, during the last days, there will be many people proclaiming different ideologies in His name. It is our duty to be vigilant and strong in faith.
God’s Word says that many deceptive spirits will be on the loose, waiting to swallow the unaware. So do we know how to discern deceptions? We may know that their claims do not align with God’s Word, we may even understand that their belief is not the Truth – but how do we handle encounters with cult members? How do we prepare ourselves to face the challenges of the last days? One way is to be aware of the different cults and to understand their approach.
Take the case of Mormons. Mormonism and polygamy go hand in hand - an attractive proposition for today’s world. ‘Mormonism’ has a good number of followers in the US and several other parts of the world. But the Mormons have been in Chennai as well for nearly a decade now and have slowly yet steadily increased in numerical strength.
A conversation based on such beliefs can perturb anybody, especially if we are not prepared. THE CHRISTIAN MESSENGER spoke to a cross-section of senior church leaders, who threw light on how we could tackle such encounters. Each of them shared valuable insights on how to be prepared always, how to answer cult members, and how to watch and pray.
Pastor P Vijayaraghavan of the Apostolic Church said, “I know that the Mormons have been around in Chennai for about 10 years. They’ve grown a lot and that wouldn’t be possible but for their polygamous behavior.” He agreed that as believers, we should know Christian truth well enough to be able to decipher cults.
“Cult groups have something novel to offer to people and especially exploit their gullible nature,” said he said.
Pastor Arthur Devadoss of Hosanna Ministries had an interesting anecdote to share.
“The Mormons gave me their book sometime ago and I didn’t even bother to read it. They came back for the book and fought with me,” he said.
However, Pastor Devadoss is worried about another new church group.
“There is a new group called the Indian Church of Christ that approaches people with visiting cards; they worry me the most. They speak the local language and lure youngsters to join them. They, too, propagate polygamy and immoral relationships,” he said.
He has briefed his congregation well about such cults and has asked them to stand up for their beliefs. In case they are unable to do so, he asks them to just invite the cult followers to their church or refer them to the pastor. “They’ll never trouble you again,” Devadoss affirmed.
Pastor Jayakaran Emmanuel of Power House Church echoes this view.
“It’s better for you not to entertain them. Since we know their beliefs are misleading and untrue, don’t encourage them and they won’t approach you further,” he said. Is there anything else that a believer needs to be aware of to tackle these cultists?
Rev. D.C. Premraj, Presbyter of St. George’s Cathedral, said: “There are just a few things that we should watch out for. First, we should be strong in our beliefs. We must make an effort to understand what we believe in. Second, as our faith and belief grow, we must be grounded Biblically. Our foundation must be clear and strong in God’s Word. Third, during any such encounters, check for Biblical context. Anyone can quote from the Bible, but we must know how relevant and contextual it is.”
Confirmation classes and Bible studies conducted by churches are aimed at making the believers’ steadfast in their faith, Rev. Premraj added.
Pastor Jagadeesan Kalyanakumar of Harvest Christian Assembly quoted Ephesians 4:16: “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” He added: “The rule of thumb is that if you know the original, you can identify the counterfeit. And the more familiar you are with God’s Word, the better you can discern and safeguard yourself from deceptive doctrines.”
In all this, the Bible is the final authority to check any doctrine. Sola Scriptura, meaning the Bible alone, is the key theme in the church’s reformation of the 16th century.
The Jehovah Witnesses, for instance, proclaim Jesus to be an angel with extraordinary powers. But the Bible very clearly says that He is the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God who revealed God and his love to humanity (John: 3:16). Another example, the Mormons’ scripture includes the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.
As Christians, Pastor Joshua Jeyaseelan, Tamil Baptist Church, said: “We have one revealed Word of God which is the Holy Scripture (II Timothy 3:16). So any new doctrine or cult has to be analyzed and understood in the light of the Scripture.”
Pastor Vijayaraghavan said, “We must know how to identify a cult and that’s by knowing what they are. Cults are major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the Bible’s cardinal doctrines such as the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, the second coming, millennial reign, and salvation by the grace of Jesus Christ.”
It is our responsibility to understand our beliefs, our stand. Just like the wise man that built his house on the Rock, if our foundation is strong and built on Jesus, it will not be shaken.
Today, it was I who met with the Mormons, tomorrow it could be you. Let us watch and pray for the salvation of cult members and for God to grant us the wisdom to stand strong in His Word.
Indeed!
This is 2009 last time I checked. It has been a hundred years since plural marriage was practiced by Mormons.
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Actually polygamy is practiced today in 2009 also...
Remember the FLSD last year ???
The child brides etc ???
Of course you remember..
You contiually posted the laterst news about the criminal men and the rescued children in FR...
Well, they are living “the principal” of mormonism just as Joey Smith designed it to be...
Those apostates in SLC are not true mormons..just wannabes...
Just sayin....
You were mistaken in assuming that Mormons believe as you do.
Sounds like Joe Smith talkin' about the beer and/or wine he was drinking from the Bar at his home. Must have been some bad homemade stuff.
So does my church...
And every week they annouce it in church...
What was taken in and what was spent...
Funny but remember how Sampson referred to Delilah (I am sure that's an atrocious spelling of Delilah)
Amen.
“... THE ONE-WIFE SYSTEM NOT ONLY DEGENERATES THE HUMAN FAMILY, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY, but it is entirely incompatible with philosophical notions of immortality; IT IS A LURE TO TEMPTATION, AND HAS ALWAYS PROVED A CURSE TO A PEOPLE.” (Millennial Star, Vol. 15, p. 227)
....But it's still happening today. Lot's of great quotes here.................
Hey, that one bull would be the fertyilest, fit strong YOUNG one amonst them eh ???
The cows arent put with any old shaggy critters ...
Gosh, those early mormons werent good farmers, either...
Smith had 40= one night stands only about 6 children that werent Emma’s...
BY had about 50 one night stands and about 50 children...
and the youngest was already 7 when he died..
That’s not fruitful or multiplying...
all those woman should hacve had husbands of their own
(oh thats right they did)
With young husbands they could have had at least 4 children each..
As God meant them to...
Sorry...
That was Heber C Kimball...
The one who sold his 14 year old daughter, Helen, to that pedophile whore monger, Joey Smith, in return for favors...
And in Joseph Smith's case, it really was a "novel!"
Bad fairy tales in Ether 14.
Incomprehensible adventure tales in Ether 2 -- Superb suffociation-designed barges filled with darkness and totally steer-free -- all according to a bumbling Mormon god's specificiations -- before Jared told him, "Ya kind of screwed up on this, oh Mormon divine one." (Of course, Jared wasn't exactly "brilliant," either ..he had these 8 bargest built over months on end before it finally dawned on him).
Even the design changes didn't address the logistics of a 344-day trip.
And a Mormon Jesus Christ who took 70,000 to 90,000 people with him when he died (3 Nephi 8). The gospels know of no such 16-city destruction upon his death.
Native Americans supposedly being able to have their skin change color, Michael Jackson like...so that it becomes "white and delightsome" -- as if white was any more "delightsome" than any color skin color in God's eyes!
Hello Nana,
I reflect on all this talk about polygamy and I can’t help but think that if someone could just whisper in the ear of the potential groom who is about to take on another wife, and say “dude! are you crazy? you’re going to have TWO mother-in-laws!”
I would think that would nip it in the bud pronto, you know?
Hope all is well with you Nana!
MKJ :)
Perhaps, but I doubt they would remain Mormon for long if that is what they truly believed.
None of the Mormons I know have placed their faith in Jesus alone for salvation, not one, and I personally know thousands. Mormonism teaches that only through covenants, obedience and performing special ordinances will they be allowed into the Celestial Kingdom.
But go on believing they understand that only Jesus saves them. Make sure you never "offend" them by telling them that their ordinances can add nothing to the gift of salvation. I might disturb their sensibilities. Never mind that your testimony could possibly set them free of the bondage of their self-reliance for their own exaltation.
Native Americans supposedly being able to have their skin change color,
________________________________________
God is quite happy with my granddaughters’ pretty dark skin...
He made their skin that way...
One of turns darker in the summer...
She just happens to be my favorite...
Not because her skin is white and delightsome or dark and more delightsome...
But because her sweet little heart is full of love and sunshine...
(and not because she fought valiantly or not on Heaven ...
because she didnt...she wasnt there...none of us humans were...
That war was just angels V angels...)
unless of course you were also married to one of them as well (a common occurance)
I was referring to:
When the Philistines answered Sampson’s riddle, he told them that “If they had not plowed with his heifer, they would not have known the answer”.
(That’s just a paraphrase, from memory.)
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