Martin labels a cults as, " a group of people gathered about a specific person's misinterpretation of the Bible." Here are 12 marks of a modern day cult, as were listed in my class by Professor Corbin.
1)An extra-biblical revelation
2)A false basis of salvation (membership of the group and justifying works as criteria)
3)A presumed messianic leader
4)Doctrinal ambiguity (doctrine/theology changes with time)
5)A defective view of Christ (deny the deity of Christ)
6)Segmented Biblical Attention (ex: Focus soley on end times..)
7)Enslaving organizational structure
8)Financial exploitation
9)Denunciation of others (isolate themselves)
10)Syncretism (a mixture of heresy and truth)
11)An uncertain hope (their eternity is always in question)
12)Claims of "special discoveries" (that God has chosen only THEM to know the truth)
Here are the doctrines that cult's most often deviate from:
1)Trinity
2)Deity of Christ
3)Inerrancy of Scripture
4)Sinfulness of Man
5)Salvation by grace
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