5 Ways To Protect Yourself From Cults 

When we think about cults, especially those with a veneer of Christian belief, often we either don’t take them seriously enough or become obsessed and fearful of them. Neither is the appropriate Christian response. Instead, we should think of these cults with a sense of sobriety and prayerfulness, concerning protecting ourselves and the people we love from these destructive messages and organizations. Prayerfulness as we go to God on their behalf, that they would be reached with the true gospel. This article will focus on five ways that you can guard yourself and those that you love from being sucked into these cults. We will take our cues from the Apostle John’s second epistle.

2 John 1:7-11 ESV

"For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."

Number 1 — Know they’re out there “For many deceivers have gone out into the world,” 

The first thing John tells us is to watch out! We need to remember that these cults are real; they are out there and actively recruiting. Many Christians live as if these calls don’t exist or treat them as the punchline to a joke. It does no good to bury our heads in the sand and pretend that these organizations could not interact with our own lives. We need to be, in a faith-filled way, alert.

Number 2 — Know they’re against Christ “those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

Second, John reminds us that these groups are distinctly anti-Christian. Many of these groups wear a veneer of Christian belief and will use many of the same words and phrases that Bible-believing Christians use, but they give them different meanings to deceive about what they’re really all about. Ultimately, the messages that come from many of these cults are distinctly anti-Christian and anti-gospel. Many Christians make the mistake of trying to think of these groups as Christian adjacent, as close enough. We almost think of them as a different denomination that believes much of what we believe but differs on a few things. That is not the case with cults! The Apostle John reminds us that there are those who have gone out into the world specifically to pervert the gospel of Jesus.

Number 3 — Be On Guard “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”

Third, the apostle John instructs us to be on guard against these types of messages. When people talk to us about what they believe, we should be actively evaluating their message to make sure that it lines up with the gospel revealed in the scriptures. This requires us to know the gospel, to know the genuine article so that we are able to recognize what is counterfeit. Too many Christians get sucked into false teaching because it sounded Christian, and they didn’t know any better. Don’t let that be you. This leads into our fourth way to protect yourself.

Number 4 — Stay grounded in the Gospel “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

This might be the most important thing that we do. We must stay grounded in the Scriptures, grounded in the gospel, grounded in the message of Christ. Bible reading, Bible study, community with other believers, regular church attendance – these things are essential in helping us learn what is true and stay grounded in the message of Jesus. Your personal, intimate relationship with Christ is the most important thing you have. So pursue Jesus, cultivate your intimacy with him through regular times of prayer, and the study of the scriptures. This will help you know what is true and help you recognize what is counterfeit when you hear it.

Number 5 — Don’t give them a hearing “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,”

Finally, the apostle John tells believers not to receive these false teachers into their homes and not to give them a greeting. This command was unique to first-century Christian culture. At that time, and in that culture, hospitality was very important. Many Christian teachers, as they traveled to spread the gospel, would depend on the hospitality of other believers for their ministry. However, many false teachers would also leverage the hospitality of believers to help them infiltrate churches and spread their false message. John admonishes believers not to do that. Don’t give these false teachers help in spreading their destructive message and don’t give them a platform to do it. I think the Apostle John's words can be instructive for us. While John is not telling us that we should not try to evangelize those who are caught in false teaching, I think he warns us to not give these false teachers and anti-gospel ideas an audience in our minds and hearts. When we recognize something to be antithetical to the gospel, we should reject it immediately and keep it at arm's length.

While it’s true that cults exist and should be taken seriously, there is no need for alarm or panic or living in fear. The reality is that if you are a follower of Jesus, you have the truth of the gospel and the presence of the Holy Spirit with you. That said, it’s important to recognize that cults are out there, and to be prepared by knowing what you believe and why you believe it. In this way, you will be able to protect yourself and the people you love from being deceived by a cult.

I'm cheering for you!

Pastor Chris