In Matthew 24:11, Jesus said that before his return, “many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” Peter repeated this warning about false prophets who would introduce destructive heresies (2 Pet. 2:1). And John also echoed the warning about false prophets going out into the world (1 John 4:1), warning us to test them to see if they are from God.
How do we follow John’s advice to test the spirits of those who claim to come in God’s name? How can we tell if what they are saying is of God or not? This article will look at a few ways we can distinguish between true and false leaders and the organizations that have grown up around them.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
What Is a Cult?
Before looking at the signs of cults and their leaders, it is important to define what we mean by this term. Merriam-Webster defines a cult as “a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious.” Today, common usage goes beyond this simple definition and…
