Some professing Christians believe that any church that has the audacity to discipline them, is a “cult.” “How dare they think they have the right to deal with my sin and rebellion!,” they would protest.
But, the truth is, better churches have always sought to honor their Master Jesus by exercising church discipline. As a matter of fact, it is (today) a little-known fact that one of the three marks of a “true” church *is* its loving discipline of its members. (The other two are the faithful preaching of the word; and the proper administration of the sacraments.)
We do not deny that real cults actually exist. The proper definition of a cult, is the imposition on members of its organization rules and regulations not insisted on by God Himself.
Therefore, you are closer to a cult, when you are part of a church that prohibits its congregation from drinking alcoholic beverages (to use an obvious example). But, you are *not* involved in a cult, if the leadership of the church insists, based upon the teaching of the word of God itself, that its covenanted members worship God, as a church, on the Lord’s Day.
So, do not be fooled by self-righteous, legalistic, and Pharisaic religionists who would assail the true church with all kinds of nasty labels, (such as “cult”)—when they themselves are ensnared in their own sin—with no way out—since they reject God’s only provision of His holy church. These people ought to be pitied, by God’s true saints.
The Forum for Ecclesiocentricity is designed to educate Christians and non-Christians alike to understand the Biblical teaching concerning the Church (the "Puritan" church in particular), with regard to its principal role on the earth. When this is achieved, it is hoped that the Church would then be in a better position to convey Christ's redemptive virtues to the civil government (state), and the family. (You may email me at: markjhenninger@gmail.com)
