How to Identify False Christian Religions

The Bible is an important reference in helping you identify false Christianity.

Christianity encompasses a vast number of churches, many organized into denominations, and a variety of worship practices. In the 16th century the Protestant Reformation led to changes in the religion that would eventually birth Protestant denominations such as Lutheran, Methodist and Baptist. Today, nondenominational or independent churches further add to the diversity of the Christian religion. This diversity can make it difficult to identify a false church or false Christian religion. Nevertheless, a few core beliefs and principles exist within Christianity that will help you determine whether a group represents a false Christian religion.

Instructions

1. Read the church or group's statement of faith, which will outline its basic and most important beliefs. Look for three important Christian principles. First, the church should declare the sole divinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Check the texts that the church declares as authoritative: They should recognize the Bible as the complete revelation of God and any other religious texts as secondary. Finally, look for the church's declaration of salvation, which should indicate it's only through Jesus' death and victory over the cross. Suspect a church or group if their statement of faith deviates from these principles in any way.

2. Read and understand the Bible for yourself. Read the Bible with an open mind, and ask respected Christian leaders about how different passages are interpreted. Christians from different churches will agree on core principles, such as Jesus being the sole path to salvation as he claimed in John 4:16 ("I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"). However, they will disagree on less central issues, like whether it is appropriate to baptize an infant.

3. Judge the teachings of the church against your understanding of Biblical truth. Ask a church leader about an issue when a discrepancy exists. A thoughtful pastor should be able to tell you how the church's belief conforms to the Bible and why other people, including other Christians, think differently.

4. Assess the group for any characteristics common of cults. For example, cults often have a central leader that exercises control over his followers' lives above and beyond the spiritual authority a pastor normally commands. Assess whether instructions given to you present too deep of an intrusion into your life and are presented without the option of not conforming. A cult may demand followers to make significant financial and material contributions beyond the typical tithe of 10 percent mentioned in the Bible. A cult may ask followers to live together for long periods of time or make other extreme sacrifices. Don't join a group if your intuition is telling you something is wrong.

Tips & Warnings

• When accessing another church or group, understand your own background and assumptions at the same time. Churches often differ in their worship styles, teachings and community activities. Remain open about how different Christians choose to worship and fellowship.

References

• The Alliance: The Alliance Stand
• Evangelical Free Church of America: Statement of Faith
• United Church of Christ: Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ
• The History Guide: Lecture 3: The Protestant Reformation
• Essential Christianity: How to Identify Cults and False Religions
• Religion Facts: Comparison Chart of Beliefs of Christian Denominations