Didaskalos Ministries Cults Exposed Spiritualism Dm063h.htm  IntroductionSkip IntroductionWhen I was growing up whenever someone was caught tellinga lie we always said "Liar, Liar, pants on fire!". Childish, yes, but veryappropriate if you think about it. All cults have several things in common.First, they mimic Christianity, though they are only a pseudo-formof the truth. Several of the cults, like the Mormon Church, have gone sofar into mimicry that they are actually considered a separate denominationlike the Presbyterian or Methodist Churches. Second, the cults twistthe Scripture to suit their platform of belief, rather than conformwhat they believe to what the Scripture teaches. Many of the cults, thoughnot all, use various forms of brainwashing techniques to gather and retaintheir converts. They use holy deception, as they call it,to trick a person into their midst, then on tearing down the barriers ofthe person's old belief system they slowly inculcate the new, cultic doctrines."Liar, Liar, pants on fire!" is a true saying, for thosedeceived by cults are walking a pathway that can only lead to eternal damnationin the next life. Jesus said, "I am the way,the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me".(John 14:6). The cults would have you believe there are other ways to God,but our Lord teaches only one way: Faith in the historic and Biblical Personof Jesus Christ. Anything that distorts that simple Gospel message is cultic,and leads to anything but Heaven.In this and eight other studies we will be looking atvarious cults, and how they twist the Scripture into something outsideof the truth. All Scripture quoted is from the King James version, andthis research was compiled from various sources. Two of the best sourcesI used were The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error byKeith L. Brooks (Moody Press) and Larson's Book of Cultsby Bob Larson (Tyndale Publishing House, 1982). I have also had personalcontact with several of these cults myself, which "flavors" this writing.Be aware, this series of studies is not meant to be apersonal attack on any person, for all people are precious and need tohear the Gospel of Christ. These studies are designed to attack thelies that the cults are propagating, leading men and women to damnationand away from peace in Christ. If you know anybody who is involved in thesecults, please don't use the material to attack them. Use the material,in conjunction with the leading of the Holy Spirit, to try and lead themout of the lies of the cult and into the Truth of God's Word. Redeem thatsoul for Jesus! SpiritualismThough the Scripture gives the severest warnings againstspiritualism and spiritism (communication with the dead):Leviticus 20:6, 27 "And thesoulthat turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, togo a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, andwill cut him off from among his people. ... A man also or woman thathath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death:they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them."For some reasons Americans are fascinated with this macabrepractice. The "Psychic Friends Network" routinely shows "real psychics"that will, for free, tell you all sorts of things about yourselfthat you already knew. One one woman was recently shown on such a commercialcryingbecause, she said, "It's so real ... it just feels so real".Spiritualism/ Spiritism (S&S) is mankind's oldestfalse religion, associated with Voodoo, Ouija, Psychics, even to the ritualhuman sacrifices of the ancient Canaanites and Chaldeans. S&S is oftencharacterized by ghostly emanations, rapping in old "haunted" houses. ThoughSpiritualism is an outcropping of the more ancient Spiritism, both arefounded in pagan, not Christian theology. Followers of S&Shave the following seven principles they follow (Larson's Book of Cults,Tyndale Publishers, 1982, pp 321-322): The Fatherhood of GodThe Brotherhood of ManContinuous existenceCommunion with spirits and the ministry of angelsPersonal responsibilityCompensation and retribution hereafter for good and evildone on the earthA path of endless progressionWhen I look at principle #4, "The ministry of angels", itbrings to mind the numerous Christian sites on the Internet devoted toangels, almost to the point of worship. Be careful, believers!S&S also affirms nine articles of belief:We believe in Infinite Intelligence.We believe that the phenomena of Nature, both physical andspiritual, are the expression of Infinite Intelligence.We affirm that a correct understanding of such expressionand living in accordance therewith, constitute true religion.We affirm that the existence and personal identity of theindividual continues after the change called death.We affirm that communication with the so-called dead is afact scientifically proven by the phenomena of Spiritualism.We believe that the highest morality is contained in theGolden Rule: "Whatever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye untothem".We affirm the moral responsibility of the individual, andthat he makes his own happiness or unhappiness as he obeys or disobeysnature's physical and spiritual laws.We affirm that the doorway to reformation is never closedagainst any human soul here or hereafter.We affirm that the precept of Prophecy contained in the Bibleis a divine attribute proven through Mediumship.S&S does not believe in the atonement of Christ, believingthat it was only an allegory used to illustrate the martyred spirit. Thoughthey claim to believe in the prophecies of Scripture, their own words makeJesus Christ out to be a liar. He taught:Luke 16:19-26 "There was acertain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and faredsumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, whichwas laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbswhich fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and lickedhis sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried bythe angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afaroff, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, havemercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger inwater, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abrahamsaid, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things,and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou arttormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a greatgulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neithercan they pass to us, that would come from thence."God has a great gulf fixed between death and life, a gulfthat no man (even a Medium) can breach. This gulf is there for our owngood. So if S&S cannot, Biblically, claim to reach the dead, how dowe explain their proofs? Quite simply:John 8:44 "Ye are ofyour father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He wasa murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because thereis no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: forhe is a liar, and the father of it."If Jesus is true (and I believe He is) then that whichS&S engages in is manifested from the Father of Lies, Satan. But ifJesus is false, which I deny, then He lied when He proclaimed a great andunbreachable gulf was fixed between the living and the dead.Quit playing in the devil's playground, lest you be burned! The Holy Bible Says:Spiritualism Says:The Person of GodGenesis 1:1 In the beginningGod created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:26-27 And God said,Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominionover the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle,and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth uponthe earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of Godcreated he him; male and female created he them. Deuteronomy 4:35 Untothee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; thereis none else beside him. John 4:24 God is a Spirit:and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For thereis one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Matthew 28:19 Go yetherefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matthew 3:16-17 AndJesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and,lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descendinglike a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven,saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Genesis 11:7-8 Go to,let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understandone another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence uponthe face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Isaiah 48:13-16 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right handhath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared thesethings? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, andhis arm shall be on the Chaldeans. I, even I, have spoken; yea, Ihave called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from thebeginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD,and his Spirit, hath sent me. The Person of GodThe spark of Divinity dwells in all(What Spiritualism Is and Does, Spiritualist Manual, 1940)"Just as I am, nor poor nor blind;Nor bound by chains in soul ormind; For all of Thee within I find; O God of Love I come, I come." (SpiritualistHymnal)The Lord Jesus ChristJohn 1:1-4 In the beginningwas the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Thesame was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him;and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him waslife; and the life was the light of men. Matthew 1:18 Now thebirth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espousedto Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the HolyGhost. Isaiah 7:14 Thereforethe Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive,and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 1 Timothy 3:16 And withoutcontroversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in theflesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,believed on in the world, received up into glory. John 1:14 And the Wordwas made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the gloryas of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.Romans 1:4-6 And declaredto be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, bythe resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace andapostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 1 Corinthians 15:13-17 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faithis also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because wehave testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up,if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is notChrist raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye areyet in your sins. Hebrews 7:25 Whereforehe is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him,seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Acts 1:11 Which alsosaid, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this sameJesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manneras ye have seen him go into heaven. The Lord Jesus ChristThe teaching of spirits supersedesand is an advance upon the teachings of Christianity (Spiritualist Telegraph,Number 37)Christ was no divine. He is nowan advanced spirit in the sixth sphere. He never claimed to be God manifestin the flesh and does not at present (Weisse, Demonology or Spiritualism,p. 141)His identification with the Fatherwas the oneness of Mediumship. He was a medium or mediator (Colville, UniversalSpiritualism, p. 234)Jesus Christ was indeed the Sonof God, as also we are Son of God (Many Mansions, p. 107)The miraculous conception of Christis merely a fabulous tale (Weisse, Spiritualism, p. 141).. The Death of Jesus is an illustrationof the martyr spirit, of that unselfish and heroic devotion to humanitywhich ever characterized the life of Jesus, but no special atoning valuein his sufferings and death (The A.B.C. of Spiritualism, Q. 19)Spiritualism accepts him as oneof many Savior Christs, who at different times have come into the worldto lighten its darkness and show by precept and example the way of lifeto men. It recognizes him as a world saviour but not as the only name givenunder Heaven by which men can be saved (The A.B.C. of Spiritualism, Q.17)The Personage of the Holy SpiritJohn 15:26 But when theComforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even theSpirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify ofme: John 16:8, 13-14 Andwhen he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness,and of judgment: ... Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, hewill guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoeverhe shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it untoyou. John 14:26 But the Comforter,which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shallteach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoeverI have said unto you. Romans 8:11-15 But ifthe Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he thatraised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies byhis Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors,not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after theflesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deedsof the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spiritof God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spiritof bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption,whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Ephesians 5:18 And benot drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Knowye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwellethin you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy;for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Romans 8:9-11 But ye are notin the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwellin you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spiritis life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raisedup Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from thedead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwellethin you. The Personage of the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit from God is the spiritof some holy person who has once been in the flesh (Hastings, p. 91)The Nature of SinRomans 3:10-12 As it iswritten, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth,there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way,they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no,not one. Romans 3:21-25 But nowthe righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessedby the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is byfaith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for thereis no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in ChristJesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faithin his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins thatare past, through the forbearance of God; 1 John 1:9-10 If weconfess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and tocleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned,we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 3:4-5 Whosoever committethsin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him isno sin. 1 John 5:17 All unrighteousnessis sin: and there is a sin not unto death. Romans 14:23 And hethat doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: forwhatsoever is not of faith is sin. James 4:17 Thereforeto him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. The Nature of SinWhatever is, is right. Evil does notexist. Evil is good. No matter what man's path may be, good or bad,it is the path of divine ordination and destiny (Childs, Whatever Is, IsRight)A lie is the truth intrinsically:it holds a lawful place in creation; it is a necessity (Andre, The TrueLight, p. 162)Death is not a violent result ofsin. It was neither friend nor enemy. It is a part of the divine purpose(Spiritualism Manual, 1940)The Nature of SalvationEphesians 1:7 In whom wehave redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according tothe riches of his grace; 1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuchas ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silverand gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish andwithout spot: Revelation 1:5-6 Andfrom Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begottenof the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that lovedus, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kingsand priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for everand ever. Amen. Hebrews 9:22-26 Andalmost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without sheddingof blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patternsof things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenlythings themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is notentered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures ofthe true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Godfor us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priestentereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; Forthen must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: butnow once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by thesacrifice of himself. Colossians 1:20-22 And,having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile allthings unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, orthings in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemiesin your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the bodyof his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveablein his sight: Hebrews 10:12-18 Butthis man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat downon the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemiesbe made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witnessto us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant thatI will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my lawsinto their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And theirsins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remissionof these is, there is no more offering for sin. John 3:18 He that believethon him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Titus 3:5-7 Not by worksof righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he savedus, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Whichhe shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justifiedby his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternallife. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by graceare ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the giftof God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Romans 3:24-27 Beingjustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in ChristJesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in hisblood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that arepast, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time hisrighteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believethin Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works?Nay: but by the law of faith. Romans 10:4 For Christis the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. The Nature of SalvationThere is no atoning value in the deathof Jesus Christ (Childs, Whatever Is, Is Right)Salvation by vicarious atonementis a wicked and soul destroying delusion (Ethics of Spiritualism, p. 99)Every soul will progress throughthe ages to heights sublime and glorious, where God is love and love isGod (What Spiritualism is and Does, Spiritualist Manual, 1940)There are no two worlds at all,there is but one inter blended, interrelated world, closely interwovenby memory and the love of life. Consciousness could not die. Personalitycould not be destroyed (Bach, They have Found a Faith, p. 116)Man becomes a spirit after death,doing both evil and good, but he may be saved as he progresses from onespirit level to the next. We affirm that the doorway to reformation isnever closed against any human soul, here or hereafter (Declaration ofPrinciples, Numbers 7-8)Leaving the physical body does notchange the condition of the spirit, which is the actual personality. Itmust learn to desire and to progress to higher and higher conditions, justas we do on earth (Spiritualist Manual, p. 182)Each must work out his own salvation;each has an equal opportunity to do this when he shall have atoned forthe wrongs and overcome the temptations and allurements to the sense gratificationof earth life (Spiritualist Manual, p. 184)Even the most degraded personalitycan in time attain the greatest heights. It is easier, however, to beginprogression in the earth life (Spiritualist Manual, p. 184)The Nature of HellDaniel 12:2 And many ofthem that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlastinglife, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Hebrews 9:27 And asit is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Revelation 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books wereopened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and thedead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, accordingto their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and deathand hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judgedevery man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into thelake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found writtenin the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obeynot the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlastingdestruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; Mark 9:45-48 And ifthy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt intolife, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that nevershall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enterinto the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast intohell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Matthew 13:41-42 TheSon of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of hiskingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall castthem into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. The Nature of HellWhen you believe in spiritual manifestations,you will feel far happier than you do now. You will not fear the threatsof damnation and hell .. such doctrine is wrong (Doyle, The New Revelation,1918, p. 68)We do not believe in such placesas Purgatory and Hell. Communicating spirits have merely graduated fromthis form of life into another. That life can be heaven or hell like, justas each spirit chooses to make it; the same applies to our life here (SpiritualistManual, p. 183) Return to Didaskalos Main MenuGo to the next Cultic Study |
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