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The Christian Response:

Witnessing to RLDS Members

 

 

 

 

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

 

                                                    – Psalm 11:3

 

“I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”

 

                                                                  – Philemon: 6

 

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

 

                                                      – I Peter 3:15

 

 

    Witnessing to the RLDS has become increasingly complicated since the 1984 church-wide split following the admission of women into the priesthood. The restoration branches hold on to the early teachings of Joseph Smith Jr., while the institutional church vacillates between loyalty to their restoration heritage, and liberal Protestantism with new age overtones. Therefore, it is important to know what RLDS believe about their church before witnessing to them. The following article, which was printed in the Independence Examiner,[1] will not only give some insight into the dilemma church members face, but will also help the non-member understand how to better witness to RLDS. 

Liberals vs. Restorationists  

      We, former RLDS members, are neither anti-restorationist nor anti-liberal and have no vendetta towards the RLDS people. We are very much “pro-Jesus” and “pro-truth” and are, therefore, squarely opposed to all deception wherever such is found.

      With respect to the “liberal” vs. “restoration” schism, we are frankly thankful that we are not in the position of having to choose sides in a war which cannot possibly produce peace. We also don’t concern ourselves much with the particular issues which divide the combatants, (women in the priesthood, etc.) since those issues can only be properly viewed relative to the larger issue of the credibility of the basic teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr., from which the dilemma originates. 

     To be more specific, the issue of “women in the priesthood,” when viewed from a purely Biblical Christian perspective, is absurd in terms of its bearing upon the kingdom of God since, apart from its relativity to the assumption of the supreme authority of Joseph Smith’s “priesthood,” it has no validity whatever. Christians everywhere are in common agreement with respect to the High Priest status of Jesus Christ in the New Testament Church, and since no such “office of high priest” exists for Christian men in the New Testament Church it clearly makes little difference if the RLDS Church were to ordain women to an office of “high priestess.” Both sides in this debate are thus forced to assume positions which encourage an unbiblical and therefore heretical argument, in as much as the concept of RLDS “priesthood” originated with a man (Joseph Smith) and not God. We do not favor anyone rejecting the RLDS Church based upon such an issue as “women in the priesthood,” when an even more fundamental problem of Smith’s priesthood is being overlooked.    

     As with the priesthood issue, we see most of the other arguments between liberals and restorationists as distracting and diversionary, while the deeper issue relative to the foundational assumptions of Joseph Smith go blindly unchallenged. Both sides, squaring off in legalistic combat over ritual and authority, are also overlooking one very important aspect of this dilemma. The fruit which is born on a tree of contention and strife is always rotten, always bitter. The Bible tells us that where there is strife there is confusion and “every evil work.”

     Such strife is not merely a product of this generation of RLDS but is, rather, an inherited condition, having its roots in Joseph Smith’s authoritarianism. Students of restoration history will remember that in-fighting among its members and priesthood was rife in the early church. Joseph Smith was accused by some of his closest constituents of being a false prophet. There were incidents of bloodshed between members in the early church as the struggle for power and control raged. Joseph Smith even attempted to silence his critics through church trials, ex-communications, a vigilante band called “Danites” (or “destroying angels”), and the destruction of an independent printing press which published a newspaper article exposing his authorship of the polygamy doctrine.

     The events of today should not, therefore, come as a great surprise, nor should future action by the church in the administering of heavy-handed authority arrive unexpectedly. All of this must be viewed within the context of “strife … and every evil work,” which, to an on-looking world, appears to be the real fruit of Joseph Smith’s “restoration” gospel. If one desires the fruit of the Spirit and the fragrance of Jesus in his religious life, one must look well beyond the example which was “restored” by Joseph Smith and seek answers from the Bible.

     Internal strife among the RLDS is only one indication of deep problems which plague the church. Both “liberals” and “restorationists” are called to repentance. Factionalism, contentiousness, and strife are works of the flesh and stem from religious pride and idolatry.

      Every RLDS member wants and needs the same thing: the joy that surpasses all understanding. That joy only comes through a knowledge of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

An Open Letter to RLDS Liberals

      To the liberals we say: “Turn to Jesus.” It has been made clear from articles, statements, and internal memoranda circulated by the church that you no longer venerate Joseph Smith’s teachings or the Book of Mormon as do your brethren. For more than twenty years, the liberal element has led the church farther and farther away from the dubious testimony of Joseph Smith toward a more seemly appearance of Christian orthodoxy.

     If this means that you have indeed rejected the conflicting, unorthodox teachings of Joseph Smith, and are becoming less like him and more like Jesus, then there is hope. Also, if in the process of down-playing the Book of Mormon you have embraced the Bible as God’s Holy Word which is “able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15), and as a result have found your way to the cross of Calvary, then we rejoice in the miracle of your salvation.

     On the other hand, if, as we suspect, you have merely reinterpreted your history and the Joseph Smith teachings to fit a liberal religious world view which is merely less cultic in appearance and therefore more compatible with a “New Age” concept of “oneness,” then you labor in vain “having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.” Surely you are aware that you have been, fairly or unfairly, tagged with the “New Age” label by your critics. Why not, therefore, inform yourselves regarding this humanistic New Age worldview which is sweeping the planet in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy? Colossians 2:8-10 warns: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him.”

     It is ironic that this strategy of the liberal church leadership to distance themselves from the fundamental teachings of Joseph Smith has resulted in the denial of those very assumptions upon which their own authority rests. Understandably, they are unwilling to formally denounce as a false prophet the founding father of Mormonism, to whom they owe their existence, no matter how provable such an assertion might be, historically or scripturally. So, as long as the inherited robes of power continue to impress and intimidate thousands of the gullible, there remains no serious threat to their “stronghold” and no demand for an honest accounting.

     The larger Christian body of whom they seek the seal of denominational legitimacy may, however, be less dazzled by such fancy footwork. As the RLDS Church attempts to slip quietly through the back door, so to speak, of Christian orthodoxy, and win the approval of other major denominations, one must marvel at their diplomatic public relations skill. Seldom does one witness such bold political maneuvering, such “big business” shrewdness, and such brazen hypocrisy coming from those claiming to be purveyors of truth.

     One cannot help but wonder how long it will be before the Christian community begins to demand some straight answers to straight questions which will easily pierce through this thinly veiled charade. If the “liberal” RLDS desire admittance to the Body of Christ, they are certainly as welcome as any — through the front door of repentance and an open confession of faith. “Whosoever will may come.” 

 An Open Letter to RLDS Restorationists 

      To you we also say: “Turn to Jesus.” Before you find yourselves deeply entrenched in the untenable position of  “the pot calling the kettle black,” you would do well to re-examine some of your “hand-me-down” assumptions relative to the character and works of Joseph Smith.

     There is a great deal of your cherished history and beliefs based more upon presumption than fact. Much has been hidden from plain view by those in the past who would have had the most to lose by open disclosure. Yet the inquisitive minds and hungry hearts of sincere seekers of truth cannot be turned aside forever. Although you are to be admired for your tenacious dedication to principle in your defense of the original doctrines and teachings of the foundational church, the territory which you are fighting so admirably to protect is, unfortunately, quicksand! A carefully researched study of restoration history coupled with an open-minded comparison of Smith doctrine and New Testament doctrine will reveal the urgency of your predicament.

     Simply put: the extent to which you have idolized Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon is the extent to which you have been deceived. Furthermore, the extent to which you are lifted up in your heart with religious idolatry and pride is the extent to which you are blinded to the truth and immune to correction, when facts are readily available. Most of us were “restorationists” like you and now as born again Christians we have something far more meaningful and fulfilling than “religion.” We have the personal assurance of our salvation, something we were denied as RLDS.

      Your religion, no matter how right you think it is, will not save you. And unless you have the assurance that you are saved, right now, by the grace of God, then “religion” is all you have – without LIFE.

     When you allow yourself to question and seek the truth, through study of God’s Word, the Bible, and humble prayer, you will begin to see just how “New Age” the doctrines of Joseph Smith really are. Steeped in the occult, Hindu and Egyptian theology, sorcery, and Masonic tradition, Smith’s “restored” gospel is exposed as a clever but extremely dangerous counterfeit of the Christian gospel. It can be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Joseph Smith was a false prophet and that most of his teachings are diametrically opposed to the New Covenant Christian faith.

     This assessment may upset you but perhaps it will also make you think. We love you and believe you deserve to know the truth no matter how badly it hurts. When you get beyond the initial shock, like opening your eyes to a bright light, you will be eager to enter into that “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” And that joy will come as a result of the knowledge that, by God’s wonderful grace YOU ARE SAVED! 

Witnessing Tips

      Many times when witnessing to RLDS, they will defensively quote the scripture, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” (Matt. 7:1) While it is true we are not to judge a persons heart or their motives, the Bible clearly teaches that Christians are always to judge doctrine and test the spirits because, “…many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (I John 4:1, Jude 3, I Peter 3:15, Matt. 7:15). Listed below are some suggestions to keep in mind when witnessing to RLDS members.

·        Have a working knowledge of the Bible. The only antidote to falsehood is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17).

 

·        Ask God to remove the spiritual blindness from their eyes, and give them a desire for truth. Remember it is the Holy Spirit that does the converting. The Christian can plant the seeds and perhaps water them, but it is God who makes them grow (I Cor. 3:6-7).

 

·        Pray for discernment, as a different approach may be needed in witnessing to each individual or group. While we are always to be loving, sometimes a firm approach is needed. For example the Apostle Paul admonishes: “He [God’s servant] must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers…. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach…. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith…” Titus l:9-l3

 

·        Acquire a basic knowledge of the beliefs of both the institutional church and the restorationists. Ask them to define their terminology. Though the terms they use may sound Christian, most of them have been re-defined to fit the RLDS belief system as seen below.

 

HELL - A temporary place in the afterlife where those who have not accepted Joseph Smith’s gospel in this life are given a chance to receive it

 

SALVATION - The act of being baptized and confirmed into the RLDS Church, and then living a life of good works

SCRIPTURE - “Inspired Version” of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants

SIN - Specific acts, not man’s basic sin nature which he acquired because of Adam’s sin.

ZION - A righteous city (also called the New Jerusalem), to be built in Independence, Missouri by the RLDS Church before Christ returns

            TRUE CHURCH - The church established by Joseph Smith in 1830

 

PRIESTHOOD – Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods — All authority to act for God in the RLDS Church resides in these two priesthoods.

 

BORN AGAIN - Water baptism and confirmation of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the elders’ hands.        

 

GOSPEL - Joseph Smith’s teachings which he restored in l830 — found in their three books of scripture.

 

HEAVEN - Three separate glories: the highest glory called Celestial, for faithful RLDS, Terrestrial glory, for those who die without accepting the gospel on earth but receive it in the prison house and Telestial glory, for those who accept Joseph Smith’s gospel while in hell (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 76). 

 

·        When witnessing to RLDS, realize that many times when they are quiet and seem to be listening to your point of view it is just a form of politeness. Quietness is not the same as listening. They hear only the things they can answer with certainty. Given the floor again, they will frequently proceed as though nothing had been said. Conversations are sometimes monologues with possible interruptions on your part that must be tolerated in order to give opportunity for their proclamation of the “truth.”

 

·        Let them know that it is their doctrine you take exception to and not them. Emphasize the fact that their spiritual experiences cannot determine truth, and that Joseph Smith’s teachings must be tested in light of God’s Word, the Bible.

 

·        Don’t get sidetracked onto peripheral issues. Don’t argue. A heated argument only affirms for them their own “rightness” (2 Tim. 2:23-26).

 

·        Remember that, “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:11-12).

 

·        If they say that they have accepted Christ, ask them what their salvation is based on. If it is based on belief in Joseph Smith as prophet, baptism or church membership, explain to them the true gospel as found in the Bible (Romans Road to Salvation is good to use). Then ask them if they would like to receive Christ as their Savior based on the Biblical explanation of salvation. If they say yes, pray the sinner’s prayer with them and then assure them that they are a Child of God, and that they can have the assurance of eternal life (I John 5:13). Give them some basic reading material on discipleship.

·        Above all, commit your efforts to the Lord who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9)

 In addition to the above suggestions, the next section contains some provocative questions you can ask your RLDS acquaintances.

 

Some Provocative Questions Every RLDS Should Consider

1.         The Book of Mormon tells of the final battle between the Nephites and Lamanites. This battle took place on Hill Cumorah in New York, where the gold plates were hidden. If hundreds of thousands of people fought in this Great War, as the Book of Mormon claims, why are there no artifacts as evidence? (Book of Mormon p. 702-703).

2.         Why did Joseph Smith try to join the Methodist Church in 1828, when in his 1820 vision the Lord supposedly commanded him to join none of them (Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches) as they were all an abomination in his sight? (The Amboy Journal, April 30, 1879, p. 1, and June 11, 1879).

3.         Why did Joseph Smith’s mother, Lucy, brothers, Hyrum and Samuel, and sister, Sophronia, stay involved in the Presbyterian Church until 1828? Didn’t his own family believe Joseph’s vision was from God?” (Sessions Records, Western Presbyterian Church of Palmyra).

4.         Why weren’t the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon taken into Joseph Smith’s house and literally shown the gold plates, instead of being taken to the woods where they only witnessed them in a “vision”? (RLDS Church History, Vol. l, Ch. 4, p. 46)

5.         According to the claims of the Book of Mormon, the Lord led three groups of people to America from the Middle East — the Jaredites (approx. 2200 B.C.), the Nephites and the Mulekites (approx. 600 B.C. before the exile). How could any of the three groups have brought the Urim and Thummim to America when they were still being used in Jerusalem in 458 BC after the Jewish exile? (See Ezra 2:62-63)

6.         Why would the Lord give Joseph Smith the Urim and Thummim to translate the gold plates when traditionally they were used by the high priest for the purpose of making decisions, not translating languages? (Exodus 28:30).

7.         Since, according to the Bible, human beings do not become angels when they die, how could Moroni (a general in the Book of Mormon narrative) have come to Joseph Smith bearing a message and be identified as an angel? Jesus taught that we become like angels at the resurrection in the sense that we will not procreate (Mark 12:25; See Angels, Angels, Angels, by Billy Graham).

8.         In Section 83:3c of the Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph Smith stated that without the authority of the priesthood no man could “see the face of God, even the Father, and live.” Since Joseph claimed to see the Father and Son in 1820, and the priesthood was not restored until 1829, how could he have lived through the experience?

9.         Why does the Book of Ether say that the language of the Jaredites was not confounded at the tower of Babel, when Genesis states that the Lord confounded all the languages of the earth at that time? (Gen. ll:6, I.V., Book of Mormon, Ether 1:7-11)

10.     Why would Joseph Smith say Baptism for the Dead was the most “glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel?” (Doctrine and Covenants, 110:17a). Shouldn’t the most glorious subject be the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

11.     How could Moses, who murdered an Egyptian, appear in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration if, according to Joseph Smith, murder is an unpardonable sin? (Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 42:6, Exodus 2:l2; Matthew 17:3) 

12.     A martyr is one who willingly lays down his life for his beliefs. How could Joseph Smith have died a martyr when he fought for his life and shot three men (killing two) before being killed himself? (Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? pp. 258, 259)

13.     Why does the Book of Mormon teach that Adam and Eve could not have had children unless Adam fell? When God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, they were still in the Garden of Eden before the fall. (Book of Mormon, II Nephi 1:115; Genesis 1:30 I.V.)

14.     Why did the leadership of the RLDS church accept the “Joseph Smith III blessing” as genuine and include it as appendix G in the Doctrine and Covenants, then later have to remove it when it was discovered to be a forgery? Where was their prophetic discernment?

15.     In Lucy Mack Smith’s book, “Joseph Smith and His Progenitors, (page 120), she tells of an incident where her son fought off attackers while, “running at the top of his speed” through the woods for three miles with the gold plates tucked under his arm. How could that have been possible when the plates were estimated to weigh approx. 230 pounds? Also, how could Emma Smith have moved them “…from place to place as it was necessary in doing my work”? (Saints Herald, October 1, 1879)

16.     The Book of Mormon states that there are only two churches, the church of God and the church of the devil. If the RLDS Church is the only true church (thus the church of God), does that mean that all other Christians churches make up “the church of the devil?” (Book of Mormon, I Nephi, 3:220-222)

17.     How could 1820 have been the year of Joseph Smith’s grove experience when Rev. Lane and Rev. Stockton, (the Methodist and Presbyterian ministers who attended the revival), were not assigned to the Palmyra area until 1824? (Wesley Walters, “New Light on Mormon Origins” pp. 7-l0)

18.     Joseph Smith claimed that Adam and Eve moved from Mesopotamia to Daviess County, Missouri, after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. 1) How did they get there? 2) Why doesn’t the Bible mention anything about such a remarkable move? (Doctrine and Covenants, Sec 104:28a)

19.     What is so disturbing or embarrassing to the RLDS Church about the following historical documents, all written by Joseph Smith but excluded from the RLDS canon of Scriptures: Book of Abraham, Book of Moses and Lectures of Faith?

20.     Why have several of Joseph Smith’s “inspired revelations” in the Doctrine and Covenants been moved from the main body to the appendix and then out of the book altogether? (See sections l07, ll0, ll3, etc.) Are his revelations becoming increasingly embarrassing to the leadership of the church?

21.     How could a record written in the Egyptian language help Jewish people preserve the language of their fathers which was Hebrew? (Book of Mormon I Nephi, 1:82; Mosiah 1:6)

22.     Why were New Testament teachings such as Christian baptism practiced in the Book of Mormon hundreds of years before Christ was born? (Mosiah 9:44)

23.     Joseph Smith records that an angel visited him in his bedroom in l823 and instructed him about obtaining the gold plates. In Church History, Joseph said the angel’s name was Nephi, but in the Doctrine and Covenants, he said it was Moroni. Why the contradiction, and which is correct? (RLDS Church History, Vol. 1, p. 12; Doctrine and Covenants 26:2; 110:20)

24.     In June of 1831, a General Conference was held at Kirtland where several elders were ordained as high priests. It is stated in Church History that “this was the first occasion in which this priesthood (Melchizedek) had been revealed. If this is true, what priesthood did the six elders hold that organized the church on April 6, 1830? (RLDS Church History, Vol. 1, p.194)

25.     Why did Joseph Smith embrace Masonry, when the Book of Mormon explicitly teaches against secret combinations? Why do many RLDS members join the masons when to do so they have to repeat the following vow: “I am in darkness and want to be led into the light of Free Masonry?” Do they really believe they are in darkness by belonging to the RLDS Church? 

26.     Why did John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John have to restore priesthood authority on Joseph Smith when RLDS doctrine teaches that at least four men with authority (the apostle John and the three Nephites) never died, but still remain on the earth? (Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 7:1 B.C. Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 13:13-19)

27.     There is no record in the New Testament of any individual ever having a priesthood conferred upon him in an ecclesiastical ceremony. With regard to ordaining men, there are a total of eighteen occurrences of the English verb, to ordain, in the New Testament. None of them however, speak of ordaining to the priesthood, but rather they refer to men being chosen to fill a particular office or to carry out a specific task. Why, then, do the RLDS teach that ‘the laying on of hands’ is necessary in ordaining eligible priesthood members?

28.     How could Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery have been ordained to the Aaronic priesthood by John the Baptist before they were baptized? (RLDS Church History, Vol. 1, pp. 35, 36).

29.     According to the Aztec religion, Quetzalcoatl (“the feathered serpent”) was just one of many pagan gods who was part deity and part cultural hero…In worshipping these pagan gods, it was a common practice to offer human sacrifices. Why would RLDS want to claim that Quetzalcoatl was Jesus Christ? Also, it has been determined that Quetzelcoatl first appeared about AD 1,000. How does this fit Book of Mormon chronology? 

30.     Why did Oliver Cowdery record in his l834 history of the church, that in l823 Joseph Smith did not even know if a supreme being did exist? Surely if Joseph had been visited by the Father and Son in l820, he would have remembered it three years later! Remember, Oliver’s history was written under Joseph Smith’s supervision. (See “A Reproduction of A Series of Letters written by Oliver Cowdery by the Church of Jesus Christ” RLDS Historians Office.)

31.     Fred M. Smith, former RLDS Prophet stated, “…is it not true that the Lord called upon educated men to represent him?[2]  Why would an “inspired man of God” make this statement in light of the Biblical statement, “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men they were astonished and they took note…” (Acts 4:l3) 

32.     Why is there no Biblical or historical record of a man named Lehi, who had lived in Jerusalem all his life, and who along side Jeremiah, prophesied of the coming destruction of Jerusalem?

33.     Why did Emma Smith, David Whitmer, Martin Harris, and Isaac Hale, all agree that Joseph Smith put a seer stone in a hat (an occult device) to translate the Book of Mormon, when Joseph himself said he translated it by the gift and power of God? (Saints Herald, Nov. 15, 1962, pp. 14-22)

34.     How could Alma, in the Book of Mormon, have been a High Priest when he belonged to the tribe of Joseph (Manasseh), and not the tribe of Levi? The Bible teaches that High Priests must be descendants of Aaron and belong to the tribe of Levi. (Mosiah 11:17, 9:2, I Nephi 1:165, Num. 3)

35.     Why would Joseph Smith name Isaiah and Esaias as two separate men when they are one and the same? Esaias is the Greek name for Isaiah! (Doc and Cov. Sec. 76)

36.     Why would Nephi tell the people 600 years before Christ, to “…feast upon the words of Christ?” (II Nephi l4:4)

37.     Since High Priests could only serve in the Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood by commandment of God, why did Joseph Smith include them in a Melchizedek priesthood?

38.     How could Nephi have used a compass over 500 years before Christ (I Nephi 5:190), when the magnetic compass was first used by the Chinese around 1100 AD?

39.     Why would Joseph Smith admonish his people not to drink “wine or strong drink” (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 86) and then attempt to construct a bar in the Mansion House and only reneged when his wife Emma declared, “Either that bar goes, or I go”? (Saints Herald, Feb. 1999, p. 18, Doc. and Cov. Sec. 86)

40.     If a fourteen-year-old boy appeared at your door one morning and told you the Lord had shown him in a vision that all existing churches, (including the RLDS church), were an abomination in His sight and that he (the14-year-old) had been chosen by God to establish a new church which would be the “only true church” would you believe him? If not, why not? Joseph asked the people of his day to accept his testimony with only himself as a witness!

The Christian’s Challenge 

      Love must always be the motivation for witnessing to cultists. Real love corrects those loved, “…for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” (Heb. 12:6). Jesus said, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Rev. 3:19). If we truly love God and man, we will expend ourselves in warning the lost and rebuking those who are leading multitudes astray with false doctrine, for we are to preach the Word, reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Tim. 4), in order to rescue as many as possible from God’s final judgment. Walter Martin gives the following advice.

 

“We must strive to keep foremost in our minds that cultists are precious souls for whom Jesus Christ offered Himself, and that they are human beings who have homes, families, friends, emotions, needs, ambitions, fears and frustrations which all men have in common. The cultist is special in only one sense, that he is already ‘deeply religious,’ and therefore, probably one of the most difficult persons in the world to reach with the Gospel of Christ….

      “The evangelization of cultists is the task of the Christian Church of which each Christian is a member, a part of the Body of Christ. Until this is recognized, and Christians are urged and encouraged by their pastors and leaders to forsake the portals of Hollywood and the domain of the great god, Television, etc., for door-to-door publishing of the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ for a lost world, the evangelization of cultists will continue to be one of the great tragedies of the Christian Church in our day.

      “It is excellent that we support foreign missions and send the light of God’s Gospel around the globe, but it is quite another thing for us to begin here, where the demand is personal, challenging and equally rewarding. This challenge is cult evangelism, the mission field on your doorstep.”[3]  

      May we be sensitive to the urgency felt by the early church leaders as they admonished Christians to defend the faith, “Since then we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:11).

      And finally, may we as Christians when witnessing to the lost, have the same passion as the Apostle Paul when he declared, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

 

                  A motto from the Christian Research Institute bears careful consideration:

              “Are Christians willing to do for the truth, what the cults are willing to do for a lie?”